Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-29
STEALS FIANCEE
OF HIS son WHO
IS AT BORDER
Father Elopes With Sweetheart
of Lad Who Is in
Guard

. North Weymouth, Mass. Sept 29.---
Charles H. Gretter. As years old,
treasurer Of large Boston baking
company. with a fine residence in
Maiden and summer home in North
Weymouth, Mass, eloped ten days
ago with the sweetheart of his 49,
year-old son, Leslie, who Is now with
the Massachusetts, militia at Ell Paso,
Tex.
The broken hearted wife of Gret-
ter admitted the fact at the Gretter
summer home. She was corroborated
by the father of Mildred Merrill, %
years old, a stenographer, who sac
riflced her soldier sweetheart and her
home to elope with a man old enough
to be her father.
Crushed by the weight of double
sorrow-his mother having committed
suicide two weeks ago-Fred H. Mer-
rill Of Eastman Road, Somerville.
Mass, quoted from yellow slip of
paper:
I fought him for six years.
Mildred.
1t was a telegram he received from
Worcester after the elopement, in
which his daughter told of her step.
IT want my husband home again
in spite of everything" said Mrs.
Gretter.
"All I want is my little daughter
back again." said Mr.. Merrill.
II don't mind losing the girl" is
the young soldiers comment.
Was Gretter's Stcnographer
Miss Merrill was employed as a
stenographer for several years in Mr..
Gretter's office, and the two were op-
enly fond of each others society, but
no one outside the family thought
that Mr.. Gretter's liking for the girl
was anything more than admiration
of his supposedly prospective daugh-
ter-in- law.
The fact that Mr.. Gretter frequently
took Miss Merrill riding in his motor
car was known.
II often objected to Mr.. Gretter's
marked attention to Miss Merrill"
said Mrs. Gretter, but every time I
reproached him for 1t he told me I
could get out myself IL I didn't like 1t.
camping in Maine, Mr.. Gretter enter
tanned Miss Merrill for four weeks at
the camp against my wishes.
Still I will gladly forgive him If ne
Will give up this girl and return home.
l do not want to see him punished.
Mr.. Gretter had many good qualities
which l cannot overlook. He always
and was kindness itself to me when
he was himself.
When my stepson Leslie, who Is
now serving in the national guard at
Ell Paso. began keeping company
with Miss Merrill, / hoped my hus-
band would put aside his mad infatu-
alton for the girl for the sake of his
son. He did not do so, however.
Affair With Son a Blind
IT now believe that the affair be-
tween Leslie and Mildred was cleverly
designed by Mr.. Gretter and herself
to dispel our suspicious"
Mrs. Gretter said that the fact that
her husband disposed of most Of his
stocks and other personal property a
few weeks ago convinced her that his
going a week ago was not the result
Of sudden impulse, but had been
planned.
II have q little money left" she
said. TT Is not much, but enough to
keep Eunice Cher 14-year-old step
daughter) and myself from want"
Eunice Gretter. High school
sophomore, commented freely on the
She is particularly bitter
against Miss Merrill.
Mrs. Gretter thinks the elopers
headed for Canada in Gretter's motor
car. One of the last things he did be-
fore dropping out of sight was to pur-
chase new tires for the machine. evil
IDENTIFY In anticipation of long jour
ney.
Down at Ell Paso, the young sweet
heart of the girl who eloped shows no
anger or resentment.
L don't mind the loss of the girl at
all, but am sorry for my father, and
terribly hurt that he could have done
IT." said Leslie Gretter, who is cook in
Company K of the Eighth Massa chu-
sets. He would make no other com
ment -.
Soldier Had Girls Picture
Young Gretter. sunburned, quiet. a
soldierly looking boy, shows in his
face that he has suffered in the mat
ter. He was at work in the company
kitchen when the reporters found
him. The news was no surprise. for
he had already received kilograms
concerning the matter.
Miss Merrill bade him good-by when
the regiment left for the border. and
Gretter's mates say he has kent her
picture In his writing case all this
time. They went to High school to-
gether. w.
The type of man Miss Merrill fitted
may be seen from the fact that. wnen
the company cooking was not wholly
satisfactory, Gretter took on the iob
r ~ GT