Public Ledger

DOMESTIC CRIME.
Criminal Intimacy
Between
a
Married
Woman and
her Husband's Clerk.
They Elope—Letters from the
Guilty Woman—Arrest of
the
Parties
Here—
Shameless Affi-
davits.

A criminal romance in real life which has occupied the attention of the police detectives for two or three days, was brought to light yesterday afternoon. About six years ago a Miss Nancy Lowrie, daughter of a respectable citizen of Marion, Ky., married Mr. T. M. Butler, a merchant of the place. For five years they lived together happily, and the wife meanwhile bore her husband two children. More than a year ago a young man, named E. F. Hill, was taken in Mr. Butler's employ as a clerk. He was rather fine looking, and disposed to be gay, and soon Mrs. Butler, who, until then, had seemed to love her husband as a good wife should, began to show undoubted partiality for the young clerk, which he as cordially reciprocated. The result was a criminal intimacy which, since January last, has existed between the guilty pair. The following letters, written by the faithless wife, and since the denouement brought to light, will prepare the reader for the sequel. The first announces "Nance" in trouble because "Frank" believes her untrue to him, and reiterates her deep love for him:

November 23, 1867.

Dear Frank, My beloved one: I am so troubled this morning. You say that I am not true to you; but oh, my dear, there never was one half so true to you as I, though you may not believe it. You think that I love my husband, but you are mistaken. I have to do the way I do to stay with him, but it is very hard for me to do so, as you are the only one that can ever make me happy. You know it, if you believe half I say, that I am true to you forever. Dear Frank, I love you so much; your letter made me contented—as well as I could be here. Dear one, be satisfied, and never doubt me. Please let me hear from you soon, for I am in trouble. Now is no time to be doubting. If we are going to do as we have promised to, dear one, get ready, and tell me what to do. You can make me happy, and only you.

I am, dear Frank, forever yours,
NANCE.

Letter No. 2 shows a burning desire to elope with "Dear Frank," and announces a peck of trouble in consequence of a "heap of things" said by Butler about him. It bears no date:

Dear Frank: I am so troubled—please get ready. I have told him that I wanted to leave, and that I did not care for him. Oh, dear, he has said a heap of things that you had said about me, but I don't believe it. He has accused me about Charley Miles. Oh, if I was able, I would make somebody know before night. I think that you ought to get some way for me to get my things away from here. Do the best you can for the one that loves you better than herself. My husband wants to take me to my father's to-day, but I told him I would not go. I can write no more. Let me hear from you, if you can, dear one.

I am, dear Frank, yours forever,
Nance.

Following this was a letter which indicates an agreement of separation between the husband and wife, but the children form another question:

Dear One, Mine For Ever: Please keep Thomas from saying any more, if you are true to me; but I know you will. He says that he will have all the children, but can't we keep the baby? You know that I look to you for all.

I am yours forever, true until death,
your,
NANCE.

Having packed her trunk, "Nance" is soon afterward ready to "slope," and will join "dear Frank" that evening. His God shall be her God; his home her home, and his spondulicks her spondulicks:

If you think it will do, I will get my trunk away, and have it taken to the road to-night. You know what is best. I come this evening.

Ever yours,
Nance.

About ten days ago "Nance" and the gay "Frank" disappeared from Marion, reached Cairo, and embarked for Memphis on the Belle Vernon. They arrived yesterday. Colonel Beaumont having been telegraphed by the Marion authorities, was on the alert, and the pair had no sooner been comfortably quartered at the Allen House than Detective Selkirk called and requested their presence at police headquarters. Once there they were confronted by the guilty woman's father-in-law, Mr. Butler, and Mr. J. W. Sutleff, Sheriff of the county. Mrs. Butler failed to evince any particular emotion. Clinging to her baby—Frank's baby—she announced her determination to "stick to Frank," and charged that her husband had long treated her badly. The old gentleman, disgusted with the proceeding, exclaimed, "Let her go," and thus dismissed the subject.
Before leaving police headquarters Hill and the woman voluntarily made the following affidavits:

MEMPHIS, SHELBY COUNTY, TENN.,
December 6, 1867.

E. F. Hill being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a native of Crittenden county, Kentucky, and have lived in the family of T. M. Butler, of said county, during the past fifteen months, and since January, 1867, I have been having criminal intercourse with Mrs. Nancy Butler, the wife of said T. M. Butler; and furthermore, left the residence of said T. M. Butler on the 29th day of November, 1867, for the purpose of eloping with the said Nancy Butler. That I did join the said Nancy Butler on the 27th day of November, 1867, and proceeded to Cairo, Ill., and thence down the Mississippi river on my way to the State of Arkansas; that I have traveled with the said Nancy Butler as man and wife; that this elopement is voluntary on the part of said Nancy Butler.

[Signed]
E. F. Hill.

Sworn and subscribed before me, this 6th day of December, 1867.
S. B. BEAUMONT,
Sup't M. P., and ex-officio J. P.

The within affidavit is true, and I am voluntarily deserting my husband for the purpose of becoming the wife of the deponent, E. F. Hill.

[Signed]
Nancy Butler

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 6th day of December, 1867.
S. B. BEAUMONT,
Sup't M. P., and ex-officio J. P.

The guilty party then returned to the Allen, where, registered as man and wife, they spent the night.