Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-11-14
A Romantic Story.

TIC ASYLUM-ALL ENDED HAPPILY BY
HER MARRIAGE.
In Louisville, Ky, one day last week
Mr.. r. G.. Hewlett, OF Huntsville, Ala,
aud Miss Sallje A. Ragsdale, of Meridian,
Miss. were quietly married at the parson-
age of the Methodist Church at 1853 Fifth
street, by Rev. Henry G. Settle. The cere-
mony was strictly private, the only wit
ness being the mother Of the bride, and
Mr.. Clifford, friend Of the family. This
ceremony terminated one Of the most sir
gular romances ever encountered outside
the pages of novel. TIE story, as CLEANED
by the Louisville Courier from Mr.. Hew-
lett, his bride.her mother, and Mr.. Clifford
of the Broadway Hotel, who has known
the Ragsdale family for raany years, is
as follows:
The groom is young gentleman CT ex-
celent standing, and holds a position IS
special agent Of the New Orleans and Tex
as Pacific Railway, which position re-
quires him to travel great deal. some
thing more than ayear ago he visited Me-
ridian and stepped at the principal hotel
of the place, which is owned and operated
by Mr.. l.. A. Ragsdale, who is also a
wealthy aud leading citizen CT that place.
Mr.. Hewlett became acquainted with MI
Raesdale's family, which consisted of his
wife, son and a very pretty daughter who
although bat Is years old, was developed
far beyond her age. A friendship sprang
up between the young people. which soon
ripeped into love, but Mr.. Ragsdale OBJ
iected to the match on the score Of his
daughters youth, and after frank dis
cusslon it was agreed that they should at
least wait until the young lady had COM
pleted her education.
Mr.. Hewlett was called away from Me-
ridian on business, but returned before
the father had completed arrangements to
send his daughter to boarding school at
Staunton, Va. Before Miss Ragsdaie was
ready to start, Mr.. Hewlett was again
called to New Orleans on business. and
MIS-. Ragsda!e went to Hot Springs, Ark,
to be treated for rheumatism. Mr.. Kew
lett wrote to his sweetheart after his arriva
in New Orleans, and received reply sta
ting that her father would take her to th
school in Staunton in few days. Mr.
Hewlett replied, but waited in vain for an
answer, and finally bee oming alarmed, be
wrote to friend in Meridian, eaqniring
What had become Miss. Ragsdale. The
reply was that father and daughter had left
Meridian for Staunton.
Acting On that Information, Mr.. Hewlett
wrote to Miss Ragsdale at Stanton, but
failing to get reply, ascertained by in
quiry from the faculty that she was not
there. He again wrote to his friend, and
after some delay the latter Informed him
that he had seen a letter from Oxford.
Ohio, address to Mr.. Ragsdale, and bear
ing the business card of DR.. Moss, the su-
perintendant CT private insane asylum in
that place.
The distracted lover did not know what
course to pursue at first. and consumed
valuable time in ascertaining positively
the whereabouts OF his missing sweetheart.
and also in discovering where her mother
had gone. He finally verified his suspi-
cions by means of an Intercepted letter
from the Insane asylum, and about the same
time heard that Mrs. Ragsdale was in Hot
Springs He at once teiegraphed to the
mother. VINO hurried to Oxford and man
age to abduct her daughter from the asylum
and got her to Cincinnati, where Mr.
Hewlett had arranged to meat them. Bat
unfortunately DR.. Moss ascertained the
whereabouts of the mother and daughter,
and getting possession of Miss Ragsdale,
carried her back to the asylum despite her
protests, even threatening to have Mrs.
Ragsdale incarcerated also.
AS soon as Mr.. Fl ew lett arrived in Gin
cinnatl able lawyers were employed, and
Miss. Ragsdale was released Oh writ of
habeas corpus. Mr.. RagsdaIe and several
acquaintances Of the family were sum-
moned IS witnesses. and, before court
Of lunatico de inqulrendo, it was clearly
proved that the young lady's mind was
perfectly sane.
The affair created great local sensation
at Oxford, and resulted in an order being
issued that the insane commissioners
should visit all private asylums four times
year, for the purpose of investigation,
without warning the superintendent of
their intentions.
Mr.. Ragsdale admitted that he did not
believe his daughter insane, but would
give no reason for inc lrcerating her in the
asylum. The same court of inquiry gave
the custody CT Miss Ragsdale to her m til :
er, declaring that Mr.. Ragsdale was not q
fit person to take charge of her. The faith
er finally con sented to the marriage of M.
Hewlett and his daug liter, but declined to
be present at the ceremony, and after the
trial went to New Y ork to attend to some
business, while the mother. daughter and
Mr.. Hewlett came to this city. were they
determined to have the marriage occur.
It is said that the joint property of MT.
and Mrs. Raesdale amounts to about
$3.50 COO. Mrs. RagsdaIe told a reporter
that she thought her husband had behav-
ed as be did in order to force her to accede
to proposition of his concerning the dis
posal Of some of her property. She said,
moreover, that her husband had been an
excellent business manager, but that g
had stroke of paralysis about six years
ago, and that at times he had acted very
strangely.
Accidents. on the Railroad.
Last Thursday, Ludovic Boutinon, a
Frenchman of education, and apparently a
man of refinement, having in bis pocket