Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-11-04
What will come from the Advertiser

"uSH Will COulpel It'll 10 Change
, mind again; for :he friends OF that unfort
!, nate young lady are too numerous and I,
respectable, and we might add, have t.
strong sense Of Justice to her name ar
memory, not to afford the gentlemen Il
means of full and correct information vii
regard to the matter. We shall now lea,
him to work out his own deliverance
best he can, and shall say something in r,
lation to the case upon our own respons
sibility.
During the winter of 1867, Will
Maffitt was carrying on his meeting in tn
Centenary Church, "Fanny PIERCE" Q
Frances Smith, was attracted to the churc
in company with several young friends, b,
a report that an acquaintance had experien
ced religion there. The result was tina
she continued to attend until she becam
impressed, and finally professed conversion
and Joined the church as probationer.-
Soon after this Frances was asked, by
friend of Maffitt, whom we shall not nov
name, how she would like to become tn
spife of MIR. Maffiu. The girl, in utter as
tonishment, answered, oWhy, he is ole
enough to be my grandfather !" The mo
tives were then laid before the mind of the
unsuspecting girl. Brother Maffitt was a
very pious man, and the union would helr
her in her religious course-she would
travel with him and see the world--he was
a very popular preacher, and mingled in
the best society-she would be a perfect
lady, and associate with the most accom-
plished ladies in the nation. Besides, bro
ther Mafitt was rery rich, and he would
make her large presents to begin with, and
then she should never want for any thing
which was really desirable.
When the girls ear was gained, matters
proceeded rapidly, but secretly. She was
conducted, at night, through the basement
of the Centenary Church, and taken through
the window in at the back door ofthe Par
sonage, to hold interviews with Maffitt.-
She was presented with much costly Jew
elry; costly rosewood piano, &C., SC !;
all through Mafhts agent in the affair. The
result was, that the plan succeeded, and
the prey was secured. The first commune
cation which the mother of Frances receiv-
ed touching the matter was made by the
same agent, and then she was told that OPP
position was useless--Brother ,.MafH and
Frances ,cere engaged, and would be mar
ried a all erenfs, and she might as aceU
consent, and make the best Of it.
The marriage was consummated-t
being only Mi,ty-seven years difference in
the ages of the parties-but it brought with
it none of the bliss which had been pro-
missed Frances. As to religious influences,
they had now all evaporated. Not word
did she hear upon the subject from Mafitt,
or those in his service in the matter of the
marriage, from the moment of the COM
of the tragedy. She had been
carried away with golden dreams of eleva-
Iion-her brain bewildered with phantoms;
but the period of her intellectual halucina-
lions was of short duration. She soon had
o grapple with realities. But we forbear.
A portion OF the history has been given
'ut the rest, and by far the most mysterious
md Illustrative Of character, remains be-
lind.
That the poor girl was unhappy in her
lew and unnatural position was an event
hat might have been expected; but that
he would so soon fall victim to her mis-
ortunes has taken all by surprise. She
'ver had perfect health until her marriage,
'ut for the last six months she had been ra-
'idly sinking under the influence of grief
md modification. She was defamed-the
worst attributes of character attributed to
ler-and many of the tales of her tradu-
ers were, by mistaken friends, whispered
N hpr ri e.
anne burden. The functions of the brain
'ecame deranged, and she died in convul-
ions.
AT present we forbear reflections. Thus
much we think the public entitled to at
'resent, but we are mistaken if more is not
from other quarters. We knew
'othing of Mrs. Maffitt until circumstances
brew the information in our way. And
We confess, little as we thought of Maffitt,
o many strange accounts had been given
IS, that we thought her nore too good for
he destiny upon which we supposed she
lad recklessly rushed. But authentic in
from various quarters, changed
ur views of the lady entirely. Now, we
an say, that we have heard of nothing pre-
ldicial to her moral character which cam
ot be traced TO one soarce-and that source,
With us, is entitled to no respect whatever
he fact that she died through grief is
trong presumptive evidence of her inno-
ence of certain things existing in rumor
'emales such as Mrs. NJ has been repre-
ented by some, and suspected by many, to
ave been, neuer die heart broken.
The materials for the history of the mis-
ortunes of this hapless girl are being, and
here are those who have an interest in
heir publication to the world. We are
mistaken if the device which has thrown
he Brooklyn Daily Advertiser into such
wkward circumstances, succeeds upon
ong run. The public are inquisitve. The
ruth of history cannot long be concealed
r suppressed. Whoever has an interest
n keeping the facts under cover, may give
p in despair, for the world will have
hem. ,'1+f S.R % ieal3- aa' 10 igo salt'J
II will be seen, from the notice Of MIR.
dafitt, taken from the Brooklyn Adverti-
sr, that he 10 preaching in Arkansas. Maj
u, undoubtedly has right TO preach