Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-12-19
a FATED FAMILY.
The curse of an Ola CrOne and what
Came of n.


On Friday evening, looking man, |
rale and weak, with scarcely voice anough |
left 10 make himself heard two feet away |
called at the Central Station and asked lor
lodgings, giving his name as Eggerman. lie
was in and out sevoIal times on Saturday,
and during the afternoon secured a ride with
a farmer who was going TO Dearborn,
where the man las n relative. When asked
his ailment, he stated that nothing allied him
thai is. no disease. lie said that lie felt just
as well as he ever did, having no rain, but
that for two years be had been going down
hill every day, and the half a dozen doctors
he had consulted could DO INN TO good. No
one could ever name his dssase, except TO
call tia gradual wasting away. The man
had curious story TO relate by way OF ex
planning lis condition, physically and
financially
lie stated that about siS years ago, willis
living in Bengal township, Clinton county,
having n family consisting OF n wife and five
childred, an old CrJne, gray headed and al
most tOothless, came along one evening ana
asked for lodgings. Eggerman had friends
staying at his house, and there was no room
lor the old woman. She was offered a bite
to cat, but got angry snd refused II, declaring
that ii she was not given a bed she would
leave her curse with the family. A hale
and hearty man, the farmer laughed at her,
and She ploddcd of, staying al house u
mile away. A week fiom that day, Il son
five years old was thrown from a horse
which he was riding, and so injured inter-
nally that his death occurred three days
after. No one thought OF the cd woman in
connection with the accident until the
family with whom she had stopped called
and made known tile tact thal she nad PIE
dicted the death of Eggefman's family for
being SO inhosptable as TO refuse her bed.
.che s.Ssi!sl- III 20 the boy vas in February,
and in April the eldest son married of and
settled near Alma, Gratiot county. A month
later he was So mangled by falling tree
that he lived but fortnight.
Having a chance TO sell out he removed TO
Flint, and for few months kept saloon
and eating house there. While there q
daughter eleven years old was taken sick
aud died. Eggerman then removed 10 Bay
City, and for year was foreman OF ganl
of men who made IT their business 10 assist II
loading vessels and piling lumber. He was
one day taken home with broken leg, anc
the messenger who went 0head to notify
his wife encountered another messenger
coming TO tell the husband that the wife wai
dead. She had been in i'll health since th'
death of the daughter, and had fallen hon
her chair aud died in some soft OF fit. Lei
a widOwer with two children, the uniortun
ate man sent one, girl nearly hlteel
years old, to his sisters, at the Rocheste
settlement, Clinton county, aud Jamts, still
older, went to MuskegOn to work in say
mill A year ago last August, James dis
appeared under circumstances leading L
the belief that he had committed suicide
and has not been heard OF since. lu Sept
las! tile daughter, who hal left Chnto
county lO take up residence at Nunlcs
Kent county, was taken Ill of erysipelas an
died in lwenly-lIur hours alter since the
the old man has been living near Holly.
So far as the old crone's curse has ha
anything 10 do with the lales of the iamil
everybody is left free to judge for hmsel
The dates and names were taken from
paper in possession OF Eggerman, who is il
ielligent and honest and so near the graz
himself that he would not leel like giylr
circulation TO a lalsehOod.