The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-08-27
THE Good FORTUNE Of a Detroit Girl.

ing to about $4,000. He had but one child
little girl named Agnes, then about sew
en- years old. Both of Stricklands parents
were dead, and the only relative he had
was a brother William. The brother sue
ceeded in getting himself appointed the ad-
ministrator of the estate and guardian of
the child, and then moved his family into
the house, and took full possession. From
that day he and his family set about MAX
ing Agnes life wretched one. She was
beaten and starved, half clothed, kept from
school, not allowed to associate with chill
dren, and it would seem as If the brother
was bent on getting her out of the way so
that the property should legally fall into
his hands. Agnes was hardly old enough
to realize the death of her father, and when
told that she was beggai, and was kept
out of the poor.house by the charity of her
uncle, she did not know to the contrary.
When she was eight years old she re-
members being taken to city where she
saw the lake and a great many ships. She
went in company with her uncle, and she
has never been back to Franklin county
since. She cannot now remember all that
happened, but thinks that he deserted her
there. She recollects being sent to some
house, where there were lots of people,
probably a county house, and remained
there good while. She finally left there
in company with a man named Howard,
who took her home and up to the time that
she was twelve years old, or thereabouts,
she lived in his family. They then re-
moved to Akron, o., taking her along.
Shortly after settling there some jewelry
was missed and the theft was laid to Agnes
and she was sent to Jail for three months,
though she yet claims that she never took
the things. On being relieved from Jail
Agnes went to Cleveland, and for four years
was employed in various families, whose
names and numbers she has with her. She
went from there to Buffalo, New York, and
says that she worked for nearly year in
the family of one of the editors of the Post.
She exhibits recommendations from three
families in that city. She left Buffalo to
to come to Detroit two years ago, and has
worked in two different places here, her
last and present place being in the family
of Mr.. Kelly,o Eight h street. About two
weeks ago, while with the family on a riv-
er excursion, Agnes made the acquaintance
of woman named Mrs. Rogers, who is
here visiting friends on Congress street
east, and whose husband Is bookkeeper in
a wholesale grocery house in Pittsburg.
Mrs. Rogers lived for many years in Frank
in county, and something came up which
made her speak of some one in that county.
Agnes had forgotten where she was born,
but knew it was somewhere in that State.
She had always preserved the name of
Strickland, and when she gave it to Mrs
Rogers that lady inquired if she ever had
an uncle William. Agnes remembered him
but thought him dead Mrs Rogers was
convinced that she had found the orphan
whom Strickland had reported lost, and
then dead. On his return from his trip
with the girl he had given out that she had
lost herself in the city, (Erie,) and he pub
lished notices Offering a reward for her.
He pretended that he had detectives hunt
ing Ter up and that he much grieved about
her disappearance.
After year or two he advertised to pay
all claims upon the estate of Agnes Strick-
land, deceased" and it was generally un-
derstood that the little girl had been drown
ed in Erie harbor. Living near Strickland,
Mrs. Rogers knew all these facts and both
she and Agnes were fully convinced that
Agnes was the lost child. When the affair
was made known to Mr.. Kelly, he at once
employed lawyer to write to parties in
Franklin county, and they replied that
Strickland lived on the fam yet, and that
the general idea was that Agnes had been
dead for years. The value Of the property
is nearly $4,000, every shilling of which
belongs to Agnes. A letter from an attor-
ney who was written to, says:
at will not be a difficult task to put the
girl in possession Of her rights There are
several families here who can, no doubt,
identify her as all were acquainted with
her parents, and an ambrotype of Agnes
when she was five years old is in the hands
of young lady here, it having been given
her, long ago, by one of StriclAand's girls.
If Agnes wants to institute criminal pro-
ceedings, am ready to take the case but
think she will be satisfied with being put
in possession. She had better come down
as soon as possible"
Miss Strickland purchased tickets Sat
urday, and viii start Monday, Mrs. Roger