The herald., 1897-07-02
A SAD STORY
OF SILLY SIN
The Last of Mrs. Bradbury
and Ward
OFF FOR SAN FRANCISCO
They at Length Succeeded in
Raising the Wind
FROM SALON TO SALOON
TWO DAYS SPENT IN NOTORIOUS
ROAD. HOUSES
The Gilt Already Off the Gingerbread.
They Left in the Dark and
Neither One Has
They at Length Succeeded in
Raising the Wind
FROM SALON TO SALOON
TWO DAYS SPENT IN NOTORIOUS
ROAD HOUSES
The Gilt Already Off the Gingerbread
They Left in the Dark and
Neither One Has
Word to Say

In the comparative darkness of River
station man and a woman boarded the
San Francisco train last night at the
last moment, held few moments hur-
ried conversation with a third person,
then passed on and locked themselves
in their stateroom and were whirled
northward through the darkness. The
woman was Mrs. John Bradbury; the
man was II. Russell Ward, and the
third person was a Herald reporter.
There were no friendsg to see them de-
part and the members of the -Four
Hundred were conspicuous for their
total effacement. The two principals in
the most sensational elopement of the
day are gone, and the book that has
told of their doinygs is closed for the
time at least.
In spite of the MANY suppositions that
the departure of Ward and Mrs. Brad
bury was made on an impulse, there is
good proof that 1T was planned fully
two weeks before the elopement actually
took place. Ward and Mrs. Bradbury
were seen together frequently during
that period, though no Importance was
attached to that circumstance, the two
having been acquainted for several
years In appatent preparation for the
coming elopeme int, Mrs. Bradbury used
her husbands Credit for the purchase of
about $500 worth of dresses and, other
drygoods. The very garment which
Mrs. Bradbury wore when she left her
home on Wedp esday morning was made
from the materials that the use of her
husbands name had enabled her to pro-
cure. Much off the stuff SO purchased
was sent on Tuesday, week ago, to the
parcel countef at the Arcade depot and
Ward held the checks for them. This
concjusively shows that when Mrs.
Bradbury left the house at Santa Mon
lea on Tuesday evening, the night Of
the jubilee celebration, she never in
tended to return; but after she had left
she discovered that all her jewelry had
been left behind. Having no available
assets except these trinkets it became
necessary for Mrs. Bradbury to return
to Santa Monica and secure them.
FIRST ATTEMPT FRUSTRATED
Mr.. Bradbury had been in court all
day at Los Angeles and was not ex-
pected TO return to Santa Monica that
night. His wife and Ward had been at
Eckert's restaurant in the earlier part
Of the evening, dining together, and
ff,om that place, after drinking consid
efable wine, the couple left the town in
d buggy with the intention of elopinn
Her husband being away on business,
Mrs. Bradbury felt perfectly safe in re-
turning to the city by the sea and secur-
ing her jewelry and baggage. To her
surprise Mr.. Bradbury met her, and as
it was 1 o'clock in the morning, he was
naturally angry at the breach of wifely
decorum. He, however, offered his wife
no violence in word or manner On some
pretext she went into another room, and
when her husband entered a few min
utes later she was again gone Then
Bradbury drove hastily to this city, but
could not find Mrs. Bradbury Returning
to Santa Monica Wednesday morning,
he was astonished to find his wife at the
house there, she having returned for
some reason known only to herself. The
family at once casne to Los Angeles, and
after staying in town over Wednesday
departed for the ranch at Duarte on
Thursday morning. On Saturday Colo
mel John and his wife returned to the
city, Mrs. Bradbury seeing no one ex-
cept the members Of her own and her
husbands families. Peace apparently
reigned in the family and nothing was
thought of Mrs Bradbury's action when
on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock she
left the house, giving as an excuse that
she was going to have her throat treated.
The first place she visited was the office
of the county recorder.
CAREFUL PREPARATIONS
Some two years ago Mr. Bradbury
had made over to his wife by deed of
gift all the furnishings Of the family
mansion and the various equipages.
This document was never recorded. On
Wednesday morning, Mrs. Bradbury
drove up to the court house and request
ed that the deed be recorded. She theE
left, but about an hour later messenger
boy arrived In the recorders office to
ascertain If the request had been COM
piled with. The deed or bill of sale was
recorded and as a consequence, Mrs
John Bradbury, now on her way to San
Francisco with another woman's hus-
band, is the owner of the chairs upon
which her bereft husband sits, and the
bed upon which he takes his uneasy
Sleep
After receiving the report from the
messenger boy in regard to the recording
Of the deeds, Mrs. Bradbury ordered a
coupe, the driver being Charles Hulse
but instead of going to the Doctors Of
fee, directed the driver to a small drug.
store on South Flower street. From the
clerk in attendance she purchased a
tooth brush, "a box of face powder, and
eome throat gargle. Then, after some
slight hesitation, she asked If she nigh.
use the telephone. Being answered in
the affirmative, she called up the Ho-
tel Van Nuys, and the drug clerk heard
her ask for Ward. After a few mo-
ments of waiting Ward answered and
Mrs. Bradbury said: Il want to SIZE you
dnaasdiately." Ward apparently re-.