The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-11-10
ELOPING FROM A CONVENT.

The Career Of . Fifteen Year-Old Girl Who
Ran Away With = Circus Man.
Norwich, Conn. ION q bright January
morning Of this year Mrs. Della Maynard
sat in the judges room at the city court in
attention Of all who visited the court. She
is young and beautiful blonde, with finely
marked features and Of perfect form.
She was richly dressed. She chatted mer-
rily with her female friend, and she ap.
peared to view the charge against her, that
Of bieamy, as = rather romantic incident.
Mrs. Maynard came to this city four Years ago
and soon formed the acquaintance ofCharles
Maynard, saloon decorator of the town of
Ledyard, few miles south of Norwich.
Love and q wedding quickly followed. The
couple were married by the Rev. Mr.. Cryer
Of Bean Hill. A child was born, and it
was now three years of age. Two years af.
ter the marriage Mrs. Maynard left her
husband. accusing him of intolerable cruel
ty. Her child went with her. On Decem-
Der 20, 1879, she again married, notwith-
standing she had not procured q divorce
from her first husband, and that he WAS
still living in this country. Lyman Branen
was her second choice. He was hand
some young mechanic in one of the Nor
wich pistol shops. Soon afterwards May
nard, who had never done much at anv
time to assist his wife. appeared at her new
home and demanded his child. It vas re-.
fused him, and he instituted proceedings
against her for bigamy. Her appear
ance in the city court aroused strong
feeling. of sympathy for her in the popular
heart. The trial Of the case against her
was adjourned for q few days. and she was
placer under $500 bonds, which was fur
nished by an express driver Of this city.
On the following day she and Braman fed.
Four months later Capt. Whaley, of the
Norwich police, traced the couple 70 Mas
sachusetts town ind brought them back to
this city. They were tried and convicted
Of bigamy in the superior court and SEN
fenced to six months in the Wetherstield
state PRISON. They went to prison and
Maynard regained his child. While in
prison he story of Mrs. Maynard's life was
learned, She is 20 years old. Her parents
are respectable and wealtey residents of
Montreal. She received every social ad-
vantage and an excellent education. When
Is years of aye she was finishing
her studies in a convent. She had
been there hardly year before she eloped
with member OF q circus troupe that Wis
tied that city. She travelled with the troupe.
and at length, it is said, married one of the
performers. After time circus life lost
its charms; her husband was not congenial,
and a voluntary separation soon followed.
She then came to Norwich. During her
imprisonment here her parents learned of
their daughters disgrace. They commu-
nicated with her, asking whether she was
willing to abandon her reckless course and
return home. She answered that she vas
willing Her sentence expired yesterday.
and she is now on her way to Montreal.
Her latest husband is industrious and re-
spectacle, and deeply in love with his wife.
He had never been convicted of an offense
until his marriage. He said in prison that
he should take steps after his release to
legalize the union. His wife processes IN
concern for him.