Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-02
UNMARRIED AFFTNTTIEs
A Man Protects His Former sweetbear,
from Her Husbands Brutal Blows.
to1E0'6ia 6. o. Special.

A sensational and romantic case has
| just been brought to light by the issuance
of warrant by Governor Stephens, of
Georgia, on the requisition of Governor
| thompson, of South Carolina, for the ar
/ rest OF ii. u. Ponte. About twelve wears
! ago Ponte moved from Marion county. in
the northeast portion Of the State, and
settled near Palmetto, Ga. He was ac-
| companied by woman, supposed to be
his wife, and by two boys. presumed to be
their children. Ponte proved to be man
OF industry, and won the good opinion Of
! his nelghbOrs, who refused to believe in
his guilt when the Sheriff arrived with n
warrant tor his arrest, on charge of kid
mapping and obtaining money under false
| pretences. He was taken TO Fairburn
Where, without reserve, he made the fol-
lowing statement: He and a man named
smith, and the woman with whom the
former has been living, were reared in
the same neighbOrhood, and when thev
were young men POnte and Smith were ri
Vals Tor the Woman's affections, 1t is al
legged that by Misrepresentation. Smith
alienated her from Ponte and married her
Ponte took the thing very much to heart,
ana Tor a time seemed to grieve over his
deIeat, Dut IN few months he got over his
disappointment, and, meeting with another
young woman, he married her after n
brief courtship. The two families settled
near each other and lived several years on
good terms as neighbOrs. POnte and his
wife lived happily together until she died.
Smith and his wife did not live bapDilv.
frequent disturbances occurring between
themi IN which Smith often beat her un-
mercifully.
The death of his wife caused the old
flame for his former sweetheart to burn
aIreSn IN Fonte's breast and he sympa-
thiZed with her for the cruel treatment re-
Df ho nd Of
knew that POnte still entertained kindly
ieelings toward her and she frequently
mpOrtuned him to take her away to some
strange place, aVOwing that she still loved
MN and expressing penitence for the wav
she had treated him in marrying Smith.
lie refused, however, to be ANYTHING more
than sympathizing friend on account of
the friendly relations that existed between
Smlth ana himself. Smith had been pros
porous in business until he became
disslpat9d, when he became fnan-
clally embarrassed, and reposing conf
dence in POnte asked HIM to assist him in
saving part of his property from his credi-
tors. de had turned over some cotton TO
fonte TO sell for him in his own name.
Ponte sold it and took the proceeds, two
hundred dollars, to Smiths house to de-
liver to him.
When he arrived Smith was lust leaving
tne mouse, and, on going in, Ponte found
Mrs. Smith prostrate on the floor. bleeding
from wounds inflicted by her hus7
band: POnte helped her up and washed
the blood from her face, paid the money to
her for her husband, and started to leave.
when she clung to him and begged him to
take her with him and flee to a distant
country, promising to live with him if he
would do so. Yielding to her urgent and
piteOus request, Ponte took Mrs. Smith
and her two children and eloped to Geor-
gia, where they have lived in undisturbed
happiness for twelve years. Smith, hav-
ing lately learned Of their whereabouts,
made proposition to Ponte that if he
would return the children, furniture and
the two hundred dollars he would COM
promise the case. Ponte decliningtO to treat
with Smith, the latter had warrant is
sued for his arrest on the charge of kid.
mapping and obtaining money under false
DretenceS. -