The San Francisco call., 1896-04-01
Had Deserted Her Husband and
Babes for an Itinerant
Tragedian.
LOVE IN A COVERED WAGON.
The Comely Woman Is Unperturbed
When Apprehended by
Officers.

STOCKTON, CAL, March 31.-Chief of
Police Kingsbury and Deputy Constable
Sullivan brought two very crestfallen
prisoners to the county Jail shortly before
noon to-day. They were Charles Paulson
and Mrs. Minnie Nelson, and they were
picked up on the roadside near French
Camp. They were travelling in a light
wagon and were resting in the. vehicle
when the officers disturbed their illicit
honeymoon. =
The couple in custody are elopers from
Temptation in San Luis Obispo County
their flight last week. creating a stir in
rural circles. According to- the reports
from Templeton .HawIey:N elson, IA pros:
porous man in the immunity. retqrned d
home last Monday. to find his children
crying and = his. house deserted. An
inves tigation proved : that his :. wife
bad gone to Paso Robles during
the morning and CIRCUMSTANCES showed
that it was her Intention: to join there
Charles Paulson. q man whose name had
been. .unfavorably yconnected with her own
during, his residence in: that community.
Mrs. Nelson is q bright and: pretty. little
woman, but she was. not. familiar wit b the
ways OF the world and fell an: easy victim
to Paulson's establishments. =. :"
The husband started upon the trail Of
the eloping couple, not SO much intent
upon revenge as he was upon rescuing his
wife. Last week he came to Stockton and
solicited the aid of the local officers. Good
luck favored Deputy Constable Sullican
and he met the runaways on the French
Camp road to-day. The husband had
sworn out warrant in San Luis Obispo
County before he left, in order that the
officers in other localities woald have no
trouble in arrestfng and holding the two
should they find them.
Paul.on has spent most of his life in the
travelling show business. He is a heavy
set, hght-comple1ioned man, dresses well
and has fluent tongue. When asked
what he was doing with the woman, be
replied that he was merely driving
through the country for her health, and
added: Il guess l have as good right to
haul passengers and freight as the South
ern Pacific"
Constable Sullivan and Chief Kingsbury
heard that the couple were in the vicinity
of French Camp early in the morning, and
both started out in search of them, taking
OilIeEcHt IOduS. w mere Inc county ana
toll roads meet the officers separated in
order to make more careful search. Sui
liyan came upon the runaways first. They
were in covered wagon with the curtains
tightly drawn, and it was some time before
the man responded to Sullivan's calls.
The constable talked against time in or
der TO give. Kingsbury chance to come
up. As the. chief did not arrive soon
enough Sullivan told Paulson he was un-
der arrest and started in to help him hitch
up the team in order to come to the city.
Kihgsbury soon showed up and took the
man in charge and Constable Sullivan
brought the woman to town in his buggy.
The officers do not know who the team
driven by Paulson belongs to, and in fac.
do not know just upon what charge the
San Luis Obispo warrant was issued.
At the jail Paulson took matters very
coolfy and declined to talk much. The
woman does not seem to realize her dis
graceful position or have any regrets over
the desertion of her husband and children.
The husband and San Luis Ooi.po off,
GERS were notified by telegraph, and it is
expected that they will arrive here to-
morrow.