The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-10
ELoPED A SECOND TIME.
MRS. COLLINS COMES BACK HOME
WITH HER BABY,

And il Received by Her Husband
with Open Arms-She Left Sol
Atkins in Richmond. Where He Had
Gone Into Business-He Was Pain
fully Surprised and Called Upon
the Police TO Aid Him in Finding
His Wife. as He CIaImed-POSed as
the Deserted Husband.
Mrs. William Collins, who left Savan-
nah several weeks ago in company with
Sol. z. Atkins, carrying with her infant
child and 500 of her husbands money, is
back in the city again. She brought her
baby with her and was given a warm well
come by her husband, who was almost
heart broken at her sudden disappear
ance. The family is now reunited and
happy.
Mrs. Collins came back very quietly,
and nothing might have been said about
it had not the chief of police of Rich
mond, Va, written Chief McDermott
about it. After leaving Savannah Atkins
and Mrs. Collins went to Richmond,
where Atkins opened a saloon. He pass
ed the woman as his wife. Business, it
seems, was not very good, and Mrs. Col
Inns, finding life rather duh, decided 10
mad played on her husband and return to
the latter. This she did, approprating
$50 from the cash drawer with which to
Atkins played the part of the disconso-
late husband and reported to the police
that his wife had deserted him, taking
their child with her. He was foolish
enough TO tell the police there that he
thought his WIFE had gone to SaVan-
main. Chief of Police Howard of that city,
after investigating the case, decided that
there was something fshy about it and
wrote Chief McDermOtt for information,
stating what he had learned there.
1t did not take Chief McDermott long
to find that Mrs. Collins was back in Sa-
Vannah, and he at once write Chief How
latter also sent Chief McDermott a Rich
mond paper, giving the story of the affair
as 1t appeared there. The Richmond
Times gives the following account of the
disappearance of Mrs. Atkins:
ION Tuesday morning Mrs. Atkins came
down stairs early, and entering the sa-
loon with the baby in her arms, said she
was going out for short walk. She kiss
ed her husband affectiOnately, and there
was nothing in her manner to arouse his
suspicious. Atkins went on about his bus
ineSs, and thought no more OF the matter
until about two hours later, when col
lector for a brewing concern from which
the barkeeper had been getting beer en-
tered the saloon and presented his bill.
The barkeeper went to the cash drawer for
money with which to settle the account,
but upon opening the drawer he was much
sur lAStu " llllQ llldA all liib ulOlley was
missing, and only a note remained. This
was addressed to him, in his wife's hand
writing.
THE collector noted that after perus-
ing the note, the bar-keeper threw up his
hands in an attitude of mingled astonish-
ment and grief, after which he deliberately
tore up the note, and informed the col
lector that he had been robbed and de-
serted by his wife.
After seeking for his wife in vain,
Atkins went to police headquarters and no.
titled Chief of Police Howard of what had
happened Maj. Howard listened to the
mans story, and then detailed Sergt. A.
NJ. Tomlinson to investigate the case.
"Sergt. Tomlinson made a diligent search
for the woman, and finally discovered that
the Atlantic Coast Line, which left this
city at 9:05 a. m. Up to a late hour last
night the woman's whereabouts were a
matter of conjecture, and it was thought
by Atkins that she had gone to Savannah,
Ga.
"A colored servant, who DISAPPEARED
about the same time with the Atkins wo-
man, is though to have accompanied the
runaway wife"
When Atkins left Savannah he carried
with him several hundred dollars in cash
belonging to the firm of Richardson q
Atkins, which was doing prosperous gro
Gerry business on Mill street. He left be-
hind him sufficient collateral, however to
and the latter has expressed no desire
for his arrest. Atkins had the reputation
in savannah of being a very sharp young
man. Before going into the grocery bus
mess he was bill collector for furniture
company.