Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-18
TRAGIC END OF AN ELoPEMENT.
From the New York Herald.

| From tho New York Herald.
At the Courent Seminary of Mount st.
Vincent. few years ago, Victoria Morosini,
| (who caused 50 much sensation about year
since by marrying her fathers coachman,)
aud Margaret Adele O'Thayne met for the
first time. The pair were placed in the same
class and soon became fast friends. Victo.
ria made coufdant of her classmate, and
| Miss O'Thayne safely guarded the secrets
| that her companion had revealed to her.
| The inside facts connected with the e!ope-
| ment of Miss Morosini with her fathers
coachman, Ernest F. Schelling- -Hulskamp,
| were Known to Miss O'Ihayne, but she
| never, it is said, breathed them to living
| soul.
Miss O'Thayne, shortly after the sensation
created by Miss Morosni, was taken with
an crratic whim, and married a man almost
old enough TO be her father, without consult
| ing any of her people. This second elope-
| msut had a sad sequel Wednesday.
| The man whom Miss O'Thayne married
said his name was Augustus Erwin. So far
but little il known about him. His life,
whatever it has been, is shaded in mystery,
and so guarded has he been in talking about
himself that his wife Of eight months is still
| in the dark as to his antecedents. Mss
O'Thaynes father, Patrick O'Thayne, is
said to be very wealthy. He educated his
children well, and was indulgent to
their every whim. Their home was
| a happy Que, and nothing trans
pred to mar its happiness until, like
| thunderclap, on November 4, Miss Mar
| garet Adele announced TO her father that
she had been secretly married to German
Hebrew whose age was nearly twice her
own. Then followed stormy scene be-
tween father and daughter, which termi
mated in the latter leaving her home and
| Joining her husband at the Altman House
AS time passed Mr.. O'Thayne forgave his
| daughter and sought an interview with her,
| and the young wife consented to visit home.
! The meeting between the father and his
married daughter was affecting one. Mr..
| O'Thayne begged to know who it was that
| his child had married. and the young
woman had a short but sad story to tell
She said that while visiting y friend at
boarding house she met her husband He
had said his name was Erwin, and had req
resented himself to her as wealthy South
eruer. Since the marriage the young woman
said that her husband was not the man lie
| had represented himself TO be, that he was;
simply a commission agent or drummer,
|
race track. Mr.. O'Thayne's heart bled for
he said to her: My child, I'll furnish you
q fiat to live in, but remember | will never
support that man."
| Since then Mrs Erwin has daily called at
her home, her husband escorting her to the
| door. Mr.. O'Thayne, upon learning the sad
state of affairs, Supplied his married daugh-
| ter literally with funds. Erwin and his
wife continued to reside at the Altman
House, and the bills, it is said, were all set
tied by Mrs. Erwin. AS gradually the
Young wife began to realize her position she
grew to dislike her husband. The pair
were frequently heard quarreling in their
apartments, and it was noticed that Erwin
used very strong language toward his vile.
Erwin was several times heard to remark
to persons in the hotel, MY wife's father is
wealthy and can we'll afford to send DELI
and myself to some fashionable watering
place and pay our bills. he might as We'l
| do so now as later on"
| The trouble between Erwin and his wife
continued to grow worse, and when Mr..
O'Thayne learned that his daughter was in
a delicate condition he intended taking her
with him to Europe. He engaged passage
| for her on the steamship Servia and also for
her sister Blanche 1t was intended that
when the vessel was about to sail on Satur-
day afternoon last Mrs. Erwin would be at
the wharf and go aboard.
The father visited his daughter Friday,
ostensibly to bid her goodby, but in reality
to complete her arrangements for trip
across the ocean. The Servia was adver-
tised to sail at half-past three o'clock
on Saturday afternoon, and the young
woman foolishly asked her husband about
the time Of the steamers sailing. He
changed the hour to suit himself, and as the
result of the wrong information which she
had received when she reached the dock
the steamer was in the lower bay, with her
father and sister Blanche aboard. Mrs.
Erwin returned to the hotel, and in the
evening husband and wife were overheard
wrangling in their rooms. The result of
the trouble was that Mrs. Erwin made up
her mind to leave her husband. On Mon
day afternoon Mrs. Erwin carried out her
intention, and went to her fathers home.
As she had not returned to the hotel We'd
nesday afternoon Erwin sent word to his
wife that he wanted to see her. Later in
the day the young woman replied in person
TO the message. Mr. and Mrs. Erwin chat
ted pleasantly together for several minutes.
Erwin finally ordered his wife to remain
with him at the hotel, and when she refused
he backed up against bureau, and, sud
denly pulling open drawer, drew large
"bulldog' revolver. Before Mrs. Erwln
could realize what her husband was about
shot was fired. The bullet did not strike
her, but entered the casing OF the door, She
turned to run, and as she did so Erwin tired
again. This shot was we'll aimed. The
bullet struck Mrs. Erwin under the left
shoulder blade. The young woman ran ex-
claiming, ''Im shot. My husband shot me.
Please send for priest"
Messengers were Immediately dispatched