Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-02
A KING GEORGE PAIR
Ex-sHEalrf n A. JONES EloPEs
WITH MISS MARY PRATT
wife and Seven Chiidren-Thess Are
Left by the Man--The Woman Deserts
Father and Mother.
Correspondence of the Dispatch)

"e'n VI Ni' horace n. Jones, a married
man, and Miss Mary Pratt. single
girl. both OF this county. is Sun the lead
ing topic. In addition TO the brief de-
tails sent TO the Dispatch several days
ago. other interesting facts concerning the
unexplained absence OF the parties have
come to light. and so widely known are
tho points OF interest that It Is no longer
q matter OF kindness 20 withhold names
and particulars. even from the public
press. As stated IN former communi-
cation. Mr.. Jones left wife and seven
children. and, 20 all appearances. they are
q dependent household. IL seems that
the abscondinR husband disposed OF his
personal effects when he was preparing
Tor the flight. and Il now appears that
h.s snug little home at Passapatanzy IS
under n mortgage. so that tho wife and
children are ruthlessly thrown upon the
cod charities Of the world.
THE COUPLE.
Mr.. Jones was Sheriff OF King George
~ two terms. and filed that Office very
satisfactorily. as he did the Office Of post
master az PassapatanZy for several years.
lie was merchandising up 90 the time OF
his sudden disa appearance and, with fair
followers, the community at large re-
Eardcd him as man with no mean pros
poets ahead.
Mass Pratt had for years spent most OF
her time with a devoted aunt about one
mile distant from the home OF her parents
hot was in the habit OF visiting them
frequently. often spending the night with
them. On the evening Of her disappear
aucc she left her aunt under the .retence
q q he ,fcb
parents, and OF going the next day TO
visit On uncle in the nelghborhood-
NOT MISSED.
This threw all of their guard. The aunt
supposed the girl was with her parents
aad the parents thought she was with her
aunt. ana this state Of affairs might
have prevailed for many days. had not
the absence OF Jones been announced
Certain relations between Jones and Miss
Irltt, n is said. had long since led to
the belief that a sort Of courtship was on
hand. and that the parties were in love
and the people who thus regarded the
couple were not in the least astonished
when Jones disappeared but rather I'm
meliately inquired II the girl was miss
ing too. This suspicion In the nelghbor.
hood first revealed the girls absence, and
This and all similar suspicion regarding
them has been verified since their dis
appearance by number of letters found
at their respective homes.
THE FLIGHT.
Il IS said that when the gin left her
nunts house. that instead Of going in
The direction Of her fathers home. she
was met by a trained party, who conveyed
fnr many miles in the nighttime TO a
railroad station. Mr.. Jones the same eve
ming left his home on horseback, promis-
Ing 10 return in a short time but no
thing more has been seen Of him by home.
foks. His horse and saddle %ere at home
The next morning. and the jaded steed
bore evidences OF having just returned
from a long journey. Whether Jones and
Miss Pratt boarded a train together is
ut known 10 the public here. Whether
they ara living together now (deponent
sayeth noD, there is not n scintlla OF
doubt on any mind here but that they
C.lptd together.
no FOUNDATION.
The rumor that Jones forged his fathers
name TO a number Of checks, and thus
drew his fathers money out Of a Frede-
T.cksburg bank. seems now TO be without
any foundation whatever. 1t appears that
BE- owes certain debts due by notes en-
6orscd by his father and brother. but
he left letter. as before stated directing
hind and one horse he applied TO the
payment OF the notes endorsed by the
parties named. 1t seems plain. further
that instead Of involving his endorseTs ana
creditors he gave a deed Of trust on his
coly Pdssapatanzy home 10 secure them.
COULD BE CAUGHT.
The impression is that the absent
parties could be apprehended without
Caclity. but public feeling runs SO high
against them that 1t is thought they will
not tc brought back just now. When the
irNs " the alleged elopement was broken
O. the girls aged parents, the heart
broken mother fell PROSTATE upon the
for and has since remained In a
p.table condition. The grief-stIicken. In
valid father is also PROSTATE with sorrow
anI g.; . thought that this affair VIII
very soon end his days on earth.
The profOundest sympathy is mani
tested for the deserted wife and children
1ul so bitter Is the general feeling against
TIE runaway husband and father, that
D.. whereabouts would not be made
known just now. even IL ascertained.
4 trother-in-law OF the deserted wife
has come to the. rescue, and taken two
a. the little children 10 support The
Joc,ses and Pratts. Of Passapatanzy, are
L. in that part Of the county.
M,uy years ago there was a similar dis
ulp.arlnCs from here OF married man
nul unmarried woman. but, with that
SINGLE exception, the JonesPratt disap-
ietrsuce. and the circumstances con-
n-,tei there,gith. IS without parallel in
the long and varied history of King
George. and certainly no more sensational
t-tlr has ever occurred here.
SIR Il. : Minor. a Washington %. CO
LAWYER. Is this week visiting his parents
O., this place. and viii probably remain
another week 20 visit friends in other
l4ils Of the county.
PROSPEROUS SECTION.
Mr.. W. r. LOmax. travelling salesman
E an extensive Baltimore house. was
iere the other to-day, having just COM
ji,teI tour OF West Virginia, and also
'he western counties Of this State. Speak
flr 81 the general business outlook, etc,
Sir. LOmax told the Dispatch correspond.
trt that the Northern Neck was one OF
to- most prosperous sections of the State;
mat It's MERCHANTS handle more money,
lly more goods, and meet their oblga-
tons with apparently more ease than
any other section OF Virginia lie said
further thar his Neck has a bright
future, and Mr.. LcmaX's faith In the
future of thi, section Is demonstrated by
tle fact that he is investing capital in
the Neck. Notwithstanding the absence
a. railroad facilities.
Mr. Robert Gordon. an enterprislng citi-
zen OF Caroline county, has contracted
flr the erection Of a steamboat wharf
G. HATFIELD. on the Rappahannock river.
Work on the same Will open up imme-
dhtely.
a pne-drlver is placed for the imme-
date repairing OF Hop-Yard and Cleve
Nharves In this county; also on the Rap
Iahannock.
The advent OF sora in the marshes
slour the Rappahannock last week giad,
den,i the hearts Of King George ana
Caroline sportsmen. These tiny, but po-
Iular. birds are too poor TO be slausht-
cred as yet. however.
EAiiNIZER-PERRY.
On Wednesday morning, the 2Sth instant,
the residence Of Mr. Joseph Perry, near
this place. was the scene OF quiet nome
wedding. the contracting parties oeing
Captain ]. T. Emlnizer, OF Baltimore,
Md and Miss Ella NJ. Perry, OF TINS
~ 10 nfa