Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-19
SHOT WHILE ELOPING.

known as the Purchase district" a tract of
rough. broken country on the east bank of
the Housatonic river, thirty miles above its
mouth, is at present searching for his mis-
sing daughter. Mildred, nineteen years of
age. Drake lives iu a lonely house, half a
| mile from his nearest neigbbor, on road
which is seldom travelled. He makes a
scant living from few rocky, half cleared
! acres and ekes out bis support by hunting
and fishing in the half wild woodlands near
his home. His family consisted of his wife,
paralytic, and the daughter, Mildred.
The latter is n tall, slender girl, light hair
ed, with gray eyes. She was considered
the beauty of the region, but owing to her
fathers suspicious disposition was little
known to the country swains. Last June a
Young man giving his name as Henry u.
| Bogart and bis residence as Philadelphia
| went into the hill country for his health,
| and secured lodgings at the home of farm
er living nearly four miles from Drake. He
devoted much Of his time to fishing, and on
/ one of his trips came across John Drake,
with whom, after some difficulty, be estab-
| lished sort of intimacy. On few occa-
sions he visited brakes house, and there
| saw the daughter.
By presents and flattery the stranger so
won Drake that the latter finally agreed 10
ta Je him as q boarder. Once established in
the house, he had no difficulty in gaining the
affections Of Mildred Drake. In september
he ie It The Purchase" but returned last
MondSy TO brakes announcing his inten
ton of starting a singing school, if possible
On this pretext he tramped over great
part of the town, and on Thursday night
came home late. Drake was forced to un-
lock the door, and, not liking the Interrupt
ton to his slumbers, agreed to leave it open
thereafter Till his erratic boarder came
home. On Friday Bogart returned early,
but on Saturday Drake awoke to find the
| door open and guest and daughter missing
| When be realized what had happened
Drake seized his gun and started on the
| fugitives' track. He followed their foot
| steps without difficulty to road halfa mile
from the house. Then wheel-tracks plainly
showed their method of flight. Returning
to his house, Drake hastily hnrnessed his
horse to a light sleigh and followed the
prints of the carriage wheels. Bogart and
Miss Drake had driven as nearly due south
as possible but, owing to losing their way,
did not cross the Housatonic river at South
| Vile till nearly noon, after making an un-
necessary circuit of many miles. Their We
hicle, buggy, was hard pulling through
the snow on the rough roads, and as Drake,
| by his intimate knowledge of the country,
| managed to guess their point for crossing
the river, he reached the bridge just in time
to see confederate of Bogart draw up the
river road to the north just as the elopers,
with a fresh horse and lig hter buggy,
dashed across the bridge. Drake paid no
attention to the confederate but kept in pur.
suit of Bogart. The fresh horse gained an
advantage on the hill at the end OF the
bridge. but Drake eased bis animals bur-
den bv running by its side, and the pursu-
ers and the pursued reached the level not
more than 100 yards apart. Drake called
to the young man to halt, and, receiving no
answer raised his gun, and, taking aim,
fired. The ball missed its mark, and before
Drake was ready for second shot, Bogart
had turned into road running 10 the west.
This was little travelled, and the father
gained considerably. Several times he had
a chance to fire, but his daughter threw
herself upon her lovers neck, and SO cover
ed his body that her father dared not risk q
shot. For over mile the two teams kept
about Is yards apart, and at a turn in the
road Drake fired, again missing. Before be
bad fairly loaded again the pursued turned
into well-beaten highway, where the
snow was melted, and began to gain. Here
escape would have been easy had not the
music teacher chosen wrong road. and
Drake, going by short cut, passed the
Hawleyville station, on the New York and
New England road, in hot pursuit. Bogar1
again missed his way. brakes horse gave
out, and the old man, leaping to the
ground, fred a last shot, Bogart gave
\ cry, and instnctively pulled up
his horse. Drake ran on, neglecting to
load his gun, and as soon as he reach
ed the side of the elopers' carriage saw thai
his prospective son-in-law had been sho
through the right shoulder. He cubbee
his gun to complete his work, when bI
daughter, raising the heavy loaded whip
struck her father blow upon his forehead
making him stagger, and before he recover
ed himself the girl had grasped the reins
and, striking the horse, was out OF the or
mans reach. Drake continued the pursul
ON foot, loading his gun as ne ran, out al
uuluckv stumble caused him TO 1ali nope
lessly behind. Still the indomltaoie ols
man kept on in pursuit, aithougn ~ Nv
minutes the pair were out OF signe. DraS'
made inquiry along the road, but near IN
head of what is known as Fountaln iak
, lost all trace of them. Believing the iug1
tiyes were bound for Brewster's, as the near
est point in New York, he made the best o
his way to that place, arriving late at night
, Learning nothing of his daughters where
ahouts, he started, without stopping TO
! food or rest, for "The Purchase" To on
uan he ssid tba, be should sell what littI
he possessed lodge bis wife in the poor
house, aud devote himself to finding Bogar
and bis daughter In case he succeeded
we'll ard good lit would be very sad da
fnr tn music. teacher. Bogart il about nv
feet sE inches in height, with light com
nlerim. and slight defect In one eye.