New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-10
ELOPING NTH his WIFgS NIECE.

AN ORANGE COUNTY CATTLE DEALER OFF FOR THE
WEST WITH HIS ADOPTED DAUGHTER.
,rnox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBusEl
NEwBURG, NY, July "a sensation has
been caused by the elopement OF James f. Wehs
vekuown farmer and dealer in CATTLE who lived onhe
line of the Newburg Branch OF the Erie Railway cgnt
or nine miles west Of this city, wes is widely known
throughout the entire county, and tho news OF his eope
meat has spread fast and Is tho talk OF the whoe
community. The woman In the case Is MISS Nc'u'
VAIL niece Of his wife, who has lived with the "eiS
family for about twelve years.
Wells is about thirty-eght years old ana
has been considered successful ia bis business
His wife ia daughter OF tho lA'o
william F. Cooper, who lived near Wallis Gate Incy
had no children, but there lived with them young
woman Nettc niece OF Mira Wells who Is said TO nave
been their adopted daughter She was cnhd Oh 'i'
VAIL living near Middetown, and Is now about twenty
one Wells and girl 1t Ia supposed 10 tue
West and Wells left behind various unsatisned cred
tors whose claims said to aggregate from $1,000 10
$4,000
Wells went away two weeks ago to-day. He SAID no
WAS going West to buy cattle He shipped some stock TO
New York that night from this city barge He also
engaged passage the boat but did not go down with
it. He was in New-York the next morning. hoTeve,r
he missed the barge and had taken the Rondou. poat
ctsd no no particar attention Mr. Wells took his cattle
and went away. subsequently, however, suspicion WAS
aroused - ,,,,
Miss Vail had been visit 10 her father, near Mid
detown whittier she ofte1 went and had LETT there 10
return home with the Wells family nj about the time hef
adopted father away She has not yet appeared IN
Salisbury and IL Is supposed that she was also
Vail has received postal card from his daughter tenx
him need worry, that she could take care OF
herself and Mrs Wells has received letter from ner
which dated at place In Ohio. ana wncn
told her where she would hnd some papers that woud DC
The stories indicate that Wells had carefully planned
his going od owned farm OF about hfty acres. Dnt
II was mortgaged for about all II was worth, ana the
creditors stand poor chance OF getting anything fOr
some time before his departure Wells Is said 10 have
bought cattle wherever he could, giving notes for inc
he was able them into money ue 10 sad 10
have "stuck" % wcllknown New-Nlndsor man ior
s 81 800, and a WRshin gtonyio dealer for 500 Inc
cattle shipped New York the night ne lett NeW
bure are said 20 secured In this way, aud ne 10
supposed TO have got considerable money together
What little he did behind In the OF property
he covered with chattel mortgage executed In tavor
OF hls wife, and II was to this document that the
letter frop Ohio referred -
The ruifhway pair thought to have gone West on
the day following the .ht Wells went Ia New-fork lie
said sold out his cattle by O'Clock ihat morn
ing and stated that he and Miss Vail we're seen later
I'm The day on We ~ bound Erie Railroad train Mr. Wells
IL stated 10 have drawn 800 from the Highland Bank
OF this city ON the day that he went 10 Ncwiork, ana
has been discovered thai Miss Vail bad secretly removed
er frs and other clothing from tho house prior
10 going away. The chattc mortgage 10 Mrs Wells wa.
given 10 secure TO $500 that Mr. Wells had borrower
OF her The lady deeply affected over her husbands
conduct.