The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07
LOVE LAUGHS At THE LAW
An Interrupted Etopenfent Which
May Yet End Happily.
How n Matr.moniaIiy inclined
Youthful Couple Appear to Have
0utwitted the Alexandria Police
An Apparent Rusc That Worked.


The police several days ago received
despatch from the Colonial Beach au-
/ thorities requesting the apprehension of.
Miss Dorcas Butler, pretty sixteen-year-
! old girl, from Oak Grove. Va, three miles
( from Colonial Beach. who was alleged to
/ have eloped Wednesday might sYith Joseph
/ Jackson. That was as much of the affair
1 as the police of this city ever knew Off
cially, but from Alexandria. to which city
a lookout had also been sent, developed
/ a tale of elopelnent, parental Interference.
and a probable happy ending that bids
fair to rival the stories told of the Old
! Dominion in the days when the young
! SWANS made off with their sweethearts
in the good old knightly way.
Young Jackson and his bride-to-be ar
rived at the Alexandria dock on the
steamer Harry Randall at 6-o;cleclS, We'd
nesday afternoon, in perfect ignorance of
any action on the part of the young lady's
parents. As soon ,as the boat had been
secured to the wharf Sergeant Goods and
Policeman Deane, Of the Alexandria po-
lice force. walked up the gang plank and,
after identifying the couple. took the
young lady into custody and conveyed
her to the police station. Jackson made
no attempt to detain his sweetheart, but
he evidently thought a great deal, and to
accomplish his plans he continued on his
way to this city.
Miss Butler did not regard her capture
with so much Indifference, however. The
police treated her kindly; made her com
Portable for the evening in the witness
room of the stationhouse, and in many
ways tried to lessen her grief at the sud
den termination of her journey. 1t was
no use, however. The young lady was
miserable. She spent the night in a hys-
( terical condition, and it was only after
repeated efforts on the part of Policeman
Sherwood that she quieted down. She
was told that her mother had. been noti-
fled and would probably come to Alexan-
dria the next day to take her back to
Oak Grove. a..
Mrs. Butler did not come to Alexandria
Thursday. a man giving the name of
George Wilkerson appeared at police
headquarters to claim the girl. however
He said he was member of the Colonial
Beach constabulary, and that Mrs. But
Ter had commissioned him to bring about
the return of her daughter to her home
Nilkerson told very straight story, and
after the proper formalities had been
complied with he took Miss Butler on a
sail boat and started for Colonial Beach,
ostensibly. although nothing has been
heard OF either of them since.
also appeared on the scene He made no
effort to see his sweetheart. and re-
mained in town until after the departure !
of Wilkerson and his charge, when he, |
too, boarded boat, bound down stream. |
The Alexandria authorities have heard |
nothing more of him. While I'm town Jack |
son was recognized by several persons. |
and he is said to have plainly stated that |
he did not want to see the girl he had |
eloped with.
The Alexandria police were congratu-
lating themselves on the successful man
ner in which they had handled such a |
delicate matter. when on Friday morning |
Mrs Butler. the mother of the girl, ap-
peared on the scene and demanded her
daughter. The police were nonplussed. |
They told Mrs. Butler that her daugh
ter had been turned over to Constable |
Wilkerson. of Colonial Beach. at her re-
quest. Then ii was the mothers turn to
be surprised. She said she did mot send |
Wilkerson, and was much disappointed |
at the turn affairs had taken. She de-
to take charge of her daughter. Mrs.
Butler then searched the city and the
surrounding country in vain. Miss Dor
cas-, Wilkerson, and jackson were no
where to be found.
Mrs. Butler was chagrined, to say the
least. She intimated that she might make
it unpleasant for more than one person |
and finally declared yesterday that she
would swear out a warrant for the arrest
of George Wilkerson, whom she declared
had obtained the custody of her daughter
would express no opinion as to what she
thought was the probable outcome of her
daughters departure from Alexandria
with the Colonial Beach constable. 1t is
probable she will return to her home to-
morrow.
After Mrs. Butler had expressed her
self the police of Alexandria had chance
TO review the events of the past four
days. 1t dawned upon them that il was
a strange thing for officer of the law
TO use sailboat to make journey when
he was travelling in the interest of some
body else, especially when the officer in
question was also the sailing master and
crew of the boat. 1t also looked queer
to them that an officer should attempt to
sail from Alexandria to Colonial Beach
with a prisoner, starting at the hour
did instead of taking passage
on a steamboat. In addition there was
evidently something behind the apparent
OF Jackson while he was in
and the police began 10 think
there must be some connection between
the departure of Wilkerson and Miss But
Ter and the immediate leave taking of
Jackson.
Altogether the police of Alexandria are
of the opinion that the elopement from
Colonial Beach and interrupted at Alex
andria has been accomplished after all | .
They have an idea that possibly they
were completely outwitted and made un- ,
willing parties to the affair. However,
they will not know the truth until after
Mrs. Butler returns to her home.