Daily Republican., 1881-01-19
auEER ELoPEnENr.
A Girl OF IL RunniBg Away with
Her MOther's Hired Man.

A Girl OF IL Running Away with
Her MOther's Hired Man.
A special despatch from Southbury,
Conn, says: The talk Of this and the
surrounding towns for the last few days
has been an elopsment, which is one
Of the queerest known In this State for
a long time. The parties to the affair
are Ida S4uires, the daughter Of q Re-
spectacle we'll TO do widow, and Edward
johnson, Q laborer for several months
past on Mrs. squires' farm. What
makes the case 30 peculiar la the fact
that the girl Is only IL years Of age,
while Johnson is 35. He is not q bad
looking fellow, but is coarse and ignor-
ant, and does not bear good Teputs-
tion. lie had net been long In the
family before he became extremely
friendly with the girl. He would fire.
quently steal away from his work to
accompany her to and from school, and
before long il was noticed that their re-
iations appeared to BE- those Of lovers
than such as would have been natural
between middle-sged man aud mere
child, no matter how much they might
be to each other. This was extremely
annoying TO the girls mother, bat shs
did not dream that the intimacy would
result as 1t has, and therefore did not
send Johnson away.
On the morning Of Friday, the 7th
inst, she started TO 60 to school as
usual. Johnson met her on the way,
and after some conversation he returned
to the house, where, a. has since been
sscertained, he went to her room and
got her bonnet. Returning TO the girl,
she put on the bonnet in place Of the
hood she wore on leaving the house.
She made no further changes In her
dress, and took along no extra ward
robe. John was equipped with his ordi.
nary clothes, Sl5 in cash and two re-
volvers.
Miss Ida did not stop at school that
morning, but with johnson walked to
Brookfeld station, q tramp of several
miles. There they took the train to
south Norwalk, where they arrived
last evening. They went to q hotel
and registered as man and wife. The
girls youthful costume was partly
hidden under q long cloak, but still
her extreme youthfulnsss aroused sus-
picion and led to Johnson's being
sharply questioned. He declared, how.
ever, that they been married for two
weeks, and the landlady then gave
them room.
Search for the missing pair was be-
gan al the instance Of the girls moth
or and her other relatives as soon as
their flight became known. Lida's
brother .in-lav making two or three
visits to Bridgeport after information,
and engaging the services of Sheriff
Sanford to aid him in the search. On
Saturday afternoon Deputy Sheriff Bar.
tram SOW q couple on the street in !
Bridgeport who impressed him as being
the clipping pair from southbury. He
saw thu man beg money from the girl,
and then leave her to 60 into saloon.
Sheriff Sanford and the brother.in.law,
who were about starting for New York
to hunt for the pair, were informed, and
they followed them to house 9 in East
Bridgeport. Neither seemed to be much
disconnected upon seeing their visitors
and learning their object.
" We're married, tell you," said
Johnson, "and here's the document to
prove it," With this he produced
paper, which surely enough atEested
their marriage. 1t was certified To by
the signature of q Methodist minister
at Pound Ridge, who, unless the certi.
ticate is forged, united the strange
couple in the bonds of matrimony. The
others could hardly believe that
or any civil officer could
have so abused his authority, but the
document bore every mark Of being
what it purported to be.
Johnson said that the girl ran away
with him Of her own free will, and this
assertion she corroborated, as she did
all his other statements. SiIe also said
hat her mother had told her to go
away with Johnson If she preferred
lim to her home, but this is not be.
ieved. Mrs. Johnson (if she really
possesses this title) did not seem in the
east atashed over her escapade or to
lave any desire to part from her hus
,snd. She is rather pless ant looking
,irl OF about the average size Of a girl
# her age, and possesses fully an aver
Ige degree OF intelligence. She has an
'asy pertness of manner, but is net
pecislly bold In her demeanor. Her
hief regret on account Of their ap-
,rehension by the officers seemed to be
he fact that 1t would separate her from
Ter husband. Sheriff Sanford arrested
ohnson. The girl was taken back to
Ter mother. 1t is probable that an ef-
ort will be made to have the marriage