The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-13
FINALLY THEY ELOPED
MISS LEAVITT AND It. w. SMOCK
FOUND CUPID'S PATH ROUGH.
The DauntIess Ex-Cuban WeII-Wisher
Was Not Afraid of
Shotgun.

After two years of waiting and many en-
deavors at elopement Thomas Wade Smock
and Miss Anna Allison Leavitt were mar
ried last night. The young man is the son
of Isaac N. Smock, a letter carrier and is
| himself in line for appointment in the postal
service having stood highest in the last
civil-servce examination, he claims. The
young lady is the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs
0. c. Leavitt, who live a mile north of the
fair grounds. in Washington township.
For many years the young people have
been acquainted. Smock is about twenty
six years old and the woman is nineteen.
AS mere children they lived in adjoining
houses with their parents at Twenty-fourth
street and Baltimore avenue. When they
became youths there was a strong attach
ment between them, and about the time Mr..
Leavitt moved to a dairy farm the young
couple were recognized IS lovers. This was
about four years ago, and the course of
true love ran smoothly enough until about
two years ago. Then Mr.. Leavitt and Mrs.
Leavitt began to show a decided repug-
nance to Smock and let him understand
that he was not as welcome as formerly at
the house The rest of this story is as
Smock tells it.
About this time a son of Mr.. Leavitt
jected Young Smock assisted him in get
ting the girl of his choice and this in
creased the estrangement of the young man
and Miss Leavitt's parents. He was for
hidden the house, and then began the
troubles of the young people. The more
he endeavored to see the girl, the more
determined the parents became that he
should not. She used to come to the city
once week to take a music lesson, and
he would see her on these visits, till finally
Mr.. Leavitt became aware of the meetings,
and always had some one accompany his
daughter to the city But the lovers man
aged to meet occasionally and renew their
undying pledges of love. When Miss Leav-
lit became of age, Smock often tried to
persuade her to elope with him, but she
felt that she must obey her parents. Meet
ings became less and less frequent. Young
Smock used to ride out on his bicycle to
her home and wait about the house for an
interview with her. Sometimes he got to
talk with her, but more frequently her
parents frustrated his plans.
HID FROM THE SHOTGUN.
Smock says that this thing went on until
the parents of his affianced almost kept her
under lock and key, so fearful were they
that she might see him. He says that he
had several encounters with her father and
a brother who was unfriendly to his suit.
One night, he says, he went out to the
attract the girls attention. Mr.. Leavitt
heard it and came to the door with a shot
gun in his hands. Smock says he dropped
down beside the gate and waited. Presently
Mr.. Leavitt came out to the fence and stood
peering into the darkness. with the barrels
of the gun sticking over the fence directly
over his head. Smock says he grabbed the
gun and threw it over the road, and that it
broke. Then came an encounter between
them in which he came out victorious. as
he tells it,
At another time, he says, his father-in-
law came to him with pistol in his pocket,
making an effort to draw it as he advanced.
Smock says he grabbed him by the throat
handling. These little affairs tended to in
crease the hatred of Mr.. and Mrs. Leavitt
for the young man, and seemed to settle
forever the prospects of the the parents of
the girl ever conserving to her marriage to
Smock The meetings between the young
people became less frequent, and at each
one Smock urged marriage without the
consent of her parents. She put him off.
About two weeks ago Smock sent word to
Miss Leavitt that he had made up his mind
that they could never get married. and he
had about decided to marry another girl.
He hoped, however, that she would consent
to elope with him, as she was his choice.
She replied by telling him she would meet
him in the city. She came in yesterday to
take a music lesson from S. V. Bidale, at
No. 519 North Alabama street. From there
she went to the home of friend of Smock's
and met her lover, and after much argu-
ment consented to be married.
A BICYCLE HELPS THINGS.
It was nearly o'clock when this decision
was reached, and there was much to be
done. 1t was arranged that the ceremony
should be performed at the home of ]. w.
Bowlby, at (new) No. 124 North Delaware
street, and thither the young lady repaired,
to await the coming of the bridegroom. The
bridegroom was, in the meantime, a busy
man. He borrowed bicycle and rode to the
home Of j. w. Fesler, county clerk, and
asked that marriage license be issued.
He was compelled to go to the home of Mr..
Fesler's brother on, Union street, and from
there to the office of the county clerk in
the courthouse, before he procured the Ii
cense Then he rode to the home of Rev. J.
e. Pounds, and the minister agreed to be
on hand at the proper time.
At 7:45 o'clock there gathered in the
apartments of Mr.: Bowlby the bride and
the minister and a Journal reporter. Mr..
Pounds pronounced the words which made
the couple husband and wife.
After congratulations Smokes first words
were: Now let the old man come after his
daughter. She is mine now l have the
right to protect her and to fight for her. if
necessary, and am ready to do it,
Smock was considerably excited after the
ceremony, when he talked to the Journal
reporter about the elopement. He said he
had little reason to believe he would be
able to get the girls consent when he went
to meet her yesterday afternoon. And even
after she had agreed to marry me-" he said,
II was in doubt about what to do. / want
ed her and she wanted me, but 1 did not
want to do anything very wrong. / went
to Will E. English and asked his advice.
After hearing the story he said to me:
Marry her, my boy and if you need any
help draw on me- I did draw on him for
$1G0."
Mrs. Smock came to the city yesterday
afternoon in her fathers buggy. This was
sent back last night by Smock with a mes
sage to his father-in-law, stating that he
had the girl, but did not need the horse
and buggy. 1t is the intention of Mr.. and
Mrs. Srnock to take a short wedding tour,
mont street, with Mr.. Shocks father. They
may go to Denver before they return to the
city. Mrs Smock left home yesterday aft
ernoon with a plain street dress on, and
she is somewhat embarrassed for the want
of suitable apparel They will probably
make a visit to her home to secure her
clothing before going away. The clothing
is all the young couple expects to get.
Smock was in the employ of Dickson &
Talbot a stage hand for several years,
and has lately been following the trade of
house painting. Last spring he started to
go to Cuba TO wipe out the Spanish but
stopped at Jacksonville, Fla, and returned
home, saying that he was unable to get
passage across the gulf.
Mr. English said last night that $40 was
the limit of the amount which Smock Sc
cured from him.
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