Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-29
GIVES UP CHAUFFEUR
Runaway Heiress Bride Ar
rested in Charlotte, N. c.
MOTHER JOINS HER THERE
Girl Said to Have Consented to An
nulment of Marriage.
PARTY RETURNS TO ATLANTA
Father Is Prostrated-CoupleF Found
at Hotel by Police and Kept in
Station Until Morning.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

| Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHARLOTTE. n. c.. September 90
Closely guarded by policemen. and her
| mother in constant reach. Mrs. Russell
T. Thomas. who was Miss Silvey Speer.
society favorite of Atlanta. Ga, and sole
heir to two immense fortunes. has been
detained in this city since early last
night. when she arrived here with her
husband, whom she married I'm Atlanta
yesterday morning.
Thomas is the family chauffeur. re-
cent acquisition to Atlanta. He entered
the employ Of w. A. Speer. the girl
brides millionaire father. only few
months ago at salary of 500 month.
At an early hour this morning Mrs
Speer. accompanied by Mr.. Rambo Of
the we'll known firm Of John Silvey &
Co. OF Atlanta. arrived in the city.
The girls father is prostrated over the
news of her elopement and marriage
and was unable to come. Today he is in
constant telephone communication with
his wife.
Gov. Hoke Smith Gives Aid.
A note left by the girl apprising her
parents of her marriage, was delayed.
Her parents we're unable to head of the
couple until they reached Charlotte. and
then only by the assistance of Gov. HOke
Smith of Georgia, who himself filed tele-
grams with the Atlanta police authorities
to stop the youthful pair.
| On arrival here last night the couple
managed to evade the police and hurried
to the Selwyn Hotel. There they regis
tered for the night.
In a couple Of hours tho police To-
1 Ss0f od nf r.
was taken to police Headquarters
where they were held till 1 o'clock this
morning. when the girls mother ar
rived in this city. They were ther
rooms rooms and guarded throughout tn,
| night.
After a family council this morning
Is understood the girl has agreed to return
home with her mother.
This morning all concerned positive
ly refused to see newspaper men, or tt
make any statement regarding the
case. The party will return to Atlanta
today.
Mrs. Thomas is exceedingly beautiful
and as Miss Speer was one of the so.
ciety leaders of Atlanta, and known
widely throughout the country. She
| says she is seventeen years of age
| Thomas gives his age at nineteen.
| Attorney Cansler looked after the
couple last night. having received tele-
phonic instructions from Attorney
Roundtree of Atlanta. 1t is said Miss
Speer has agreed to an annulment o
the marriage.
"Russell's Wife and Happy"
ATLANTA. Ga. September :9.-Mis:
Silvey Speer, eighteen years old, pretties
and richest heiress in Atlanta. elopet
yesterday with Russell Thomas. her ia
ther's chauffeur, and was married by tht
Rev. DR.. Atkinson. in the latter's study
only a few blocks from the Speer home.
The marriage took place about IL 81
yesterday morning. Half an hour latel
the couple were on the Southern limited
bound for Washington
The first the girls parents knew Of the
marriage was when a note came from
her. stating:
II am Russelrs wife. and happy"
Miss Speer owns several hundred thou
sand dollars. She is the only grandchilC
of the late John Silvey. whe acquired q
fortune here and willed it to her. Hel
paternal grandfather is an ex-treasurel
of Georgia.
Russell Thomas is nineteen years old
and came here a year ago from a coun-
| try town in Georgia. Some months age
he was employed as chauffeur by The
Speers
From the first the girl seemed fond OF
| him. She told some of her friends tina,
! the man who could handle an automobile
| as Russell Thomas could would make q
good husband
Washington Police Notified.
Henry Jennings, chief of police of At
lanta. wired to Washington last night
asking that Thomas and his wife bt
detained if they come to the city.
'Hoke Smith will identify them," was
part Of the message received at police
headquarters last night by Inspector
Boardman. chief Of detectives.
1t was stated that the couple left At.
lanta at l o'clock yesterday afternoon
and would probably reach this city at 6::'t
O. clock this morning. Detectives We're al
the Union station to meet the train. but
nothing was seen of the couple
Later the police were told that Thomas
and his wife had been taken from the