Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-24
MARRIED HERE
AFTER ELOPING
Alexis Couple Is Arrested at
Galesburg as Result of Trip
to This City.
CHARGES AGAINST GROOM
Henry Nelson Is 81, While Bessie
Blagden, His Bride, Is
but IA.

It turns out that the marriage of
! Henry Nelson and Miss Bessie Blag-
den of Alexis, which Rev: r. B. VIII
liams, pastor of the First Methodist
church, performed at the parsonage
here Monday evening, followed an
elopement, and there is likely to be
trouble for the groom as result. The
couple were arrested at Galesburg yes
terday and taken to Monmouth. Mr..
Nelson is accused of perjury in swear
ing that the girl was IS years of age
in order to get a marriage license,
when, as matter of fact, she is said
to be but IA. Mr. Williams noted that
the couple were unusually nervous
during the ceremony, but did not have
any reason to doubt that the girl was
of manageable age. Mr.. Nelson is
farmer, about "a years of age, and had
boarded at the home of Miss Blagden.
He carried with him while here nearly
two thousand dollars, the proceeds of
the sale of some cattle a few weeks
ago.
Tells the Story.
The Monmouth Review tells of the
elopement and subsequent events as
follows:
Henry Nelson and Miss Bessie
Blagden. the 14-year-old girl who elOp-
ed with him, were arrested in Gales
burg this morning by Deputy Sheriff
George Claycomb. The couple arrived
in Galesburg last evening from Rock
Island and went to a family by the
name of Youngquist at SIG Monroe
street, where they spent the night !
The YOungquists are friends of Mr.
Nelson
The story of the disappearance of |
the couple is well known. On Monday /
morning, between the hours of mid
night and o'clock, Henry Nelson and I
his sweetheart slipped away from the .
girls home near Alexis and drove to .
Rio. There they bought tickets for /
Rock Island, and on Monday afternoon |
at o'clock were united in marriage /
in that city by DIR. r. B. Williams of .
the First Methodist church. The cou-
pie spent the night in Rock Island. and /
last evening went TO Galesburg for a |
short stay, evidently intending to re-
turn and ask the forgiveness of the /
brides parents
Sheriff on Trail.
Sheriff Dilley felt sure that the cou-
pie would go to Rock Island, and al
though the officials of that community
searched every train and instituted Il
close search. they could not locate the
couple in that city. Yesterday after
noon Deputy Sheriff James Graham
and the brother of the girl went TO
Rock Island themselves. but missed
the runaways, as they were enroute
to Galesburg. This morning Sheriff
Dilley got a tip from Sheriff Frank
Hooker that the couple were hiding in
Galesburg. Later came the word that
the pair had been found, and Deputy
Sheriff Claycomb went to Galesburg
On the 1870 after them. He arrested
the couple and brought them to the
city.
ut may be that a charge of perjury
will be brought against Mr.. Nelson.
According to the parents of the girl, !
Bessie will not be IA until next month.
She must be at least 16 before she can
marry even with her parents consent.
and must be Is before she can get a ;
license without their consent. Mr.
Nelson had to swear that the girl was ;
1t least IS before the license would be
granted him. The charge of seduction
nay also be lodged against him