The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-11
VOLUME xXXTv.---NUAlBER II.
A GEORGIA rnAoEDY.
Tho Fatal Termination Of au Elopsmsnt IL
the City OF Atlanta.


ATLANTA, GA, Sept. lO.-A terrible
tragedy, in which three men were NOR
tally wounded, occurred here after dark to
night. The parties were John and
Mathew Maxwell, father and son, and
John R. Shelton, who had eloped with
and married Miss Ida Maxwell. Mr..
John Maxwell Is a highly respected citi-
zen, living at No. l Elliott street. His
son Mathew is welI.known carriage
manufacturer. Mr.. Maxwell has three
comely daughters, aged fifteen, sixteen
and nineteen. The second, aged sixteen,
Miss Ida, has been quite belle, having a
host Of admirers. Among them was one
John X. Shelton, young man OF good
family, but careless habits, whose visits
were forbidden by the girls father. New
ertheless they contrived to meet secretly
and pledged their love.
At 9 o'clock this afternoon gentleman
approached Mr.. Mathew Maxwell, and
told him that his sister and Shelton had
planned an elopcment, aud that the ap-
pointed time was half-past two O'Clock.
Hurrying home young Maxwell rushed
up to the second.Story room which his
sister occupied, and demanded admittanCe,
which was refused. With terrible kick
he burst il open, and found there Miss
Ida, already dressed for the escapede.
"My God, sisterl" he exclaimed, ''you
will not disgrace the family by such pro.
Ceeding as thisY"
~ will marry john" she replied, "if !
have to die in the attempt. Il is useless
f0r vnu In try and nreyank ik ~
In vain the brother expostulated. The
girl remained obdurate. He then went
out, locked the door and left her q pris-
oner, and went to his room. Returning in
ten minutes, he opened the door and
that the girl, finding herself imprisoned,
opened the window, jumped TO the roof
below, fifteen feet, and thence to tle
ground below, another fifteen feet; thence
her tracks were followed to the side alley, !
where new.made carriage tracks told that |
she had reached her lover aud was away. |
BY this time the elder Maxwell was |
upon the scene. The two men were fear
fully agitated. They went into the house,
and at six o'clock, armed to the teeth,
emerged and proceeded to David street,
whittier Shelton had taken his bride after
having been married by Rev. Virgil Nor
cross. Several ciergymen had previously
refused to perform the ceremony. The
two furious men went up to SheltOn's s door.
Shelton was standing on the threshold
with hatchet.
., "D.-n you," exclaimed the elder Max
well, 81 will shoot you to death unless
YOU give up my daughter"
"Do not come near me-" shouted Shell
ton, raisius tho hatcheS aud advancing.
Just then the younger Max yell, seeing
his fathers danger, stepped in between
and received the cleavo from the toma-
hawk. Dropping the bloody instrument,
Shelton then drew his pistol and fred at
the Elder Maxwell. Simultaneously Max
we'll also fired, aud all three men fell
acrUss each other, wounded aud bleeding.
The girl who had been the cause Of all this
bloody work rushed out upon the scene
and embraced her dying husband, calling
him by endearing namea, while her father
and brother lay neglected.
In FIVE minutes hundreds Of people had
collected, and officers came and had the
men removed. Shelton and young Max
well will certainly die, while the death Of
the old man is highly probable.
Just q month ago Mathew Maxwell was |
himself the hero Of an elopement Bcrape.
A young lady engaged 10 another, with the |
day set, eloped with him the night before.
The excitement is intense.