The Elopement Story

Printed Jan. 1896

The shooting of John T. Starner, on the premises of Mrs. James E. Dutterer, near Silver Run, Md., about a month ago, was further ventilated by the hearing in the case of Jerome Dutterer, charged with having committed the assault, before Justice William Moore, of Westminster. Some interesting and sensational facts were elicited, and Mr. Dutterer was held in $300 bail to answer the charge before the county court.

Miss Elizabeth Dutterer, whose proposed elopement was the cause of the shooting, was a witness at the hearing. She testified that she had become engaged to marry a man named Perry Rumler, a citizen of Myers district, and probably 75 years of age. Miss Dutterer is about 50 years old. She said that on account of the opposition of her friends to the marriage an elopement was planned, and, she employed Mrs. Starner, wife of the wounded man, to accompany her. Mrs. Starner was to come to her house on the night set, and it was agreed between them that if a light should be in her window she would be ready, but if not, Mrs. Starner was to retire.

She said that Rumler had informed her that he was in receipt of a pension of a thousand dollars a year and kept a carriage, but she had been making inquiries about it and believed he was deceiving her. The understanding with Mrs. Starner was that if the elopement took place they were to go together to a point where Mr. Rumler would be in waiting with a carriage and then drive to Westminster, where the marriage was to have taken place.

Starner testified that at his wife's request he went with her to the home of Miss Dutterer at the time appointed, and when they reached the yard gate discovered that the signal agreed upon was missing. They were about to retire when he discovered two men in the yard, and determined to make some inquiries of them in relation to the matter. He went through the gate and approached them without a suspicion of danger.

In reply to a request for information one of them said, "I'll show you," and immediately fired upon him with a shot gun. The charge took effect in his leg, making a painful and troublesome wound from which he is still suffering. A second shot was fired, but missed him. He said it was too dark to distinguish the features of the men, but he swore positively that the voice of the man who shot him was that of Jerome Dutterer. The accused is a relative of Miss Dutterer. The latter said to be worth about $10,000. The affair still excites great interest.