Miscellaneous, The Otselic Lothario, 1886

Arrested on Their Wedding Tour
The Syracuse Journal, Mar. 5, 1886

Thomas E. Dutton of Chenango county, was arrested at Lansingburg, Wednesday, on a charge of abducting Miss Mabel Hicks.  Dutton is twenty-five years old, and Miss Hicks about fifteen, and had been keeping company for about two years.  On February 20, they started out ostensibly for a drive, but drove to Earlville, a distance of fourteen miles from their home, and were married by a Methodist minister.  They then went to Lansingburgh.  Dutton claims that the matter was not done secretly and he says he wrote the parents of the girl, informing them of the marriage immediately after the ceremony.  They were on their wedding tour.  The couple were held, but allowed to spend the night in their friend's house.  Sheriff Brooks of Morrisville, arrived Tuesday afternoon, and brought the young couple home to Chenango county.  

Otselic's Lothario

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph,  March 17, 1886

 

In a late issue of the Telegraph, we reproduced from the Albany Evening Journal an account of the matrimonial experiences of a runaway couple from Otselic [Chenango Co., NY], and that they were brought back here and transported to the Burgh by under sheriff Brooks.  It now appears that Thomas E. Dutton, the alleged festive bridegroom had no business to play the Benedict, for he already had a wife.  Otselic draws the line on Mormonism, consequently, when Mr. Dutton came within the precincts of that town, he was apprehended on a warrant issued by Justice Hodges and haled before that keen and law loving magistrate to answer  the charge of abduction in enticing away to Albany his fellow traveler Mabel Hicks.  Dutton appeared because he couldn't help himself waived examination and in default of bail was handed over to the tender mercies of sheriff Robb and now lies in jail.  This would seem to be enough, but in Mr. Dutton's case "single misfortunes do not come alone."  His true and lawful wife not relishing the manner in which she had been treated, last Saturday appeared before judge Hodges and procured a warrant for Dutton's arrest for desertion and abandonment of the support of his family and sent that to Sheriff Robb, on Monday.  Wherefore it doth appear that Mr. Dutton for being sweet on gentle Mabel, is destined to languish in durance vile for an indefinite length of time.

The Syracuse Journal,  March 20, 1886

 



Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Thomas E. Dutton, a married man of Otselic, charged with the abduction of Mabel Hicks, a girl of fifteen summers, is now in jail here, having waived examination and committed in default of bail.  He is charged by his wife with desertion and abandonment of his family.  A warrant for his arrest on that complaint has been sent to the sheriff.  Dutton and Mabel visited Earlville, Utica, Amsterdam and other places, including Albany, where the runaway couple were halted by an officer and returned to Chenango.