Daily globe., 1883-08-16

When the steamer Mary Morton from
st. Louis drew up to her dock at the foot
of Jackson street yesterday morning her
decks presented gay and animated ap-
pearance, filled as they were with an i'm
mense crowd of tourists and sight-seers,
many of whom were about to set foot on
the golden soil of the north star state for
the first time. At least one couple on
board the steamer were strangers to the
glorious climate of Minnesota, and in
their bosoms throbbed the vain and elated
hope of obscurity from former associa-
tions and freedom.
On the dock as the Mary Morton threw
out her gang plank, stood a couple of
quiet looking and determined men. They
were apparently prompted by nothing in
particular, and the casual observer might
have seen in the quiet men only a couple
of curious loungers. The shrewd observer
would have detected in the close and keen
eyed scrutiny they made of each of the
passengers as they disembarked, a far
deeper purpose. These men were Detec-
tive O'Connor, of this city, and Sheriff w.
II. Douglas, of Eldorado county, Kansas.
After long string of passengers had
left the boat, the two officers of the law
might have been seen approach tall,
spare man, with black mustache, keen
eyes, acquiline nose, andIattired in a smart
suit of business clothing. This tall indi-
vidual was more notable from the fact that
he wore on his arm young lady of goodly
size and of the languishing, loving type of
women. She was a brunette, with
plump form, queenly height and carriage,
with ravishing eyes and hair, and the
kind of tender bloom in her face that
would have distracted Rubens-a perfect
sumner in fact, and, as the word goes, as
beautiful an animal as one not often sees
outside of a portrait gallery of old court
beauties
To this couple the officers advanced
audaciously. When they came to con-
front each other the tall man looked at
Douglas and the expression which came
over his countenance was one of deep
chagrin and despair.
AS to the lady no effort will be made to
describe her confusion. Suffice it that
they were both terribly ratified. Approach
ing the tall man Sheriff Douglas whispered
something to him and he said
all right. Then the quartette
quietly got into carriage and drove to
city hall. The man was shown into a cell
and the lady was taken to the Windsor
hotel, where she was shown to room No. 8,
an apartment which she did not leave all
day.
The remainder of this o'er true tale of
illicit love, crime, treachery, deceit and
final disgrace can be told in a few lines.
The man whose visions of bliss
were thus rudely disturbed is
G. p. Strong, formerly the
clerk of the court of Eldorado county,
Kansas. The young lady is the daughter
of a wealthy and refined family living
near Topeka, and her name is given as
Martha Houston, although it is suspected
that this is not her real name
Strong stood very high in the community
where he lived, and he has held a number
of positions of trust and honor Up to a
short time ago the yoRng lady conducted
a lucrative millinery business. About ten
days ago the community was startled by
the announcement that Strong had taken a
large sum of money belonging to the
county and decamped, leaving a wife and
three children to take care of
themselves, his wife at the time being in
very delicate health. 1t soon became ap-
parent that he had not gone away alone
and gossip had it that he had eloped with
Miss Brigham. This proved correct, as an
investigation showed few days before
leaving the young lady had sold out her
business. The case was put into the
hands of Sheriff Douglas, who traced the
fugitives first to Kansas City, and from
there to st. Louis. At the latter city he
heard that they had purchased tickets
for ST. Paul and embarked on the Mary
Morton. Boarding a train he reached
here twenty-four hours ahead of the steam
er, upon the arrival of which the parties
we're arrested as before stated.
GLOBE reporter called on Strong in
his cell yesterday, and case of greater
nerve or more unadulterated gall has never
been encountered. He talked cheerfully
of his situation, discussed the
scenery of Minnesota, and spoke
of everything but his escapade.
Of this he refused to say a word, except to
assure the reporter that he had not got
away with any money. The young lady
was also seen at the Windsor; her eyes
were red with weeping and she was really
too i'll to talk.
Sheriff Douglas left for home with his
man at 4:15 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The young lady, who registered at the
hotel as Mrs. S. p. Chester, st. Louis, left
on the same train, but it is understood that
she will not return home to face the scan
dal and disgrace, it being her intention to
stop OFF at some intervening city and 90
to work at her trade.