The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-05-21

An Alabama Romeo Rcscues His Juliet
from an Insane Asylum.

houd1c OF the olctnoulsi Ihulcii, NJ NOs
los Fifth street. by Rev. Henry c. Set
tie. The ceremony was strictly private,
the only witnesses being the mother of
the bride and MIR. Clifford, a friend of
the family. This ceremony terminated
on,s of the most singular romances ever
encountered outside the pages OF a
novel The story. a. CLEANED from MIR.
Hewlett his bri le. her mother end Mr..
Clifford. OF the Broadway Hotel. who
has known the Ragsdalc family for
many wears i "a follows:
The groom j. n Young gentleman OF
excellent social standing. and holds n
position of special agent OF the New
Orleans {. Texas Pacific Railway. which
position requires him TO travel good
deal Something more than a year ago
ne visited Meridian and stopped at the
principal hotel of the place, which is
ownr,i and operated by Mr.. l.. A. Rags
dal,. who is also wealthy and leading
citizen of that place Mr.. Hewlett be-
came acquainted with Mr. Ragsdalc'
family. which consisted of his wife, son
aud a very pretty daughter. who, al
though but fifteen years old, was dcvel-
oped far beyond her age. A friendship
which soon ripened into love. but Mr..
Rag,dae objected To the match on the
score OF his daughters youth, and after
frank discussion it was agreed that
thry should at least wait until the young
lady had completed her education.
Mr.. Hewlett was called away from
Meridian on business. but returned be-
fore the father had completed the ar
raDgcmcnts 10 send his daughter to a
boariing-school at Staunton. Va. Be
fore Miss Rag>dale was ready to start
Mr. Hewlett was again called to New
Orleans on business. and Mrs Ragsdale
went to Hot Springs. Ark. to be treat
cd for rheumatism. Mr.. Hewlett wrote
To- IA, sweetheart after his arrival IN
New Orleans. and received Il reply stat
inn that her father would take her To
the school ut StauntOn in Il few days.
Mr. Hewlett replied. but waited in vain
for m answer. and finally. becoming
alarmed. he wrote to friend in Merid-
ian inquiiing what had become of Miss
Rag-dalc The reply was that father
and daughter had left Meridian for
Stanton.
Acting on that information Mr. Hew-
lett wrote to Miss Ragsdalc AT Staun-
ton, but failing to get a reply ascer-
tanned by inquiry from the faculty that
she was not there. He again wrote to
his friend. and after some delay the lat
ter Informed him that he had seen let
ter from Oxford, o.. addressed TO Mr..
Ragsdale. and bearing the business card
of Dr. Moss. the Superintendent of
private insane ASYLUM in that place.
The distracted lover did not know
what course to pursue at first. and con-
sumcd valuable time in ascertaining
positively the whereabouts of his miss
ING sweetheart, and also in discovering
where her mother had gone. He final
" verified hi, suspicious by means OF
an intercepted letter from the insane
asylum, and about the same time heard
that Mrs. Ragsdalc was in Hot Springs.
He ut once telegraphed TO the mother,
who hurried 10 Oxford and managed to
abduct her daughter from the asylum,
sad got her TO Cincinnati, where Mr..
Hewlett had arranged To meet them.
R,r. unfortunately DIR. Moss ascertained
the whereabouts of the mother and
daughter. and getting possession OF
His, Ragsdale, carried her back 10 the
asylum despite her protests. even threat
caing to have Mrs. Ragsdalc incarcerat-
al ui-O
A, soon a Mr.. Hewlett arrived in
Cincinnati able lawyers were employed,
aad Miss Hewlett was released on "a
VII OF habeas corpus. Mr.. Ragsdale
nnd several acquaintance of the family
, were summoned as witnesses. and, be-
fore court of lunatico dc inqurendo. i,
was clearly proved that the Young lady's
mind was perfectly sane
The affair created great local sensa-
ton at Oxford. and resulted in an order
being issued that the Insane Commits.
sioncr> should visit all private asy-
lums four times year for the
purpose of investigation, without
warning the superintendent of their
intentions. Mr.. Ragsdale admitted
that he did not believe his daughter in.
sane. but would give no reason for in.
generating her in the asylum. The
same Court of Inquiry gave the custody
OF Miss Ragsdalc to her mother. declar-
ing that Mr.. Ragsdalc was not tit
person TO have charge of her. The
father finally consented to the marriage
oi M Hewlett and his daughter. but
declined to be present at the ceremony.
and after the trial went to New York to
attend to some business. while the moth
GER. daughter and Mr.. Hewlett came to
this city. where they determined to have
the marriage occur.
Il Is said that the joint property
of Mr.. and Mrs. Ragsdale amounts to
$75o.o00. Mrs. Ragsdale told a report
az last evening that she thought her
husband had behaved as he did in or
der TO force her to accede to propo-
sition of his concerning the disposal of
some property. She said moreover.
that her husband had been an excellent
business manager, but that he had q
stroke of paralysis about six years ago,
and that at times he had acted very
gely.-LouiSriH Courier-Journal.
Covert d Bartram wish TO state that they
have at last found an article they can sell on
T. 4.