The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-19
From ths Albany Journal
Romance I'm Eeas Life.

[Frcm ths Albany 5oasnal1
Romance I'm Real Ltfe.
Among the dark and dusty records Of q
Ceurt, which are from time to
time exhumed for the deyouring eyeso the
public. perhaps but few haze Furnished q
leaf containing 80 much OF the romantic,
with an underlying foundation of fact that
seems almost improbable, as the narrative
we now present to our readers. The SIM
pie fact has been already announced in the
briefest manner during the past winter, and
1t remains for us to detail the circumstances
and outline Oh. the case from beginning to
end-a beginning that portended- Happiness
and peace, but which finds q
terminus In the mystifying litigancy of.a
Probate Court. 7a
Just thirty-two years ago, in the not very
populous county of Delaware, the village
OF Andes was prominent In this village
resided one Robert Haddow, q young man
then scarcely more than twenty-one years
Of age. He became acquainted with o
young girl BY the name of Mary Owens,
young couple were married. For rifourteen'
years they resided together, during which
time five children were born unto them,
four boys and girl. No trouble marred
the serenity Of their married life, it;;ap-.
pears, and the period spoken of glided
sway smoothly. m - gsifrr; - ~
Suddenly he was taken with rowing
turn of mind, and becoming infected with
the gold fever, conceived the idea OF seek
ing q fortune In the mines of California.
Impelled by this desire, on the 1st Of Feb
ruary, 1852, leaving his wife and family In:
Andes, he started for California. From
that date, not much is definitely known
concerning his history until about five or
six years ago. But the indications are that
he led rowing life, wandering to distant
parts of the globe, visiting Australia, New
Zealand, and other countries. Between
1852 and 1854 it is said that Haddow re-
turned to the States and took up
Maiden Lane, in this city. While
here it is limited by those who knew
him, that he became acquainted with O.
young girl from Springfield, Mass, who
was attending school in this city at the
time. The acquaintance was but brief,
when the rowing husband departed with
the Young lady to San Francisco, which was
to be in future her home. Whether they
were married or not does not appear. They
had no sooner become comfortably settled
ins their new home than the young and
giddy creature, meeting friend whom. she
had formerly known, renewed the friend
ship, and finally eloping with him, came
back to Massachusetts, bringing with her.
nearly all Of Haddow's hard-earned say
ings. Deeming it useless to pursue her, he
started on another trip to Australia.
= 1t appears that during all this time he
had not wholly lost sight of his wife and
family in Andes, for he ascertained through
the medium of correspondence with his
sister how they were faring. On his return
from his first trip he even went so far as to
visit his former home, stopping nearly a
wear at the residence Of his sister, This
was previous to his second trip. On re-
turning from his last voyage he. again
took up his abode IN this city. ,Haying
on his former visit become acquainted with
O woman named Margaret Lundy, on the
present occasion Haddow improved the
opportunity and was, as Is alleged, married
to her on the 28th day Of June, 1866. Had
city-purchased the house No. SO Third
street and prepared to settle down. For
two years and six months the couple lived
together, to every appearance, as man and
wife should. During this two years the first
wife learned that her husband was residing
in this city with Margaret Lundy, and
brought suit against him for alimony. A
Judgment was taken against him, and Had
dow was arrested and conveyed to Dela-
ware county. He subsequently returned,
however, and again took up his abode with
his second wife.
Unfortunately, on The 22d Of November;
1858, he was taken down with the small
poX, and although every attention and care
was paid him, died nine days after, or on
the ist of December. His alleged widow,
Margaret Lundy Hadden, three or four
days afterwards, petitioned Surrogate Law
ton that she be granted letters of admins
tration on the estate of her deceased hus-
band, which was alleged to consist of the
sum of $4,000 in bank. No one presenting
any claim or objection, the letters were
granted ON the 7tb of December, and Mrs.
Lundy Hadden assumed full control of the
estate.
1t was not until the fall of 1870 that Mrs.
Owen Haddow learned Of the death Of her
husband. She then came to this city, and,
securing the services of the eminent legal
firm of Smith, Bancroft g. Moak, commenced
the necessary proceedings before Surrogate
Lawton for having the letters of admins
tration granted Mrs. Lundy Hadden re-
yoked. In her petition for this purpose,
she alleges that she is his true and lawful
wife, and that their marriage has never been
dissolved he left her at the time mentioned,
and, returning, lived in Albany under the
name Of Hadden or Haddow with Margaret
Lundy. that he died about the first Of De-
cember, 1868, but she knew nothing Of 1t
until October, 1870; that Margaret Lundy
presented to the Surrogate a petition set
ting forth that Haddow, had died intestate,
without leaving any children. but it did not
state that his first wife was dead; and that
Haddow having died and left her (Mrs.
owen Haddow) his widow, him surviving,
she claimed to be entitled to the estate, and
prayed that letters be granted her, and
those of Margaret Lundy be revoked;
Mrs. Lundy Hadden, in her answer,
through her counsel, William Lounsbury,
alleges that she was legally married to Had
den, and lived with him .as his wife up to
the time of his death, not knowing that he
was previously married that she filed no
inventory OF. his property, as it only con-
sisted of $4,000 in the bank. She further
denies all and every allegation OF the petl-
toner, and claims to be entitled to the
estate.
The case was first heard before Surrogate
Lawton on December 18th of last year, and
again aon January 4th and May 9th. ! A
number of witnesses have been examined,
among them son Of Haddow's, by the first
wife, who claims to have stopped over
night with his father in this city, supposiDg
him to be only boarding with Margaret
Lundy. The testimony was brought to q
close on May 9th. but Surrogate Lawton
has not yet rendered decision in the mat
ter. ID
EXTENSIVE FIRR-A Large Junk Store
Burned.-Two three-story brick buildings,
Nos. 81 and So Lee street, occupied by Da-
G. -, Il ! II
ers. rs and owned by Charles E. Savage, were
destroyed by fire Wednesday afternoon.
The fire originated on the second floor, and
snread very rapidly, soon enYeloping the