Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-10
DETERMINED TO EsCAPE.
bessie wentworth of West Gardln er
AGAIN Leaves Her Home and Flees to
Boston With a Married Man-Home
Again.
Especial to the Kennebec Journal. I

" viz AAohuSucC 0Dutndl
HALLowELL, Nov. 9.
"hen Detective True arrived at Hallow ell
on the 4 Z. M. train today bright and pretty
young lady accompanied him. She was
brunette, with red cheeks, perly white teeth
ana black eyes; was attraetively dressed and
pleasant in manners. Her name was Bessie
wentworth aud the detective was bringing
her home from Boston whittier she had
eloped With a married man.
Her parents reside in West Gardiner,
almost under the shadow of the white walled
Shaker church, where the Wentworths are
wont to attend divine service. Bessie had
! always received the best of bringing up and
training, but hardly had she reached her
teens when her eloping tendencies began to
develop. 1t was but two years ago that she
lett her fathers roof and fled to Gardiner with
True Crossman, who but a few DAYS ago
eloped with another West Gardiner girl and
went to Lynn, Mass. The girl on her first
escapade had four dresses and walked the
entire distance to Gardiner, the girl now
being older, though but sixteen years of age.
The second elopement was conducted more
methodicaily. On Monday evening, Oct.
25th, Bessie retired At Z 30 o'clock as usual,
and the remainder of the family an hour
later having no suspicion that there was any
impending trouble. The next morning on
arising and calling the girl there was no re-
sponse, and on going TO her chamber she was
not to be found and the bed had not been
disturbed. The only clothes missing were
one dress and a sack, no bonnet or hat being
without their suspicious and made careful
examination. of the ground in the vicinity of
the house, not being much surprised when
they found her track in the soft mud of the
mile away, and another accompanying it,
that of a man wearing small boot Their
tracks were traced to the church, where it
was found that a carriage had been taken.
The parents were pretty thoroughly satisfied
who the man in the case was, and after wait
ing several days, on Sunday, Oct. 3lst, they
put the case into Detective True's hands.
The man suspected was Eugene Bailey of
Augusta, twenty-five years of age, and as it
proved he was the culprit At one time he
repaired watches here, having a window
at the North End. He is married,
having a wife living in Gardiner, his father
being a member of the society of Friends,
residing near the outlet in Manchester. The
J,, -. D0.t
eral numbers on Summer street to find where
friend of Bailey lived. In this he was un-
successful. But returning to West Gardiner
he learned that 10 Ashland street, was the
place. On Monday, Detective Simpson,
True's right hand man, went to Boston and
came upon the couple at the latter number,
just they were preparing to leave. Bessie
was surprised. 1t was claimed that there
had been improper intimacy. Returning,
Simpson came to Portland with his Missy
terdsy, delivering her into Detective True's
custody. The detective carried the runaway
home and she was net at the threshold last
night by her father and mother who received
her with outstretched arms. Bessie was tear
full and penitent, promising better things in
the future, and eloping young men will make
themselves scarce for a while.
1t was learned that Bailey had met the
maiden about week before, secretly, and
arranged for the elopement. He hired
team of Emery of Hallowell and took the
o'clock train for Boston the following morn
ing.