The Portland daily press., 1869-09-27
lrrom the Omaha Republican |

From the Oudud lOpuphSdAl
There appeared in the columns of the Re
publican, few days SINCE q brief announce
ment of the marriage of Lottie Bedford to
Charles II. Smith, by the Police Justice
Smith having been compelled to accept a
wife in preference to prison. There is a
painful sequel to this unhappy alliance, which
developed itselfon Saturday night. At that
time the bride of a fortnight was conducted
to the county Jail raving maniac!
In order to fully explain the strange COM
binatlon of circumstances which have pro
duced such fearful result, it becomes nee
essary to relate all the details which have cul-
minated so disastrcusly to the unfortunate
victim.
A few weeks ago Miss Lottie Bedford, an
orphan Of sixteen years old, resided with her
mother in La Sale county, Ill. Her only
guardian, not being in circumstances which
would warrant the support of herself and
child, consented that Lottie should remove to
Council Bluffs, where she was engaged as a
servant in highly respectable family. She
had been emplyed at the Bluffs ibut few
days, when she received a telegraphic dispatch
from Omaha, announcing the sudden and Sc
rious illness of an only brother,and requesting
her immediate presence in the dity. She
came, as dutiftil and loving sister should,
but found, on arrival, that the dispatch was
fraud; that her brother was not here; and
that some unknown person had imposed up
on her sistery affection, for what purpose,
she was unable to determine, but which after
results fully domonstrated.f She arrived here ON
the 10th day of August, and registered at the
International Hotel, where she remained four
days. The poor girl, having been deceired by
the fraudulent dispatch, found herself in desti-
tute circumstances among strangers
In the meantime, she met an Individual
known as Charles FL. Smith. Introducing
himself to her as q man who needed the SER
vices of domestic, Smith induced her to
stay with him and conducted her to notorious
resort OF imam !, known as "The Farm"
Here her ruin was accomplished by means
well known to those familiar with the infa-
mics which are resorted to by the abandoned
characters who infest large cities Once un
der the roof of the resort named, drugs were
applied to the unsuspecting victim, and what
followed it is unnecessary to state. 1t is
enough to know that the orphan girl was lost,
beyond hope of recovery-betrayei into lite
which can only end in shame and everla sting
disgrace. --i
-Four days from the date other arrival at the
"Farm," Lottie was arrested at the instance
OF Mrs. Fred. Kaiser, the wife of the propre-
tor of the vile den. Mrs. Kaiser at first de-
sired to prefer charge of vagrancy, but, find
ing that sufficient time had not elapsed since
her arrival in the city to sustain such an ac-
SueUtioN, luC CudlSc was clldDgeQ 10 mat oil
'practicing acts OF prostitution" After her
arrest, Lottie procured the arrest of Smith, on
a charge of seduction, and the two cases
came up together before Judge Porter. In
order to avoid unpleasant consequences,
Smith consented to marriage and the cere-
mony was performed in court, as announced,
at the time, in the Republican,. Thisoccured
on the 2Sth day ofAugust. The wretch i'm
mediately abandoned his youthful bride, and
from fInf daU until COT last m l,e
wandered from one house of i'll repute to
another, with no place, not even brothel, to
call home! f 81 al- a. + I1-.t
She has at last found relief from trouble.
The torture Of mind which has been brought
about by her misfortune, has produced its
natural result. The outraged orphan-the
mere child in years-has lost her reason. At
a late hour on Saturday night carriage con-
veyed the crazed creature to the county jail,
and she remained there, raying withidelirium
"a wreck Of what was one month ago an in
nocent maiden. 1.5..s..E.k
The reporter of the Republican visited the
jail yesterday and witnessed the pitiful wall
ings and frenzied shrieks of this doubly I'M
fortunate victim of base treachery and infa-
NOUS deceit She was confined in cell, with
no other furniture than a cot. Up TO that
time she had been docile, confirming her de-
investigations to wild shrieks, and indulgence
in unnatural, demoniacal glee. She finally,
however, became more boisterous in her con-
duct, attempted to break the door of the cell,
and otherwise conducted herself in a manner
which necesstated the removal of the fIrni-
ture from her apartment. She OF one time
attacked Jailor Fred Smith, with a slat from
the bed, buS quickly relapsed into her molten
sive mood again, and made no further at
tempts at violence. She slept portion of
the time during the day, and DR.. Denise the
county physician, states it as his opinion that
she is improving. ass
Poor Lottie talks most continue lly of her
betrayer, Smith, in her raving moments, and
showers upon his head the most fearful
curses, bitter denunciations and terrible oaths
Of vengeance. From these she frequently re-
lapses into a mournful mood singing snatches
of love songs and weeping over the misfor-
tunes which her impaired intellect cannot I'M
derstand. ef ..8 Yt..--.f.f,.T. ...s
1t is evident, from all circumstances. that
the miscreant who is now the legal husband
OF the insane girl, was the sole agent of her
destruction and that it was be who forged the
fatal dispatch which brought her to this city.
Conceding this to be the truth, the whole re-
sponsibility is fixed upon one who, to-day,
notwithstanding his great crime, is permitted
to walk the streets free man. He is employ
ed in some capacity at the "Farm," and viii,
II he can, invaigle other pure country girls
into the meshes which enlangle and destroy
both body and SOUL Is there no punishment
Tor such soulless vagabond? Must society
be cursed with his presence? rrn..-
Poor Lottie! The homeless orphan: the
faithful sister; the betrayed victim; the
abandoned wife; the raving maniac What a
fate! 10 l.' -