The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-09-04
A MOTOR RIDE AND THEN A
WIFE FOR AN INSANE SOLDIER
BILLS SOARING.
WILL ANNUl THE MARRIAGE
Edwin Frank Escaped From His
Guards at a Government Hospital
and Assuming the Role Of Cap
tain Won a Wife.

Washington, Sept. Escaping
from his guards at st. Elizabeth's S
Hospital, riding about the city in
touring cars while the bills mounted
joyfully upward, assuming the char
acter of an army captain, marrying
a pretty 1S.year-old girl at the Rock
vile Gretna Green tt 3 O'Clock in
the morning, ordering a wedding
breakfast at the New Willard Hotel,
occupying a private box at the base
ball park. with final result OF
encountering central office detect
ives, was the brief but exciting ca
reer of Edwin Frank, late private
in the United States army and now
returned to his cell at the govern
ment hospital for the insane, Sadly
disillusloned, the bride of less than
day. Virginia Strouse. is at the
home Of her brother at 229 First
street, northeast, She is a Philadel-
phia girl.
Miss Strouse, or rather Mrs. Frank
announced today that she would be-
gin proceedings shortly for annul-
ment of the marriage.
Frank, according to his statement
to the police, lives in New York
City. He enlisted in the Seventeenth
Infantry in November 1909. He was
soon transferred to Fort McPherson
Ga. He served until examined by
the army surgeons and ordered to
the government hospital for the in
sane at Washington.
After being a patient for about six
months at St Elizabeth's he was
again examined and a recommends
tion sent to his captain that he was
cured. He was released from the
strict surveillance and allowed TO
60 about the grounds. Yesterday
morning he slipped out of the gate
and was in the city before his alb
sence was discovered, When in sight
of the capitol Frank discovered a
garage. engaged a machine and the
fun was on.
His first order was to be carried
down town to the New willard.
There he called up Miss Strouse and
after informing her that he was
Captain" Frank of the Seventeenth
Infantry. just arrived in the city
upon official business at the war de-
partment, invited her to a motor car
ride about the city Miss Strouse as
sented and in the new touring car
which Frank had purchased" they
made a fast run to Baltimore ar
riving there just In time for q mid
afternoon lunch at the Belvedere Ho-
tel. After a matinee and an evening
the start was made back to
Somewhere on the way Frank pro
posed marriage to Miss Strouse, and
impressed. she accept
ed The clerk of the court at Rock
vile. Md. was awakened at O'Clock
his morning and issued a license.
marrying parson' oblig
nglytied the knot. A few brief hours
vas spent at the hotel and the cou-
pie started homeward
Returning to the garage. he wlo;e F.
out a check on a New York bank /.
for sS5 in payment. Just before .
leaving he turned to the chauffeur. .
and writing him check for SIS q
passed it over as tip.
officials at the hospital meanwhile
we.e on his trail and notified police
to look out for him
Detectives found him at the ball
game and placed him unde- arrest.
A. police headquarters Frank VIII.
ingly told the detectives all bout
his marriage, but emphatically de
MED that the checks he had given
were bad. lie asserted he had plenty
OF money in the bank TO meet them.
Because he is legally insane no
criminal action could be taken
against him by the police or the
persons on whom he passed the
checks.