The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-25
SCANDAL n GREENSBORO.
Wife Of q Prominent Citizen EIopes
With J. f. HardinG-.rcat Aston
where the Couple Have Gone
Especial to The Messenger.)

tSfN~A- u he%S&l4@tAf
Greensboro. y. c. July -.
This town WOKE Up astorisnsd this
morning when IL was learned ina, Mr.
Ida Stafford. one OF the mos, attractive
and highly regarded ladies n the city.
wife OF Mr.. Jenn Z and
moiher OF four LrIsht boys from 5 10 /.
years OF age. had sloped with ]. r.
Harding. for years chief bookkeeper
for she Revolution mills. and a man o.
Exemplary habits. The intelligence
came like n thsnder clap TO the hus-
band. the first iatimatlon or suspicion
OF such a thing he ever had being the
receipt last night Of shis letter:
Mr.. Stafford. This letter Is TO tell
you goodbye forever. 1 hope your life
VIII be more satisfied In the future
than 1t always has been. BE good to
my boys and don let them leave you.
Look after them. not for my sake. but
theirs and yours Dent break up
housekeeping. bat try n q get some
good woman to keep house for you and
mold you all ana our things together.
l don't want yoC 10 fees that you are
TO blame, for you are not. Don't try
30 find me and don't. blame Daisy "a
married adopted daughter) Please
1900 - AAA~h@ az All AbpdL II EnGHG OF
speak OF IL TO the boys any more than
you can help. l do not wish you 10
lever give me another thought. | am
mot worthy OF any good thoughts. es-
lpecially OF my dear boys. You will
Innd my money, also my rings and 9TH
er things in pistol box. Do with them
as you wish Do not make my going
away a subject OF talk. but remember
me as among the dead. weak but not
foul. Goodbye forever. IDA"
Mr.. stafford received in the mail this
morning the engagement ring with the
Istamp OF the Greensboro post office on
ut. The ring is a plain gold one. mark
ed John to Ida lSs2-' An incident
connected with his ring is that Chief
Iof Police Scott saw Mrs. Stafford at
the post office yesterday afternoon put
ting something Iii the mail box and IL
was evidently this package, she know
ing there would be no special delivery
until this mornIns.
Neighbors OF the StafTords all say
they were excellent people and no
breath OF scandal hSh ever been even
limited at. Mr.. Stafford says this morn
ing that Harding had boarded with
them, but beyond Being a clever. kind
and gentlemanly friend. he never
dreamed OF any undue intimacy be-
tween him and Mrs. Stafford or noted
a suspicious circumstance. Asked his
morning il he could now recall any
thing in the light of velopmen NJ
said he could not.
The couple left on the late train yes
terday, in separate coaches. Tickets
were brought to Washington. but intel
ligence received by the chief OF police
this morning shows that they must
have taken a train at Lynchburg for
the west Every effort is being made
by Mr.. Stafford 10 find them and he
will be aided TO the full extent by the
authorities. He had a long conference
with state prosecuting officers. Solicit
tor A. l.. Brooks this morning as To
the best legal steps to take TO bring
the destroyer of his home 10 justice.
Mrs. Stafford is a woman OF COM
presence, a very handsome
Istylish figure, 81 years old. looking 20.
with a splendid suit of dark brown
hair, large blu eyes with a cupid bow
mouth. She weighs $50 pounds and
would be noticed anywhere as she is
unusually bright in conversation.
speaking quick and with animated
face.
She was Miss Ida Alsap, of Rich
mond, sister to Messrs. Walter ID. and
George w. Alsap, who were for many
years engineers on the Richmond and
lDanville fast mail, between Richmond
and Atlanta, but died about five and
ten years ago. Mir. Stafford is the son
lof Rev. Stafford. a local minister OF
the Methodist church and for twenty
years sheriff of Guilford county With
in the past month Mr.. Stafford has
been bereaved Of both father and
|mother, they DING in two weeks Of
leach other at the age of S4 and 7s and
leaving a large estate.
j. Z. Harding is the son OF III. Harri-
son Harding, of Julian. Guilford coun-
lty, and is one Of the most respected
land prosperous farmers, merchants
land flour manufactures OF the county.
Young Harding Is % years old
The only clue had Of the destination
lis from a negro man, James Brown,
who say he carried a trunk TO the sta
ition for Mr.. Harding and IL had a
name like salt LAX on the tag. He
must mean Salt Lake. Utah." and IL
such is a fact, 1t might have been for
a blind. or it might indicate that Mrs.
stafford was a victim OF Mormon in
l~iuences, which Harding perceived and
took advantage OF.
Greensboro Is headquarters of the
mormon propaganda in North Caro-
lima, and this information given by the
negro drayman Is being carefully
looked into. II 1T should prove Of good
Information the Iormon headquarters
here will have To 60.
Mr.. Stafford Is prepared TO offer a
Large reward for the apprehension oi
the couple. and is only waiting for the
arrival OF Mr.. H~arding's father. who
Is ~momentarily expected. before nam.
}ing sum. AS a means of discovery he
also give me the information that thu
youngest child t. eight months old ane
Mrs. Stafford was expected TO a mothet
again in October.