Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-04-29
The Long Chase Of a Cleveland Father
and a Detective
AFTER A COUPLE 70 ELOPERS.
Captured at Tavenerville, Ohio,
but Not Till After the Wedding
Had Taken Place in Ashland,
Ky.-The Girl is Only Fourteen,
but She Loved a Thirty-five-
Year-Old Street Car Driver
The Father Relented.
spseta. telegram to "a. RsO,s,sr.

Spectdg IetegfuH 70 VIC HtytctN-
PARKERsBURG, w. VA, April 2s.-
The Cleveland clippers, Miss Nettie But
Ter and w. II. Wilson, the street cal
conductor, with whom Miss Butler
eloped, and about whom so much has
been said In the papers, were captured
at t..Tavennerville, opposite this city, last
night. They started for Cleveland this
morning in charge OF Detective Morse,
general manager OF the Cleveland De-
tective Agency, and Miss Buffers father.
The chase after the eloping couple has
been long and sensational. The detective
traced them TO Wellsville, thence to
Wheeling, to Parkersburg, w. Va, to
Ashland, KY, whore they eluded him
by taking the steamer Iron Queen and
returning TO this city Wednesday.
When the detective on the back trail
landed here, he called I'm the assistance
OF Chief OF Police ID. w. Heaton, and
after giving q description Of the elopers
said he was satisfied they had not left
this city. officers were sent to all oil
the trains AMI hotels were looked over
and every boarding house was visited
without gaining a clue OF their where
abouts. Chief Heaton learned OF the
appearance OF strange young couple In
the city but when he found them the
lady proved TO be somewhat older than
Miss Butler who is not quite Ii years
old. The young man denied owner
ship of the name Wilson, or that his
companion was Miss Butler, but when
the officers explained. the young man
said: "Why that couple cameup on the
same boat from Ashland with my wife
and myself, and they are either In town
or not far away"
Heaton then went to- the postofice
where he learned that Wilson had called
for a letter and had left not ten minutes
before. While this was going on old Mr..
Butler was at Marietta, Ohio, twelve
miles above, waiting with impatience
for some news of his runaway daughter.
When the officers became satisfied that
the runaways were still In town or near
by. Chief Htaton concluded to 90 over
10 Tavennerville, where relative OF
street car Conductor Wilson, OF the
same name, lived, TO interview him.
Wilson at first denied that they had
been at his home, but finally admitted
th?t they had been there, but said
they had left. Heaton then went to
Wilson's house, where he found Mrs.
Wilson, the wife OF the saw mill man.
She at first denied that the parties bad
been there, but finally admitted tho
fact. The young couple tried TO escape
through door in the rear OF the house,
but were interrupted, aud were put un-
der arrest. They were taken to hotel
in the city, where they were placed In
charge OF Detective Morse. OF Cleveland.
Wilson is abou, 35 and the girl IA. They
are a handsome couple. The girl feared
trouble aud declined meeting her father.
who was telephoned for. Both Wilson aud
the girls father were searched for
weapons, but neither was armed. There
was a stormy scene for few minutes
when the girls father appeared, but be.
fore a collision could take place the girl
threw her arms around her fathers
neck and clung 10 him so closely that
ne could not tear her arms loose. They
finally went TO have talk. After
couple OF hours the old mans heart was
softened under the pleading OF bis
daughter, and the charge OF abduction
was dropped. The runaways were mar
ried In Ashland.