The daily gazette., 1876-04-03
An EIopement Prevented.
The Fate of n Collector OF the Port
of Sandusky.

The Fate of n Collector OF the Port
of Sandusky.
His flight sriM the Wife Of his Deputy
and ,oith $22, 900 of the Governments
Honey Discsuery an the Island of
Ceylon.
From the Buffalo Express.
A few days ago we published brief
announcement of the death of Harlow
Case in the island of Ceylon, wnither
he fled twenty five years ago, and un-
til now nothing had been known in
this country OF his whereabout'. In
1850 Case was Collector of the Pert Of
Sandusky. He fell in love with the
wife of his deputy, Henry Fl.ncis.
seized $22, ,0e0 of Government money,
and eloped with Mrs. Francis and her
little child. They fed, as it now seems
to Ceylon. A short time ago an Ameri-
can miss 'onary made the acquaintaTc ce
of Case and Mrs. Francis. He de-
scribes them as living in an earthly
paradise; but both haunted by and
one dying of remorse and home sick
ness. Their bower wasa living tomb.
We quote his description of the inter-
view in which he detected the person
ality of the pair:
Sir" said Case, in tones which /
shall never forget, eff have sinned,
God ia heaven knows what have suf-
fered; and if in F.'s bereavement he
has cursed me, that curse is fearful.
ly fulfilled. Poor Mary is dying-has
been dying for months, and / have
known it. 1t has been for me to see
the failing step, the dimming eye; it is
| for me now to see the terrible strug-
| giles of her almost worn out frame; it
is for nae to listen to her language of
me mad; yes, mad, mad, madw he said
floor with long, hasty strides. Then
burying his face in his hands, he ex-
claimed: TOO late! too late! have
repented" There was long pause,
and he continued calmy: "No human
means can now restore my poor CON-
panion. Her moral sensibilities be-
come more and more acute as she fails
in strength. so that she often reproach
es herself constantly" A weary,
mournful sigh broke from his lips, as
if his heart would break. ooh! if he
knew" he exclaimed again, eff he
k ie how bitter a penalty she is pay
ing, he would pity her-and if it
could be, forgive. Will you see her,
sir?"
shrank from the very thought.
"She has asAed for you, sir; do you
deny her request? Hearing that you
came from America, she entreated me
to bring you to her. Ipromised that
I weuld."
Up the cool, wide, matted stairs he
led me into a chamber oriental in its
furnishing and chaste in its magnif-
cence. There, half reclining in a wide
easy chair-a costly shawl of lace cast
o 'er her attenuated shoulders, the
rich dressing gown clinging and hol-
10 we'd to the ravage sickness had made
l-sat one whose great beauty and once
gentle gifts made the light and lowell
ness of a sacred home. The eyes only
etained their lustre; they were wo-
fully sunken. The blazing fire, kindled
al the vitals, burned upon her sharpen
ed cheeks s-burned more tiercelv more
hotly as she looked upon my face.
The first question was: care you
going back to America, sir?"
The hollow voice startled me. l
seemed to zee an open sepulchre. l
told her it was not my intention to re.
turn at present.
ooh, thea, who will take my little
child back to her father?" she cried.
the tears falling. 81 am dying, and
she must go back to him. 1t is the
only reparation that can make-and
little eneugh-for the bitter wrong l
have done them. l hoped sir, you
might see him." she added a moment
afterward, checking her sebs: ~
hoped you might tell that his image is
before me from morning till night, as
l knew he must have looked when the
first shock came. Oh, sir, tell him my
story. Warn, oh, warn everybodyi
Tell him have suffered through the
long, long hours these many years
ah! God only knows how deeply"
"Mary you must control your feel
ings," said my host, gently. "Let me
talk while | may" was the answer
"Let me say that since the day l left
my home | have not knswn single
hour of happiness. 1t was always to
come-always just ahead-and here Is
what has come-the grave IS opening,
and | must 60 to judgment"
Mrs. Francis soon died. Case has
since died. The daughter started to
return to her father in a vessel that
was lost at sea, 1t was supposed that
Francis committed suicide after the
breaking up of his home, as nothing
was heard from him. His story which
| has lately come out, is as dreadful as
that of the others.
| Up to the time of the elopement,
Francis had lived with the utmost con-
lfidepce in his wife's honor, and when
the APPALLING truth of his betrayal
dawned upon him, it partly turned
his brain, and he became a monoma-
MAC, with only two objects in life-to
gain revenge on Case and get back his
child. lie sold his little property at a
sacrifice and set out on his long pur.
suit of Case and Mrs. Francis. They
had gone to England. He followed
them, and arrived there just in time to
hear of them in France. From France