Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-06-23
A Sharpsburg Mystery.

| A SharpSburg Mystery.
Our neighboring town of SharpSburg,
Md, and the city of Lancaster, Pa, have
been the scenes OF a mystery the past
week which has agitated the people OF
this section and is yetunSolved. The lSt
OF last January J. Cleveland Grice and
Miss Eta May Dorsey, daughter of
Charles Dorsey, all well-known residents
of SharpSburg, were married in KeedyS-
vile by Rev. w. S. Hartzel. His age is
81 and his wife is 20 Grice is a son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Peter Grice of Sharpsburg,
and both he and his wife have always
been we'll thought Of. Soon after the
wedding, Mr.. and Mrs. Grice went to
MillerSville, Pa, near Lancaster, where
he was student OF the State Normal
School. He had previously been teach
er in Washington county and desired 10
fit himself more fully for this work.
On June I'd baby was born to the
GriceS in their apartments in Lancaster.
1t was an unwelcome visitor 1t is said
that Grice objected to having either
nurse or doctor called at the birth OF
the child, but nurse and physician were
sent for over his protest. Last Thursday
night other occupants Of the house heard
Grice quarreling with his wife. AT half
past nine o'clock carriage stopped al
the side entrance OF the apartments, and
one OF the occupants on the floor above
saw Mrs. Grice leave the house. 1t was
raining. Surprised that she should be
leaving the house al that hour and from
the rear, with only a shawl thrown over
her shoulders, the neighbor called TO
Mrs. Grice and asked her where she was
going. The reply was that she had re-
ceived a telegram that her mother, at
Sharpsburg, was seriously i'll, and she
was going to her.
"But where's your baby ?" asked the
woman.
"My husbands bringing it," was Mrs.
Grice'S reply.
A moment later Grice appeared, carry
ing a small package. This he tossed into
the carriage. Then Grice, taking the
reinS, drove away. Atll.l5 Grice re-
turned. When he left the house ne had
on a suit of light clothing. When he re-
turned he wore dark clothes and tried to
enter his apartment without attracting
attention, but was not successful. The
fact that Grice departed from the rear en-
trance, his wife leaving the house on
stormy night only two weeks after her
child was born, and that she took no
clothes alongfor herself and child, aroused
suspicion. Inquiries were made, and 1t
was learned that Grice hired the rig for
two and a half hours, and said he would
drive it himself The distance from his
house to the railroad station was only
three blocks
Grice'S actions were so peculiar that
the police Of Lancaster made an lnvestl-
CATION, as a result OF which they arrested
him and put him in jail on the charge OF
makingaway with his wife and child, both
OF whom had disappeared completely.
Since then all efforts to unraveI the myS-
terry have been frutleSS. II is now be-
leved that Mrs. Grce is alive but has
concealed herself somewhere. 1t was re-
ported that she was in Sharpsbug, but
search there failed to reveal her, and it
is more likely that she may be in Harris
burg. The police Of Lancaster are active
in the case, and are now working on the
theory that the child has been made away
with. They will charge both the parents
with its murder unless the baby is pro-
duced alive. All efforts TO get informa-
ton from Grice have failed, as he refuses
to talk about the matter. The affair has
created a considerable sensation all
through this section