Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-18
UNDER THE JAIL WALL.
Virginia Girls Marriage to Her I'M
prisOned Lover.

FROM tho PhitdQetDh{G Press.
MARION, VA, Nov. l4.--Last Tuesday
James Faunteroy, rich young farmer,
went out walking on Ragged Edge Hill
with Miss Molle Downes, the belle of
Chatham Hill village, twenty miles from
here. While passing along a narrow
pathwayoD the mountain sideoverhanging
a deep ravine, they were accosted by
Pierre Dugan, another farmer who had
been sutton for Miss Downes' hand for
several years. Dugan came upon the
couple while Fauntleroy's arm was around
the girls waist. He had not previously
known that he had rival, aud began
to reproach the girl bitterly. Faunteroy
told him not to speak rudely to the lady,
and when he thereupOn applied the cpl
thet, "a heartless cOQuette" to her,
FauntlerOy struck him full in the face.
The blow caused Dugan to stagger and
fall from the narrow path into the ravine,
where he lay senseless tor several hours,
until FauntlerOy could return to Chatham
Hill and organize a relief party, who,
with the aid of ropes, succeeded in getting
the 1nsensible man from the bottom of the
ravine. Dugan had both legs broken, and
1t was feared at first that he was inter-
nally injured.
Miss Downes' grief was, intense, and
she tainted when Fauntleroy was arrested
and thrown into jail. The friends Of the
latter, While endorsing his course in re-
polling Dugans Objectionable language
20 Miss DOwnes, were seriously alarmed
as to what his fate would be il Dugan
should die. They quickly perceived that
the only witness against FauntlerOy in
the event would be Miss DOwne's, and
several of them suggested the advisaDility
Of her leaving the State. This seemed I'M
desirable, and then Fauntleroy's brother,
who is lawyer, suggested that 1t was
pity that he was not married, as Miss
DOwnes could not be made to appear as a
witness against her own husband. The
suggestion was quickly caught at, and
Lawyer EauatlerOy went to Thomas
DOwnes, the brother of the girl, and after
some persuasion induced him to consent
to the immediate marriage of the couple.
MARRIED UNDER THE JAIL WALL.
Knowing that the Sheriff would object,
and that he would do all in his power to
prevent the marriage. as in duty bound,
the arrangements for the wedding were
made very quietly. Through a cousin in
the office OF the County Clerk. Tom
DOwnes got amarriage license for his SIS
ter and james FauntleToy. Last night
the Downeses, brother and sister, drove
quietly into Chatham from their home in
the country. They were met at the Jail
by Lawyer FauntterOy and minister
named Peterson. The party had previ-
ously located the cell occupied by the
prisoner, and they pushed their carriage
directly against the Jail wall under the
cell window. Lawyer FauntlerOy jumped
Into the seat of the carriage and, thrust
ing his hand through the iron grating,
broke through the glass of the window.
At the same time be called out TO his
brother TO reaSEurp him.
The latter, by dragging his cot under
the window in the cell and standing on
the headbOard, managed to get his head
on a level with the window. The ne
cessity for the marriage was quickly eX-
planned, and then Lawyer FauntlerOy
jumped down to the ground and aided
Miss DOwnes' brother TO get into the
buggy. 1t was found that the trembling
girl could not reach the eager hand
stretched from the barred window over
her head and plainly discernible in the
brilliant moonlight which flooded the Jail
and vicinity. Then Lawyer FOuntleroy
knelt down in the buggy, and the minis
ter aided Miss DOwnes to plant her dainty
foot on his back and stand on him. From
here she succeeded in clambering on 20
the shoulders of her brother, who stood
braced against the Jail wall. In this posi-
ton she could easily grasp her lovers
hand, which she kissed fervently. In
this strange situation, unable to see each
others faces, the loving couple were hur-
rledly married.
WITHOUT PARALLEL.
cit was quite picturesque scene," re-
marked LAWYER FauntlerOy to-day, when
he was laughingly relating the story. at
seemed to me at the time that the wedding
is without parallel in this or any other
country. Brother Jim has a good, true
and plucky little wife, and l know they'll
be happy as soon as he gets out Of jail.
This will not be long, as the doctor told
me to-day that Dugan is much better, and
is not injured internally. Perhaps after
Dugan has nursed that leg of his for a
month or two ho'll appreciate the neces-
sity of keeping civil tongue in his head
when ladies are around. OF course, if we
had known last night that Dugan's life
was safe, we would not have FASTENED
J1m's marriage, but it is all right any
how"
The sentiment in the country is strongly