The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-08-18
A LOVER ARRESTED.
An Attempted EIopement Stopped by
An Arrest in the Clerk of Courts
Office.
The Girl Feeble 1inded and Will be
Returned to the Faribault
School.

A sensational case of attempted
elopement, followed or rather stopped
by the arrest of the intending bride
groom as he was procuring marriage
license, and the prospective separa-
tion of parties eliminated w ednts ay.
The parties are more or less well
known in their respective neighbor-
hoods but have never before attracted
public notice.
Levi Palmer is a young man OF
twenty-five years, Quieti in appearance
and of industrious habits. He has
rented a farm owned by D. A. Reed
and Mr.. Barnes, of Lake Crystal, and
located near that village. He was
brought up farmer and has made
the soil yield up a good living. For
some time past he has thought that
he was able to support wife, and. in
fact, that it was time that he became
the head of family. Ever since last
winter he has been devoting consider
able attention to Miss Susan Williams
who resides with her parents, Mr.and
Mrs. John Williams, near Garden
City. He has been quite assiduous in
his devotions.
Miss Williams is a young miss OF
sixteen years and of progressing ap-
pearance. Three weeks ago next Sun
nay, when Levi Palmer took her out
riding in buggy and seized the op-
portunity to ask her to become his
own, she put him off and refused to
listen to his suit. According to her
account, he became so demonstrative
and determined that she was fright
ened and assented to the proposal, in
tending to retract as soon as she should
return to the protecting roof of her
parents. She followed out her deter
mlnation, but Mr.. Palmer continued
to call and divided his attentions be-
tween Miss Susan and her half-sister.
Miss Helen Owens, who is twenty
three years of age and very pleasing
young lady, despite the fact that her
mind is not as strong as 1T might be.
In fact, Miss Helen has attended
the school for feeble minded at Fari-
bault for the past three years and was
home on vacation, having returned
six weeks ago. She first became &C
quainted with Mr.. Palmer during her
visit at home, and after her sister had
discharged his suit she seemed to take
the place in his affections, and she re-
ciprocated to a considerable extent.
According to the story Told by the
two young ladies, Mr.. Palmer called
upon them Friday evening last. dur
ing the absence of their parents.
They say that his actions were not
altogether proper and that he locked
himself and Miss Susan into a sleep
ing apartment and asked her final de-
clsion upon his proposition of mar
riage, and said some other thi ngs.
She called to her sister, who tried the
door and then went around to the
window and told Mr.. Palmer to go
away. At the same time Miss Susan,
who claims to have been placed upon
the bed by her impetuous lover, gave
him kick that sent him across the
room. This ended the affair. 1t is
proper to state here that Mr.. Palmer
denies all this.
Monday evening at about dusk Mr..
Palmer drove up to the house and
called to Miss Helen to come out. Her
parents advised her not to go, and she
remained in the house. Mr.. Palmer
then went to the door, took her by
the hand, pulled her to the buggy and
lifted her in it and drove away. This
is the youpg lady's account of the
Young Lochinvar act, but Mr.. Pal
mer claims that her going was volun-
tary and that she urged him to drive
faster. At any rate, Mr.. and Mrs.
Williams pitched up their team as
fast as possible and started to follow
them, thinking that they had gone to
Lake Crystal. The young couple took
the road to Mankato, however, and
went to Mr.. Palmer's sisters house,
at the corner of Glenwood avenue and
Fifth street. This lady is named Mrs.
James Brown.
Yesterday Mr.. Palmer applied to
Clerk of Court Thorne for license to
wed Miss Helen. Her parents, how
eyer, had upon reaching Lake Crystal
consulted Attorney D. A. Reed and
upon his advice swore out a warrant
for the arrest of Mr.. Palmer upon the
charge of attempted rape, in order to
hold him until the young lady could
be recovered and sent back to her
school at Faribault. Deputy Sheriff
Bowen was on hand with the warrant
when Mr.. Palmer appeared for his
license, and took him to Garden City,
where he had hearing before Justice
r. K. Wilson. Before it was COM
pleted adjournment was taken until
one O'Clock this afternoon, at which
time Mr.. Palmer was discharged. The