The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-11-13
Romance in Real Life.

married at the parsonage Of the Methods
Church at 7GS Fifth street, by Rev. Herr
q. Settle. The ceremony was strictly pr
yate, the only witness being the mother 0
the.bride, and Mr.. Clifford, IL friend Of tn,
family. This ceremony terminated one o
the most singular romances ever encount
cred outside the pages Of a novel;, Tht
story, lis CLEANED from Mr. Hewlett. hi
bride. her mother and Mr.. Clifford of tn,
Broadway Hotel, who has known the Rags
dale family Tor many Years, is as follows
The groom is a young gentleman Of ex
ceilent standing, aid holds 9 position as
special agent Of the New Orleans ant
Texas Pacific Railway, which position re
quires him to travel a great deal. Some
Meridian and stopped at the principal ho
tel Of the place, which is owned and oper-
ated by Mr.. l.. A. Ragsdale. who is also q
wealthy and leading citizen Of that place.
Mr.. Hewlett became acquainted with Mr.
Ragsdale' S family, which consisted of his
wife, son and q very pretty daughter, who,
although but 15syears old, vas developed
far beyond her age. A friendship sprang
up between the young people, which soon
ripened into love, but Mr.. Ragsdale OBJ
jected to the match on the score Of his
daughters youth, and after frank dis
cussion it was agreed that they should at
least wait until the young lady .ihad COM
pleted her education.
Mr. Hewlett was called away from Me-
ridan on business, but returned before the
father had completed arrangements to
send his daughter to boarding school at
Staunton, Va. Before Miss Ragsdale was
ready to start Mr.. Hewlett was again
called to New Orleans on business, and
Mrs Ragsdale went to Hot Springs, Ark.
to be treated for rheumatism. Mr.. Hew-
lett wrote to his sweetheart after his ar
rival in New Orleans, and received reply
stating that her father would take her to
the school in Stanton in few days. MI.
Hewlett replied, but waited III vain for an
answer, and finally becoming alarmed, he
wrote to friend in Meridian. enquiring
what had become of Miss Ragsdale. The
reply was that father and daughter had left
Meridian for Staunton.
Acting on that information, Mr.. Hew-
lett wrote to Miss Ragsdale at Staunton,
but failing to get reply, ascertained by
inquiry 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 II letter from Oxford,
Ohio, addressed to Mr.. Ragsdale, and bear
ing the business card of Dr.. Moss, the su-
perintendent of a 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 suspicious
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 telegraphed to the
mother, who hurried to Oxford and man.
aged to abduct her daughter from the asy-
lum and got her to Cincinnati. where Nh.
Hewlett had arranged to meet them. But
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.. Hewlett arrived in Gin
cinnatl able lawyers were employed, and
Miss Ragsdale was released on writ of
habeasseorpus. Mr.. Ragsdale and several
acquaintance of the family were sum-
moned as witnesses, and, before court Of
lunatico de inquirendo, it was clearly
proved that the young lady's mind was
perfectly sane.
The affair created a great local sensation
at Oxford, and resulted in I'm order being
issued that the insane commissioners
should visit all private asylums four times
a 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 incarcerating her in the
asylum. The same court of inquiry gave
the custody of Miss Ragsdale to hel
mother, declaring that MI. Ragsdale was
not a fit person to take charge of her. The
father finally consented to the marriage Of
Mr.. Hewlett and his daughter, but de
clined to be present at the ceremony, ant
after the trial went to New York to at
tend to some business, while the mother
daughter and Mr.. Hewlett came to this
city, where they determined to have the
marriage occur.
1t is said that the joint property Of Mr.
and Mr.. Ragsdale amounts to about
$4,000. Mrs. Ragsdale told reporter
that she thought her husband had behaved
as he did in order to force her to accede tt
a proposition of his concerning the dis
posal of some Of her property. She said
moreover, that her husband had been al
excellent business manager, but that he
had stroke of paralysis about six years
ago, and that at times he had acted very
strangely.
MATRIMoNIAL.-Weh have heretofore an
nounced the marriage of Miss Fannie C.
Koiner and Henry s. Kane. From the
Waynesboro Messenger we take the follow
ing particulars of the ceremony
On Wednesday, October 29th. 1884. at
the residence OF bride IS father, H. Koiner
Esq, at s o'clock p. M, Mr.. Henry S
Kane, was united in marriage to Miss Fan
ME C. Koiner, by Rev. Mr.. Laird, pastor
of Mt. Horeb Presbyterian Church.
Mr.. Henry Koiner is one Of our most
enterprising and successful farmers, and is
OF the first-class of the society of Augusta
count y. The groom is a resident of Scott
county. Va, and is a successful mer
chant.
This event, as regards lavish expendi
ture and elegance of arrangement has moi
been surpassed in the county.
The pretty bride was dressed in white
flat ottoman brocade silk, trimmed in rea
duchess lace. The bridal robe was made
square neck, with very long court train
She wore long white veil, trimmed il
orange blossoms. Her department wal
exceedingly graceful and her appearances
| elegant.
! The attendants were Miss Morrisol
| -.