Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-08-16
THE ELOPERS ARB LOCATED
Wilkinson and His Sister-in-
Nlaw at Charlotte, ". C.
WANTS WIFE TO GET 4 DIVORCE
After Which He VIII Marry the
Sister.
Says He Loves Her Devotcdly-- Claims That
His wife's, Jealousy Impelied Him to
EIope-Three Days of -startedTucs-
day Night for Greenvilie, 8. G.



9 Charlotte, N. O., Aug. A.-DI.
who on last Sunday eloped with his |
wife's sister, Miss Josephine Packard,
was found here tonight at the Arlington |
Hotel.
The couple had registered ns DR.. and |
Mrs. j. M. Walker of Baltimore, Md.
but when asked If he were not the man
who clipped from Dover Dr. Wilkinson
readily admitted his identity and talked
easily about his sscnpade
DIR. Wilkinson declared he was not
afraid of arrest; he would go to Jail II
necessary, but he wonld In the end
return Co the girl he loves.
His wife, he said, had better get d
divorce, for he intends to devote his
life to the girl who gave up everything
for him.
He proposes to establish drug store
here aud to make this his bone.
Since the report Of what ! have
done has followed me here said DIR.
Wilkinson, u might ms well talk. /
am DR.. Wilkinson, of Wilkinson x vii.
kinson, druggists, at Dover. Del
''Some years ago / married Miss
Packard, a daughter OF ETA. Packard,
OF Dover. There was no trouble between
us until about two years ago, when
my wife, who is OF Jealous tempera-
menf, began to accuse me OF being In
love with her younger sister.
"This was not true then, for i loved
the girl only 10 brotheily way. But
my wife grew more suspicious, and
finally her mother also commenced to
say dreadful things about the girl ard
myself
unbearable. | was refused adniittance
to the house Of my wife's people. while
my wife sided with them and. continued
to go to tho house.
my mother in law talked to the
neighbors, and had the preachers 10
the town to pray with her. l admit
at this time the girl was In love with
me, rs loved her.
aFinally they began to mistreat her !;
they would not let'h come to my home,
and when they found that she wrote to
me they imprisoned her--locked her in
her room
1.-THE affairswas talked shout every
where in Dover. at length Mr.. Packard
came to my store and raised a row, say
ing had disgraoed myself and the girl.
| | told him the truth-that had done
| no wrong, so far as she Was concerned,
except to care for her.
"TheiI mistreAtment Of Miss Packard
increased until she wrote me, and told
me that she could not stand her life,
and begged me to take her away from
| it. She threatened to commit suicide
il did mot take her away.
| What was to do? could not he
happy with my wife. | loved her sister,
and knew that her life depended upon
my acting, promptly. ,s4
II carefully measured everything /
was about 10 do, and then made arrange
ments to leave Dover. took my wife
| to sumner resort In Delaware, closed
up my business IN Dover and took Miss
Packard away from home Saturday
night.
in years. and / have had three whole
days of perfect happiness and am ready
to face anything.
"They may arrest p,e, put me in Jail,
but at the end of the term / shall return
to Miss Packard. Her only fear is that
she may be separated from me and
carried back to her home. She suffers
from thinking Of this. have shipped
lot of my property to this place Why
can't We stay here and live in peace,
and be let alone. - yJ
What is to become Of your wife?''
he was asked. fgr}
"There is but ole thing for her tc
divorce so that can marry her sister.
'.Sympathy 10 with her, I am the
one that is now cursed and despisell-I,
who had many friends and Q good
reputation. Let my vito stay with hel
peorle her own life. She must
she is bound to get a divorce. We are
waiting and hoping for that" ~
"You have no children"
II "No," he said otherwise j woull
not have left Dover. There is no tie
All want now Is to make this beauti
full, sincere girl my wife, and shall
do it," s9t
\ DR.. Wilkinson said that he proposed
to live in Charlotte. He would use BIZ
drug patents proftably: he could easil.
rent building and start In business
How would the people here look upoi
, him ard Miss Packard. He wanted
, advice.
His continual refrain was that h
was trying to do right; that he aud tn
girl loved each other; that they wer
forced into their present position.
Whom questioned as to what Mis-
Packard had TO say DR.. Wilkinson re
Piled:
/ 'No more than have said. She love
me and cannot live away from me. /
WAS life or death with her, and SO sh
came with me gladly, and we have bee
very happy for three days. She vii
, never consent to leave me. -
Once, forgetfully, he called her I'm
| wife, adding that she was quite deli
cate, though very beautiful. She
pretty, as tue reporter saw slende
, woman, Of refined appearance, and jus
' 90 years old.
Or his business affairs DIR. Willkin
{ son said that two years ago he too
. over the business and liabilities of hi
firm. The business was. and is, wort
I So, 600, and the liabilities are onl
, 81, 400. Before he left Dover he ha
instructed an attorney to sell ont tn
!. store and pay all his debts. He ha,
!. other property also, and among othe
things owned a part of the State Capi
Z toll, published at Dover. All this b
! had left behind.
Now that he had unbosomed himself
DIR. Wilkinson aGaip sought advic.
Would the people here be unpleasant
't he said, aud he was told that would b
= likely. Nevertheless he repeated
o believed he would remain here. an
then went to see Miss Packard.
o Late tonight he was again seen, an
" he said that Miss Packard was almot
J. Frustrated over the thought of the dill
IS oovery aud apprehension of possib
arrest.
II He had, therefore, decided to leay
y Charlotte and go to Gfcenyille, s. I