The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-02

Molly ScOtt into the store house OF the
fort and procured the powder tEAt the
cabin of Col. Ebenezsr Zane outside OF
the fort. We take IT that she was, as
she Eayz in a memorandum furnished
Wills De Hass in 1873, in her 18th year
at the time Of the seige.
There are few now living in Wheel
ing who can recolleci anything about
Mrs. Cruger previous to her hrst mar
iage- She WIS born in Washington
county, Pa. at place called CoEpens,
then part Of Virginia, and her father
was known as Captain BOggs. The
family belonged to the band OF early
settlers who had dared to push the ad-
vance OF civilization as far West as the
Ohio river. When about twenty years
old she married Col. Shepherd, who died
somewhere about the year 1893. He
was a contractor on the National pike
and his business was largely managed,
We are told, by his wife, who WAS a
woman Of unusual energy and execu-
tive ability. The Colonel and his wife
were well and fayorably known in po-
lILical circles at Washington City, and
their house WAS a sort OF stopping
place for the public men OF the
country as they iourneyed back and
forth between the National Capital and
their homes in the West. Mr.. Clay
used TO put up with them occasionally
the matter OF some unadjusted claims
against the Government for work done
on the pike. Through his aid we are
told that Col. Shepherd al one time re-
ceived about S2s,O coo OF these claims.
He probably owed his success in get
King ihis much to his wife, who spent
no lite time at Washington looking
after his interests. The old lady
told US on the occasion OF the
visit referred to, that she had passed
nineteen winters in Washington, sew
eral OF them, Of course, after the death
Of her husband. She also asserted
that there WAS still a large ArreArage
due her from the Government, amount
ing ia her estimation, as we have since
learned, TO a hundred Thousand dollars.
We presume she never fully gave over
the idea OF recovering this aTrearage,
either in whole or part, as only a few
years ago she retained ReyeTdy John
son for that purpose, and corre5ponded
with him on the subject up to the
breaking out Of the war, he gave her
some reasons 10 expect tnal success, we
are told, but to what extent we are not
informed.
Some thirty odd years ago Mrs.
Shepherd las she was them married
General Cruger, who had previously
been member of Congress from the
State OF New York. The marriage,
from all accounts, was not well advised,
and did not result very happily TO
those concerned. We noticed in her
conversation that she had but little to
say OF the General, also that her hAppi-
est memories seemed to be associated
with Col. Shepherd, for whom she had,
We should judge, an early and enduring
affection. The portraits of herself and
the Colonel hung side by side over the
mHntel, while that Of the General re-
manned in the back ground near the
door, an illustration OF the difference
between a marriage in the spring and
winter of life.
From all accounts, Mrs. Cruger pos
Sessed not only wonderful IenHCity OF
life, but likewise great tenHcity of
purpose. Both characteristics were
-trikingly manifested only about eight
year, ago, Ht the time movement was
made on the part OF some of the heirs
OF Colonel Shepherd to place the estate
under guardihnship,o on the ground that
it was not properly and productivity
managed by the old lady. She came
To court in person, and sat in the house
from nire in the morning until five in
the evening, without eating bite, and
giving eye and ear to all that was going
on in regard 10 her interests. She was
successful in showing that her farms
were in as good order as most of those
OF her neighbOrs. and that her crops
wonld average nbonL as WELL On
this showing heCourt refused 10 place
commissioners in charge OF the proper
~, and from that day to her death she
has remained exclusive controller OF
her real and personal estate. After
the trial she expressed vehement indig-
nation at the idea OF her competency
having thus been called in question,
and was heard to say that she would
ouuive several people whom she sus-
piciOned as not particularly solicit
Gus for her good health.
We presume the fact was that her
property was not as well managed as
it might have been for several years
past, and that the decision OF the court
was based upon very liberal grounds
towards her. The old lady was almost
"A mummy when We saw her, and prac-
tically incapable of overseeing the Gull
tIvation of her lands. Still, she re-
tanned her memory and was fond OF
reading the news of the day. We found
her, Sunday aS II was, porting over IL
copy of the National InteLIigeHcer, pa
per that she had at that time tsken for
upwards OF fifty years. We gave her
un extra" containing the news of JEFF.
Davis capture, but apparently the affair
did not interest her any more than the
items she had previously been reading,
and her remarks regarding Jefi. and
his followers, and the general facts of
the wnr, were rather OF an Indifferent
and confused character. The house
sEeLntu 10 DO manly DY a
few cnlored domestics who had charge
of everything and among whom the old
lady fingered US traditional mistress
who had come down from great anti
1uity, and who had owned their fathers
and mothers, and perhaps their grand
fathers and mothers, in days very long
gone.
She remained simply as something
for them TO look at, sitting there stopped
and wilhered in the corner OF Il cold bare
looking room, wearing Hoiled dress of
heavy blue cloth, lin which she seemed
To have often slept) that was relieved by
old fashioned rIfiiss in the bosom and
by AN ancient gold chain around her
neck. She seemed Ike one of the verb
table croneS OF Scott's novels She
talked of her property, OF an attempt
that had been made upon her life, OF
what was due her ut Washington, OF
the winters she had passed there, Of her
first husband, but in all respects her
conversation indicated that mind and
body were whitening away together.
The house in which she lived, or rather
in one room Of which she stayed, was
once an important old manor build
ing in this neignborhoOd. When it was
nut up there were few like it, built as
il was OF hewn stone and large and
cOmmodious in all its dimensions. We
believe that at one time il was kept as a
hotel, but are not certain. In the up
stairs part there is an old fashioned
ball room, in which hung "the dresses
she used 10 wear" And curious
old relies ofothsr days they were, too.
A lady dressed in one of them now
would present as grotesuue an appear
ance as did the female members of
Father EemP's ceIebrated Old Folks
troupe. Aud yet the old lady was evil
IDENTIFY proud of these mementos OF her
/ ne 1bnV-fner To, her visit