Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1885 — An Intercepted Elopement [ARTICLE]

An Intercepted Elopement

With a Tragical SequelThe Benton county papers of last week contain details of a tragical affair which took place in that county last week: , On Tuesday evening—before the Fourth, Charles Deen, or Dean, a rakish young man, with a bad record, from I Louisville, Ky., met and became acquainted with Miss Mattie Pitman, of Virginia. De en was visiting his cousin, James Bell, of Oxford, and Miss Pitman had been stopping for several weeks at the home of her uncle, Jacob Harman, who lives near Oxford. On the Sunday following their first meeting Deen and Miss Pitman in company with another young cpuple, drove to Fowlbr, and were together for several hours. These two were the only times when the young people met. until on the Tuesday following, when they started out, ostensibly for a pleasure ride, but really started for Fowler with the intentiqn of getting married. In the meantime Mr. Harman had received notice of what was going on, and by means of the telephone between Oxford and Fowler, arrangements were made whereby Deen was arrested upon his arrival at Fowleband later the young lady was taken in charge by her uncle.

On Wednesday morning a ticket for Louisville, was purchased and given to Deen, and he got’’bn board the train and it was supposed that he had left the country. But he went no further than Lafayette. And now comes the tragic endino- of the affair. That evening Dean returned to the vicinity of Mr. Harman’s res-1 idence. He went about midnight to the residence of an acquaintance, Mr. Lee, and the latter to go over with him to Harman's. Lee refused to do so and the young man went away. He came again, about and repeated the request. Lee again—re fused, when he Said, “well I will o-o over alone then,” and started off.. Let, apprehending some serious consequences,"made a Circuit and. reached the jesidence of Mr. Harman, (about four miles east*of Oxford,) ahead’of him. Lee groused the household, who Were dressing when Deen came up, and knocked at the front door. Lee and .the hired man, who by this time had dressed and come out, started around the side of the house from the back door. As soon as Deen saw them coming, he left the front door and weht around to the opposite side of the house, and drawing a revolver in full sight of Mr. Lee. tlie foremost of the two men,'shot himself through-the bowels. Immediately he,cocked the weapon again, and saying, “Good-bye, Mattie”, put the muzzle to tire side of his head and fired, the shot proving instantly fatal. Deen was only about ninete: n years of ‘age. ff the following regarding him, from the Oxford Tribune, written , before the suicide,' is eprrect, ids self (inflicted end is but the proper tormina- ; titfn of a career of crime; “This same Charles L. Deen is n<>t . unknown to fame. The hot-beds/»f Loui - ville nave turned out but few greater sporis. JTwo years ago he eloped fr. m Louisville with Lily Forsythe to Jeffersonville. Ind., where they were married [and were never divorced.] After a week’s honeymoon he deserted her; in a miserable brcthel in Chicago. A child was born to her. She is now

eking out a miserable existence in a house of ill-fame r ht Lexington, Ky. Deeh feels proud of this first episode, and carries clippings from newspapers concerning it, and these he frequently reads to his acquaintances. His father is a respected business man in Louisville.”