The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-23
a GIRL ABDUCTED,
And Her Lover Belted Over tho Ear with a
Base Ball Bat.

The West Side was in an uproar last
night about 10 o'clock. The report gained
currency that man had been murdered
in cold blood, and scores of people could be-
seen hurrying to and fro through the Bit
ing cold atmosphere. but no one could be
found who could locate the scene of the
alleged tragedy. The report did not seem
improbable for it was just the kind of a
night which seemed as if muir
der was IN the air. After a
good deal of searching the
chief Of police and an EAGLE reporter ar
rived at house on Texas avenue where
tragedy might have been enacted. Two
or three pale faced women had their noses
fattened against the window panes peer
ing into the night, dark shadows could be
seen moving about stealthily within while
a man could be heard groaning as if he
was in the agonies OF violent death. The
women at the window pulled back their
heads and shouted "here comes the police"
aud then the door was thrown open
and, as usual. woman was the
first to talk. 1t was the home of a little
man named Charlie Ward. pillar of the
Salvation army faith. -Four or five strap
ping fellows, including the groom-elect,
were within defending the Ward castle
while a weeping and sobbing female or
two were reclining on rustic couch, sad
reminders of the conflict that had taken
place. Evidently they were all Salvation
army people, for the women were dressed
in the red and blue of that denomination
Ward and his wife contested for preced-
ence TO tell the story, and the wife won.
From what she said 1t appears that
young woman named Ella Dewey and an
ex-soldier named f. Elmer Pratt were 60
be married tomorrow. To their match
the Dewey family objected, and she left
the parental roof and came to the Ward
mansion to make her wedding gown and
wait for the ceremony. Pratt, her in
tended, was also stopping at the Ward
mansion, also awaiting the happy hour
and basking in the bright sunshine of the
blue eyes of his betrothed. The latter is a
young man who has just been discharged
from the army on account Of a gunshot
wound in the hand.
At O'Clock yesterday afternoon one of
the Dewey boys came to the castle of Mr..
Ward and asked Ella, his sister, to return
home, saying that her folks would never
consent to her marriage to Pratt. She
told him that inasmuch as she was "A
years old she was her own boss, and pro-
posed to marry the ex-soldier.
That was all that occurred till $50 last
night, when ten clansmen of the Dewey
tribe, drove up in front of the Ward home,
with wagon, and Immediately stormed
1t. A stubborn defense was made
but the door finally yielded
and the invaders marched in. The gallant
ex-soldier, determined to die in the last
trench, still protested, but one of the
Dewey folks gave him belt across the
left ear with a baseball bat, and, in the
language of the pugilists, put him TO
sleep" Mrs. Ward used all the force of
vigorous and active tongue, but it was of
no avail, for the brothers took the sister
up III their arms and, despite her protesta
tions. put her in the wagon and triumph
antIy marched home with her.
During the recital of the story the
females on the lounge were still
moaning piteously and swearing vengeance
on the whole Dewey family except Ella.
eff knew they were going TO take her
away from me" he would exClaim between
his means 81 would have married her yes
terday; but l will have her yet. They had
no right to take my Ella away from me
and I'll make 'em sweat for it tomorrow"
Mrs. Ward was especially wrathy at
Officer Guyer who, it appears, stood out.
side and saw them drag off the sister
without raising any objections to it.
Immediately after hearing the story of
the little drama Chief Burrows started
out for the Dewey home to hear the other
side of the fracas and arrest the parties If
he should find that the circumstances JUS
titled it.