The Elopement That Seattle Couldn't Stop Watching

The news of the elopement of Mrs. Paul d'Heirry and Edmund R. Morse, her music teacher, and of their being overtaken in New York by Mr. d'Heirry, caused a sensation among the many persons who know them here. The young man's father defends him and tells a story which puts the affair in a very different light from that in which it appears in the New-York dispatches. Morse lived on John Street, and his father was seen there by a POST-INTELLIGENCER reporter yesterday. He said that the report of his son's elopement with Mrs. d'Heirry had fallen heavily on Edmund Morse's wife and cast a gloom over the whole family. Continuing, he said:

"I feel it is a duty I owe to my son's wife and family to give a true statement of the facts in regard to his elopement with Mrs. d'Heirry as known to d'Heirry and myself. I think the first knowledge I had of Mrs. d'Heirry's and my son's doings was last July. I at once called Edmund Morse and the party who gave me the information to my office and demanded an explanation. The party stated to Morse and myself that d'Heirry had planned this thing in order to criminate his wife and by so doing obtain a divorce and then get possession of his child. He further stated that d'Heirry had told persons that he had a detective on their track. Mr. d'Heirry, in order to quiet the story, went to the informer's house with Morse, and then and there they both charged the informer with telling a lie. I could not trace the matter further on this account and let it drop. D'Heirry, however, in order to convince Morse's wife that the whole story was a lie, had Morse bring his wife to his house, and then and there d'Heirry stated that the informer was a liar, and that he had made the story out of whole cloth. I advised Morse to discontinue giving Mrs. d'Heirry music lessons, but Mr. d'Heirry wanted him to continue.

"Notwithstanding all this, the informer still insisted that d'Heirry was a shrewd man and was working Morse in order that he could find cause for a divorce and also obtain possession of his child. I did not know d'Heirry at this time, but later saw Morse and a party go into a saloon. I followed them and found them at the bar. I said to the bartender that Morse was not a fit person to give liquor to, and if he continued, I would prosecute him. I learned afterward that the man with Morse was d'Heirry.

"Time went on and one Sunday I noticed a statement in the POST-INTELLIGENCER that Paul d'Heirry and child had gone East. My previous informer also mentioned the fact. A few days later I met Mr. d'Heirry and he asked me where Morse was. I said he had gone either to Alaska or East. I said that I had noticed in the POST-INTELLIGENCER that he had gone East. He replied that it was a mistake in the paper and that his wife and child had gone. Later he called at my office, but I was busy. He wished me to call at his office, and I did so. Then he stated to me that he feared his wife and Morse had gone East together. He said that he had followed her by telegraph and letter from place to place, and that she had changed her Northern Pacific tickets for Southern Pacific tickets, and he thought something was wrong. He stated that she had sold her house and effects, and had about $2,000 with her. When I asked him why he signed the deed, he showed me telegrams and letters that he had received from parties from time to time concerning her whereabouts, but none of them stated that Morse was with her. About this time Mrs. d'Heirry was in Philadelphia. I wrote a letter to Morse stating the talk of my informer and the talk with Mr. d'Heirry. I registered the letter in an envelope addressed to Mrs. d'Heirry. The address was given me by Mr. d'Heirry. I also wrote a second letter to Morse addressed to New York City. I showed Mr. d'Heirry the registration receipt for this letter. I did these things that I might get some clue to Morse's whereabouts.

"Mr. d'Heirry insisted that Morse's wife should know what he thought of his wife and Morse. I said: 'We must first be positive of the facts.' Now when I look over the cruel article in the POST-INTELLIGENCER it recalls to my mind the story first told me by the informer of the wrongdoings. Now, with the knowledge of the letters and telegrams which he had of his wife's whereabouts from time to time, and knowing, as he did, of the talk about his wife, why did he place in her hands, as the POST-INTELLIGENCER says, the sum of $500 and send her East? The fact of his tracing her shows suspicion. Why did he not stop her at Spokane? Why not respect the love for his own child and at least show a spark of humanity for the wronged wife and children of Morse?

"In regard to the statement in the New York Herald, as reprinted in the POST-INTELLIGENCER, that Mrs. d'Heirry paid the funeral expenses of Morse's little child, I would here state that that is absolutely false. I ordered the funeral, bought the lot, had it put in shape at my own expense, and Mr. d'Heirry has no papers to show that he paid one cent for such expenses. I am as fully able to settle my bills as Mr. d'Heirry is to settle his, and can lay to him this sad affair. Again, in regard to his getting my son pupils, that is not so. I do not think he ever helped him in the least. Edmund was a fine musician and could get scholars without his assistance."

When asked whether his son left the city suddenly and secretly or openly and with definite objects in view, Mr. Morse replied: "Well, there was nothing at all secret, and we knew his destination was New York. His preparations were made openly and he expressed hope that he would have success with his play in New York. I told him whatever he did to be careful of wine and women. He was a brilliant fellow, but easily led, and I always tried my best to keep him away from wine and the gambling table."

Mrs. Edmund Morse knew nothing of the state of affairs until yesterday morning, when she read it in the POST-INTELLIGENCER. She had intended to go to New York to join her husband last month, but was detained by her father-in-law, who was waiting to learn the facts of the case of Morse and d'Heirry's wife. While Mr. Morse and the reporter were talking Mrs. Edmund R. Morse came into the room. She had evidently been weeping and showed the effects of the shock in her face. She is a fine-looking woman and shows a spirit that would command the respect of any man. Her black eyes fairly shone as she said:

"Now that I see the reports, I believe in my husband and I always will. It was his desire to put a play that he had written on the stage that has led him into this trouble. If he had any relations with d'Heirry, I firmly hold that they were in relation to this matter, and that he suspected her to furnish means to have the play put upon the stage. I have a letter he wrote me from New York a short time ago in which he speaks of the success he anticipates, and he closes by saying that he hopes to have his family with him in New York in a short time. I trust him yet and shall start for New York in two weeks to meet him."

As Mrs. Morse retired from the room a pretty little girl came to the door and, in response to a question about the children, Mr. Morse replied that there were three, twins—a boy and a girl—aged 10 years, and a little girl, aged 8. They were born in New York, where Mrs. Edmund Morse's parents live and whence the family came about three years ago.

The exact date on which Mrs. d'Heirry left the city is uncertain, but the day was Monday, and Morse left the Thursday. His wife was fully cognizant of his plans, and arrangements were made for her to follow him some time in November. His hope lay in the wonders he was to accomplish through his dramatization of a book entitled "Wonder." He led both his wife and father to believe that he had at last found some one who would back him in the enterprise. When the time for his departure came, his wife accompanied him to the train and said good-bye. From that day until yesterday morning the wife was in ignorance that anything unusual was going on.