The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-07-27
Mrs. Wharton, the Modern Borgia.
A Leaf from her Private Life


readers of the Telegraph the circumstances
OF the crime, on the charge of the commits
sion OF which Mrs. Wharton stands arr
raigned. They are now extensively
known, and the re-telling of the story
would be bat a tedious lengtheniDg of our
article. But our sole purpose is to lay
before the public some facts that are not
known, facts culled by lsborious search
in private avenues of information, and
which, combined, contain to a certain ex
tent the private life of Mrs Wharton.
and throw great light upon what will
most necessarily be her ground of defence.
Ellen G. Nugent was born in this city
about forty years ago. Her fathe:, Geo.
Nugent, was a most prominent and sue
cesstui merchant Of the day, doing large
importing business of fine goods, silks.
etc. In character be was strictly up
right and honorable, living, as it were.
by set rule of firmness and justice to ALL
HIS daughter Ellen was by his second
wife, he having been previously married
to Cuban woman, by whom he had two
children, both boys, one of whom is now
respectable and prosperous member of
our community. There were six other
children by the second wife, four sons and
two daughters. Both of the daughters
are married and living in the city.
1t is somewhat difficult to ascertain
who Ellen's mother was, speaking in q
family sense. She appears to have been
very beautiful, and at the same time a
very obscure girl, living here in philadeI>
phia. But as it is not particularly with
Mrs. Nugent or the other children that we
have to dc, it does not matter much ; but
we will remark, en- passant, that Mrs.
Nugent has only been dead few years,
having outsived her husband, who died
about the time of the great California
gold excitement.
And now having cleared the loom of
our story of cross-threads, we will pro-
coed to weave the narrative of Mrs. Whar-
tons life, whose most exciting scene has
| just taken place in Eutaw street, BaIti-
more.
Mr.. Nugent did not remain long in
Philadelphia after the birth of bis daugh-
ter Ellen, or Nellie. He had been very
successful in business, and finally conclu~
ded to retire, which he did, purchasing
lovely place about mile this side of Con-
shohocken, at spot called Gulf Mills,
where, with his family growing up around
him, he settled down 10 pass the clos-
ing hours of his life, amid the sylvan
scenery of our beautiful Schuylkil's banks.
Of all the children Nellie was his
idol. He lavished every attention upon
her that money could command. Espe>
cial pains were taken with her education,
and she spent considerable time at Bsh-
op Doane's Seminary, iu Burlington, New
Jersey. And now the real interest of our
story commences. Nellie has grown up
under our pencil into beautiful woman>
hood, and her mature character is begin
ming to determine itself. The scene is
the Gulf Mills house, and the time is
about twenty-five years ago.
BY the universal voice of those who
knew her at this time, she was certainly
a most lovely girl. About twenty years
of age, of slender and graceful, yet queen
| ly bearing. with magnificent jet black hair
Of unusual length, dark eyes, and fair
compexion-such was her physical beau
ty. Bat those who knew her well say
that that was the least of her attractions
1t was rather her engaging manner, her
winning ways, her dashiDg, inspiring dis
position that bound captive to the chariot
wheel of Cupid 80 many of her male ac>
quaintances.
1t was about this time that she began
to develop a passion that has ever since
been inordinate with her, and that was
the desire to dress magnifcently. Her
father spared no expense to crafty her
lightest whim, and gave her money enough
to clothe duchess. As a consequence,
there was no more regular attendant at
the then fashionable bazaars of our city
than Miss Nugent, whose carriage got to
be familiarly known. no doubt, TO the sales
men within.
AS we have said, her father allowed
her to carry the purse of duchess, and
consequently the reader can judge of his
surprise when outside bills that had been
contracted by his daughter TO the amount
Of Thousands Of dollars were sent into him
for settlement, and all this heavy running
into debt had taken place in compara>
lively short time, and without the slight
est premonitory intelligence.
Where had the money gone! Hardly
upon herself, since, although elegantly at
tired in obedience to Fashions latest
mandate, this debt excess was too absurd
ly large to be answered for on the ground
ofpersonal expenditure. But little in
vestigation showed. 1t was found that
this money had been expended for laces,
silks, jewelry, etc., which were lavished
with an imperial hand as presents upon
her young friends.
This was certainly little eccentric, and
quite enough TO cause the eyebrow TO
raise Beautiful young ladies do not gen.
orally run their fathers into debt simply to
give away indiscriminately costly gifts.