Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-08-20
Iork AmoKa rnE RosHs.
A New York Florists Daughter Elopes With
Her Fathers Foreman from Newport.

A New York Fiorises Daughter Elopes with |
Her Fathers Foreman from Newport
Fran the N. Y. Tribune.
telegram was received ut New York
police headquarters on Tuesday night from
John NJ Hodgson, the Fifth avenue florist
who was at Newport, II. l., stating that his |
daughter Louisa had eloped with his fore |
man, Richard A. Merritt, and that they had |
taken passage on the steamboat Old Colony |
of the Fall River line, for this city. Mr..
Hodgson wanted the runaway pair stopped
by the police and detained until he could
make arrangements to have his daughter
taken back to Newport Detectives Hey and
Thomas of the steamboat squad were at the
Fall River pier when the Old Colony arrived
and they had no difficulty in picking out the
eloping lovers from among the other passen-
gers Telling young Merritt that he and his
sweetheart must consider themselves under
arrest, the officers called a carriage and took
them TO police headquarters. The young
man took his arrest coolly, while he declared
| that the police had no right to stop him, but
| Miss Hodgson wcpt and appeared much sur
| prised. Inspector Steers sent Merritt to the
| Jefferson market police court and had him
remanded to gain time supposing that the
| prisoner could be held on a charge of abduc-
| ton. Merritt gave his age as twenty-seven
| years and said that he was florist living at
| Newport He is slender man, with dark
| hair and eyes, small mustache ana fairly
/
while he was at police headquarters, he was
| not inclined to talk.
Miss Hodgson was placed in the care of
Matron Webb for time and she became
would come to young Merritt. She said that
she was twenty-five years old, and her looks
confirmed the statement. Her slight, angu-
lar form was clothed In neatly fitting but
with a veil which partly covered her face.
She was plain looking and her eyes were red
| with weeping. The story of her love affair
was told by her with apparent freedom.
uMy parents" he said, "live at NO. 545
Fifth avenue, in winter, and we go every
! summer to Newport, where my father owns
, | several greenhouses. / have known Mr..
| Merritt ever since he was boy. | might al
most say we have been brought un together
because my father took him into the store
| when he was only boy and always had thu
, greatest confidence in him. Richard showed
SO much ability in tho florist bust
that ,bay y establishment aahsr ado SeW
3 | port He and i have loved each other TO
| years and we were engaged two years ago
$ Richard spoke to my father then, and w
3 were told that We might marry some day
8 we kept of the same mind until we had go
old enough to know what was best for us
Lately my father has tried to keep us apar
> and my mother sides with him, a
Ii though she promised once that I coul
r. marry Richard. My sister was forced to Civ
,s up young man to whom she was engage
. and my brother had trouble In getting mai
. ried. ] thought they wanted me to MARI
!, | some Fifth avenue swell and made up m
's mind that would have Richard anyhow.
"a don't see why father objects. He ran ava
10 with my mother when he married her. Ou
,s family Is English. Richard is perfect ger
10 tleman, and nothing can be said against hin
:. Ifmy father comes after me l may go bac
:, =, with him, but will marry Richard II hay
y to run away again"
u Mr.. Hodgson, when informed that b
~ m daughter was at police headquarters, tel
~ graphed to Mr.. Hoffman, his New York TOR
e' man. to take Louisa back to Newport M
Hoffman, went to police headquarters, b,
Miss Hodgson refused TO go anywhere wit
m him. AS the foreman admitted that Loui
w was of age, Inspector Steers decided tn
al | the police had no right to detain the your
NJ lovers lie sent Merritt to the police cou
"a ! again and had him discharged. When Me
90 rift and Miss Hodgson met again at poll
p. headquarters both were free to go where til,
- chose Merritt promised to take Loui
IN directly to minister's house and get ms
N ried. They shook hands with Inspect
NJ Steers and said they would remember b
,h kindness to them.