The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-15
LOCAL MATTERS.

IHE hECApTURE OF TEE w H1TE FEMALE
CoSUcTs-STATEMENT OF Mn. ELKrN-AD-
D1TroSAI. FACTs.-Mr. and Mrs. Elkin, at
whose house. In Henrico county, Nine.
Roussel and Jennie Beattie were captured on
Tuesday, came to the office OF this paper
yesterday and made the following statement
concerning their knowledge OF the women :.
On Sunday morning Mr.: Baschen, q Swede,
shoemaker Of this city, came to Mr.. EI-
kin's house AID urged him to take as board
ers lady (Mrs. Langhorne) and her daugh-
ter-ln-law. His account was that the
younger lady's husband had been drunk
and treated her very badly. and she wished
to escape from his presence for awhile.
Mr.. .Elkin had had acquaintance with Bas-
chen, and desiring to oblise him, after some
hesitation consented to receive the ladies.
No board in advance was asked or paid.
Baschen told Mrs. Elkn that she could have
her money in advance If she desired, but,
expressing no wish on the subject, he did
not give it to her.
Sunday night Baschen brought the women
to Mr.. Elkin's house. 1t was between 8
and 8 o'clock. They were dressed in black,
and looked and behaved respectfully, and
no suspicion Of their real characters en-
tered the minds Of Mr.. or Mrs. Elkin. It
appears that they went rs far as Mrs. Beck's
garden in carriage; there dismissed the
carriage, and made the remainder OF the
distance on foot, no doubt to keep the car
riage-driver from knowing OF their move
ments. ..
Mrs. Elkin states that when the peniten-
tiary-guards arrived at her house one Of
them asked, "Have you two women
here:" Mrs. Elkin replied, .sYes.''
" Where are they?'' they asked. cup
stairs" she replied; and they said, |" Call
them down, for they are escaped prisoners
from the penitentiary." Mrs. Elkin went
up stairs and looked in the women's room,
but the fugtives were not to be seen. See
ing the approach Of the officers to the house
they had concealed themselves. 1t was then
that Mrs. Elkin said, "They are not here"
A close search, in which the officers and
Mr.. Elkin joined, resulted in finding the
two convicts concealed-the one in box;
the other behind door.
Mr.. and Mrs. Elkn further declare that
Baschen assured them that "the ladies "
were from Chesterfield; that they slept in
their room, not in the graveyard, Sunday
and Monday nights, and that they never had
anything to do with Mrs. RoussePs husband
in any way, and that he never was, to their
knowledge, at their house.
Mrs. RousSel was acting during the time
as "the old lady," and Jennie Beattie as
the daughter-n-law. Jennie called the
other MA"
Mrs. Elkin is OF French birth. So is
Mrs. Roussel. They had some delightful
chat together, and Mrs. Elkin had begun to
look upon her boardcr as a perfect lady
when her true character was developed.
After hearing the statements OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Elkin. Mr.. Baschen was interviewed.
He represents that he had brief acquaint-
ance with Nine. RousseI, having visited
the penitentiary with her husband to see
her. Sunday morning he received a note
at his house, on First street, from her. She
desired him to come to see her and Jennie
Beattie ats house OF bad repute on Cary
street between Seventh and Eighth. He
promptly responded, and, without giving
the subject due thought, entered into
their plans for concealment. He de-
MED some OF the details of OIr. El-
kin's statement. but admitted the ma
terial points. 1t seems that he told his
wife what he had done in the matter Of
aiding the two women in their conceal
ment. On Tuesday morning Mrs. Baschen
read in the papers the account OF their
escape from the penitentiary. Apprehend-
ing that her husband might get into trou-
Bile, she insisted upon bis going to the
penitentiary and informing the officers
what he had done. Th;t Baschen said
he did. The information lie gave ena-
bled the officers to capture the women.
Thus he in great part atoned for the wrong
he had done the law. Baschen declares that
he knew nothing of the women's purpose
to escape from the penitentiary, and that he
was told by them that they wore their
black clothes out Of their cells.
Baschen came to Richmond from the
North about nine months ago. His en-
Dloyer gives him GOOD character.