Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-15
A Chicago Girl Who Elopes with a
Married Man is Glad to Return
Home with Her Father.

Married Man is Glad to Return
Home with Her Father.
CHICAGO, Jan. 1l.-During the early
part Of September, J. F. O'Rourke, d
st. Louis lawyer with a wife and fam.
lily in that city, came to Chicago on an
ostensible business trip. While here
he called on the family of Albert II.
Larned and one afternoon took Miss
Mary Larned, whom he had known for
some time, for boat ride on Lake
Michigan. Untllsto-day their where
abouts has been a profound mystery
and great many people believed
them to be sleeping in the bosom of
the lake. 1t was foggy night when
they embarked and as they were never
seen to return it was thought that they
had become befogged, drifted out into
the lake and were run into by pro-
peller or tug and drowned. The boat
was found Sept. 9th at the foot of 63d
street half full Of water and with both
oars missing. This strengthened the
supposiCion that the occupants had
persisted. Numerous theories were
advanced as to the fate of the pair. AS
there was not enough wind on the
lake the night they embarked
to hurt a racing shell, The idea Of an
elopement gained currency. When the
boat was found she was riding on her
keel, and this led people to believe
that its occupants had not been pitched
into the water, but the idea that they
had run away was secuted by the
relatives and friends of the missing
couple. They and many others claimed
that If they had not been drowned
they would be picked up by some pass
ing vessel. They were finally given up
as dead. The published statement Is
made to-day that the boat in which Mr..
ORourke and Miss Larned embarked
was not capsized and that the couple
after rowing on the lake until dusk
landed safely on tho pier at the foot of
Thirty ninth street. The craft was set
adrlft and the twain walked TO the
Oakland station, boarded one Of
the Illinois Central suburban
trains and rode down town. Arriving
at the Michigan Central depot they
took the night train and went to
Detroit. They obtained rooms at
motel, but rs O'Rourke was short of
money they subsequently moved to
cheap lodgings in a modest part of the
city. AS O'Rourke's purse was rapidly
becoming empty he began to look
around for employment. FINALLY he
found work rs porter in a dry goods
store on a small salary. Miss Larned
kept house, and under an assumed
name they lived together in one room
as man and wife for nearly four
months; firing finally of the result of
his intrigue with Miss Lsrned,
O'Rourke, it is declared, indited an
anonymous letter in disguised hand
to his deserted wife. The letter
stated that her husband and Miss
Larned were living in detroit. When
Mrs. O'RquTke received the epislle she
Immediately communicated with the
betrayed girls father. The latter at
once employed detective who went TO
Detroit and finally located the pair.
The girl was only TOO happy to return
to the shelter Of her par nts hcme, even
though a cloud did hang over il. The
officer confronted the girl, when
ORoulke was absent and She vas taken
to Wndsor. CanaGa, to await tue ar
rival Of her father. Before leaving her
qnandam home she left note
tor q iiouIke, stating her intentioD of
returning home. The father fouud his !
daughter at Windsor and Saturday,
January I'd, they arrived in Chicago, /
and the girl is again under the care OF
Il mother. O'Rourke on returning to
his room found Miss Larned had flown.
Upon receiving a letter from
the wife he deserted saying she would |
forgive him, he took the train for Kirk
wood, Mo, and is again with his
family. Miss Larned Is a good look
ing blonde, 26 years of age, medium
size, with well rounded figure, and /.
always dresses handsomely and in
good taste. ORourke is 35 years of
age, six feet and one inch high, dark
and wears spectacles.
Soon after the disappearance OF the
couple Mr.. and Mrs. Larned removed
from Deerborn street to more remote
part Of the city.