The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1879-09-27
ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

SeR0AEAkGE IN REAL LIFE 4
~ - M
How Mans wife was stolen from Him
by Her Brother- Killing Ethe Brother
and leading Wanderers Life for
Thirty Years Meeting His Remarked
Wife and Marrying Her Agaia.
AT; tia hospital in the Soldiers Home
there is an old soldier, a veteran of the
war of 1912, now in his eighty-third
year. His frame is somewhat stopped
with years, but otherwise indicates a
vigor that promises to last for many
years. He has a cheerful, intelligent
face. and his record at the Home is of
the best character. A few weeks ago he
met with brutal treatment at the hands
of rough fellow in West Dayton. He
has not yet recovered from the injuries
that were inflicted on him.
The name of the old veteran is Elias
S.Jones, and his history is one of a kind
often recorded in romance, and the
counterpart of which the poet Tennyson
has rendered immortal in the pathetic
tale of Enoch Arden. The story of Elias
Jones' life is more dramatic and even
more painful than Enoch Arden's,
though its end is happier.
He was born in Vermont, and was
only in his sixteenth year when the war
of 1912 broke out. After peace had been
concluded Jones removed To Shirk
State, rwhereshe bought E..
land in Steuben AK. & '
he learned
on seVera & * W a + q
come to "a
lived on d
after met 6ng
lady who's Vi the
State. HeE Res-Miss
Aida Jones sic $3.50 handsome
country girl of seventeen, and though
her home was at some distance from
Elias syeung women, and pretty young
women .wareA q scarce article st that
time in the. neighborhood, and his calls
were frequent. One day he met the
brother of the young lady. her only liv-
ing relative, and he recognized in him
the enemy he had made in the purchase
of his land; a scene ensued, in which
Elias was ordered from the house, with
a threat of being shot if he returned.
This did not check the attachment be-
tween the young people, and a few
months later she left her brothers house
and was married to Elias Jones. Her
brother swpre, however,, that he would
be even with them both. This was in
1922 They bad been married o1eraa
year, and had one child, boy. When
the father returned home one night, after
several days absence. he found his house
burned down and his wife and child
gone. A note was pinned to tree near
by from his wife's brother, stating this
work had been done by him in revenge.
He also added if Jones followed and
tracked him he would shoot him on sight
Elias could find no trace of his family,
but he determined to recover them, and,
as he says, having been shot at in the
war, he though he could risk it again for
his wife and child. An opportunity Of
feredG and he disposed Of his farm, and
set outupof aclew tfrat-ife had obtained. :
1t proved right, and he found that his
brother in-law was living in the Geneseo
valley, in New York, and the house he
discovered setting back in the woods.
From the distance he saw his wife in
the doorway and he was advancing to-
ward her when rife cracked and he
fell over pierced with a ball. He in
stantly recovered himself and looking in
the direction of the smoke. saw the
brother of his wife step from sbeiliiid
some brush with the discharged piece in
his hand, and advance toward him. 1t
was the work of an instant for Elias to
bring his own piece to level and fire.
He felt. as proved to be the case, that
the shot was fatal. Elias was a sure
shot and his own injuries made him des-
perate.
Hardly knowing what he did, Elias
sprang to his feet, waved an adieu to his
wife and child at the doorway and
rushed away. His own wound proved
to be slight, though had the aim been
thesleast trper, it Z must have capsed
Elias death.%e He pushed right on to
New York city, and there engaged
board ship for three years cruise,
sending letter to his wife before he left
She remained time at the place after
her brothers death, and another child
was born to her, whom she named after
its father. Then an old friend stopping
at her house, she removed with him to
Pennsylvania, where she had other
friends livi4g. No further word was
heard FROM her husband for several
years, when one day the death of an
American sailor, Elias S. Jones, of
Liverpool, was chronicled in a news
paper, and she was subsequently mar
ried to the friend who brought her to
Pennsylvania, a man named Anthony
Swope. with whom she lived twenty
five years and became the mother of ten
more chilaTenstga ,srF ey~~s
In the meantime JAnes returned from
his cruise, but received no word from
his wife, and started upon another voy-
age. None of his letters were answered.
In Liverpool he fell from a mast, was
severely injured and was taken to hos
pital, which fact, probably gave rise to
the report of his death. Subsequently
he learned that his wife had married
again after he left her, and Jones con-
tinued his seafaring life for thirty years,
when, getting into the decline Of life, he
determined TO renounce the sea.
He drifted out to the place where he
had last seen his own wife, and where
the fatal tragedy. had occurred. He did
not have any definite purpose except d
yeakning desire to learh Something more
gotten az the Scene Of the shooting and
! : ' ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
son ii him to Sandy
C5 Ahe place she had
C 81. and
Hen
TOWN.
man asN
hard to com E.5er