The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-20
The Happy Termination OF the Greenville
Scandal.

The Happy Termination Of the Greenville
Scandal
The following telegram from Greenvillc
to the Nems'an Courier gives the sequel OF
the arrest of Conductor Foulk upon the
charge of abducting Miss Rinah Johnston,
of Williamson. and we are grati6ed to find
that the hope expressed by us in our last
issue has been justified by the facts. 1t is
unfortunate that so much publicity has
been given to the affair, but from the be-
ginning it appeared to us improbable that
there was anything criminal on the part of
the young lady or Of Mr.. Foulk. The fol-
lowing facts from Greenville afford the vim
dication of the parties, and entitle the lady
to sympathy for the improper construction
which was put upon her action
GREENv1LLE, March 12.-The unfortunate
affair involving Conductor Foulk, of the
Columbia and Greenville Railroad, and the
good name of Miss Rinah Johnston, of
Williamson, had happy ending to-day.
Long before the hour appointed for the
preliminary examination Of Foulk on the
charge of abduction dense crowd had
gathered around the Office of Justice Fur
man, and the greatest interest was shown
in the events about to occur. Mr.. Foulk
and his counsel, Messrs. John R. Bellinger,
w. II. Irvine and Mr.. Cooke, were present
promptly, and announced that they were
ready to proceed with the investigation. A
message from the father of Miss johnson
secured an interview with Justice Furman,
who returned shortly afterwards and an
nounced that the prosecution had been
withdrawn and that the case was therefore
dismissed.
Foulk's counsel insisted on more for
NAL motion and dismissal of the case. The
Court said that this was wholly unnecessa.
ry, but added, however, for the satisfaction
of the counsel that the prosecution had
been withdrawn because there was no evil
dence of any criminal action on the part OF
Mr.. Foulk and no evidence that he had
had anything to do with the act OF the
young lady in leaving her home. Mr..
Irvine made an eloquent little speech in
exoneration of the prisoner. Mr.. Foulk's
bond for appearance was handed him and
he walked forth free.
1t has been fully established that the ru-
mors that Foulk had been writing notes to
the young lady previous to her leaving
home, and that he had been passing hlnl-
self off as a single man, were untrue. 1t
appears in the statements given below that
his acquaintance with the young lady be-
gan upon her coming to Greenville. Those
interested on both sides of the unfortunate
affair have been eagerly pressed by the re-
porters for information concerning the set
Element of the matter, and in order that
consistent reports might 20 forth to the
public a meeting was agreed upon between
Mr.. Johnson and Mr.. Foulk, through the
intervention of friends, and the following
statements were given to the press
STATEMENT. OF CONDUCTOR FoULk.
On the 9th of March, 1884, ayoung lady
came on my train at Williamson. l did
not know her. She had ticket to Green
Vile. Before the arrival of the train at
Greenville I asked her if any one was to
meet her at Greenvile. She replied no. /
then asked her if could be of any assis-
lance to her. She then asked me which
was the best hotel to stop at. / told her
there were two, the Mansion House and
the Exchange, and she preferred stopping
at the Mansion House.
1 assisted her to the street car when we
arrived at Greenville, and she came to the
Mansion House. She gave me piece of
paper on which was written name and
asked ME to register the name. l did so.
The name was "Della Brewer, Grove Sta
tion." She was assigned to room No. Sc.
She asked me to accompany her to the
Opera house that evening, and l consented
to do 80.
After supper knocked at the door OF
her room and told her was ready to go to
the Opera. house with her. We went to the
Opera. house and from there returned to the
Mansion House. left her at the door of
her room and went down stairs. I did not
see her again until the next morning when,
in the hallway, on my way to breakfast
saw her standing at her room door.
The next saw of her was in the entry
of the hotel OH her way to the train. She
went on the train to Green wood, where she
left NV train and saw her no more and
have not seen her since.
Our intercourse was that Of mere polite
ness and courtesy on my part. There was
nothing in any way improper in her con-
duct or her actions during the time ! saw
her from her first getting on my train on
Thursday evening until she left my train at
Greenwood on Friday morning.
STATEMENT OF J. D. JOHNSON.
My daughter. who is about sixteen years
of age, lea her home because she knew me
to be in embarrassed circumstances finan-
cially, and thought that she could earn her
own living and obtain means to finish her
education. In doing so she did not consult
me and acted unwisely, but l am satisfied
from my conversations with her, and from
all can learn Of her actions and deport-
ment during her absence, that Ler motive
in leaving her home was simply that OF
relieving me from what she considered to
be burdensome expense in her education,
and I am also satisfied thar she was not
decoyed from her home or abducted by Mr..
Foulk.
AS to the various little rumors that have
been in circulation concerning the affair,
many of which were without foundation,
only this can be said: The father and
brother OF the young lady have given, the
matter careful investigation, and all ex-
plantations from either side are merged in
the foregoing papers.
The unexpectedly sudden ending of the
exciting affair, especially as its termination
is so favorably to the good name Of the fair
yonnp damsel is intensely gratifying TO