, 1891-09-08

49, oSpb
city is terribly wrought up over the
tional elopemcnt of ]. b. Shearn, a G.
operator Of this place, with Miss Mary Z. \
Williams, a young society belle. Shearn
is about 40 years old and left wife and
two children. Miss Williams Is very
pretty and about 10 years of age. Her
father, who is dead, left a large estate to
his widow, who is now visiting friends in
Wales. and the escapade of her daughter
will doubtless cause much misery to the
mother. 1t is believed that the clippers
have gone west. Only last Thursday
week MISS Williams was one OF the guests
at a progressive euchrc party, given by
one of the leading families of the city.
There the wives and daughters OF some of
best people in town had assembled. Mr..
Shearn, the wife of the clipping husband.
returned home this evening from Asbury
Park. The facts had been withheld from
her until she arrived home, and when her
father broke the sad news to her she
tainted. Mr. Shearn, as superintendent
of the Hillman VEN Coal Company, drew
a salary of IS. 500 = year. He was recog-
nized as one OF the leading bosses in this
part of the state, aud was in great demand
for musical events of all kinds. he
had won lavish compliments
from the press and from the public
Shearn is q big, strong, powerful man, a
| fine specimen Of manhood. Mary Ellen
| Williams, on the other hand, is a small,
delicate specimen of womanhood. and not
in the best of health. Both arc gifted
with extraordinary musical talent. Night
after night for more than two years, for
practice and in public. they sang in duets.
solos and In auaitets. Here they had
interests in common, and these interests,
with their frequent association, resulted
in the elopement. They had learned tc
love each other. Miss Williams was the
idol Of her mother. She left a letter fol
her mother. begging to be forgiven. She
says she is entirely willing to identity her
self with her lover, j. b. Shearn; thaI
she has become infatuated; that she II
wrapped up in him; that there will be DC
need to send detectives on their track, fol-
ii they are separated temporarily they
will come together again; that her future
she trusted entirely to him. her paramour
that she has considered what she has done
long and well. She says that for the past
year they have had frequent clandestine
meetings, and have talked over the matter
many a time.
Shearn also wrote a letter which Is now
in the hands of an official of the Hillman
Vein Coal company. In it he says that
he loves Nellie. as she is often called; that
they will meet at the place they have
agreed upon and will start Tor the West,
where they will begin life anew; that he
will not forget the responsibility of pro-
viding for his family. will not forget his
wife and children, and will work harder
than ever to see that none of those
dependent on him suffer.
Sbearn has property in this city valued
at $40, 900. His wife says she will spend
all her means to bring him back and
punish him. There is another romantic
tale connected with the affair. When
sShearn married his present wife he was
engaged to another lady, named Evans.
The latter had made all preparations for
the wedding. She and 100 guests were
waiting for the groom, who never came.
Shearn had married another lady at the
same Jour he was booked to marry MISS
Evans. The latter afterwards died of a
broken heart.