KinSource - Tale of the Week

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The St. Paul Daily Globe, October 30, 1895, p. 2

TURNED HER HEAD

PRETTY HATTIE POWELL, AGED SIXTEEN, IS SAID TO HAVE ELOPED.

HE ROOMED IN HER HOME

AND WON HER AFFECTIONS BEFORE IT WAS KNOWN THAT

HE WAS MARRIED BEFORE.

His Name Is Vincent Gonzales - He Left for Toronto and the Girl Followed.

Man's perfidy and woman's too trusting nature are again responsible for the severance of home ties and a broken-hearted mother. Sunday night Harriet Powell, not yet sixteen years of age, eloped with a man by the name Drinkwein, although the latter is simply acting in the capacity of go-between for his former partner, Vincent Gonzales, who is a [married] man.

In a rather weather-beaten frame building, standing at 470 Minnesota street, until Sunday night lived Mrs. Powell and her three children, two girls and a boy. Since the desertion of her husband, some two years ago, Mrs. Powell has been forced to provide for herself and family as best she could. This she has done by renting one of her rooms and taking in washing. In July of last year a young man about twenty-three years old called and decided to take up his residence in the Powell home. The new roomer gave his name as Vincent Gonzales, and, being a gentlemanly sort of fellow, always prompt with his rent, he soon came to be regarded as a desirable acquisition to the household.

Mrs. Powell's eldest daughter, a pretty brunette of a little less than sixteen summers, was in the habit of attending to the housework while her mother devoted her time to the evolution of snow-white linen from the parcels left by those for whom she did washing. In the course of her duties Hattie often came in contact with Gonzales, who frequently expressed his admiration for the deft little housemaid, and evenually began taking her to the theater and other places of amusements.

Gonzales was not a very talkative man, particularly about his own affairs, and it never crossed Mrs. Powell's mind that he might be a married man. But last August, a letter was received by her, signed by Mrs. V. Gonzales, of No. 21 Abingdon square, New York, asking information regarding her husband, who she feared was seriously ill, as she had not heard from him for several months. This opened Mrs. Powell's eyes, and she undertook to sever the friendly relations between Gonzales and her daughter, seemingly with success.

But it transpired that the wayward little Hattie, in spite of the gay Lothario's matrimonial bonds, had become so infatuated with the star boarder that Sunday night she forgot home and mother, and eloped with Gonzales. That is, Gonzales left the city Thursday night, ostensibly for Montana, but in reality for Toronto, and he carried with him, besides his own possessions, all of Hattie's clothes, with the exception of those she wore.

Sunday night, noticing the care with which her daughter was dressing herself, Mrs. Powell inquired where she was going. "To church," replied the girl, and with a parting kiss she left the house. This was the last seen of her by her mother. Upon her failure to return at the expected time, Mrs. Powell began investigating matters and ascertained the worst to be true.

Drinkwein having previously received telegraphic directions from Gonzales, met Hattie, and together they left the city for Chicago, taking the first train over the Grand Trunk line for Toronto, where Gonzales was awaiting their arrival. Upon learning these facts, Mrs. Powell called upon County Attorney Butler, who at once telegraphed along the line taken by the elopers and promised to do everything in his power to aid in their capture and return to this city.

Mrs. Powell was seen by a Globe reporter yesterday, and, though deeply grieved, told the story of her erring child. Said she: "Hattie has always had the best I could give her, and seemed perfectly contented with her home until that scoundrel turned her head. She was my eldest child and my especial pride, and to think that she should come to this almost breaks my heart. If I can find her I will gladly take her back again, but nothing is too severe for the man who stole her away by deceit and treachery."