The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-03-16
BESSIE TURNER.

a BERKSHIRE MAN THINKS HE RECOGNIZES
HIS OWN DAUGHTER III BESSIE TURNER
THE WHOLE STORY AND IFS POSSIBLE
ROMANCE.
The Pittsb1rg Eagle gives the following
romantic story in connection with Bessie
Turner: A central and somewhat mysteri-
Gus figure in the great trial now in progress
between Theodore Tilton and Henry Ward
Bsecher is the girl, or young woman, Bessie
Turner. She has lived with the Tltons
fifteen years, was q stray bit OF humanity
picked up, they have nearly forgotten where,
and she herself knows neither her father or
mother, and is utterly ignorant of her birth
place, or even her true name. Who
j. she? There seems to be but little
doubt that she is the long lost daughter of
Bartlett McDermott, now living in Lee.
Twenty-Five, years ago Mr. McDermOtt's
wife died, leaving two sons and a curly
headed little daughter, four years Old, the
child now believed to. be Bessie Turner
The sons were born in Sheffield in this
county, but the girl in New York, and
shortly after their mothers death they were
placed in an orphan asylum in Brooklyn.
McDsrmOtt visited them at the institution
and found them well cared FOX. The second
time he went to see them he was told that
they had been taken for adoption by differ
ent persons, and he could not get clue as to
where they were. He advertised in the
NEW Ork papers, DuJ got no trace OF them,
and he sorrowtully gave up all expectations
of ever meeting his children again. He was
by this time married, and had a comfortable
home to which he wanted TO bring the lost
girl and her brothers. Afterward the father
made another effort to get upon their track.
He again went to the asylum, but new Of
ficialS were in power, and they knew moth
ing of the children. In 1866 he advertised
again, thinking that, as they had by that
time grown up, and were possibly them
selves looking for clue to their parent-
age, the advertisements might attract their
attention and lead to the desired result.
But nothing came of it, and it was not until
year or so later, or more than twelve years
after they were placed in the asylum, that
he got any word of them. Both boys had
been in the army, and at the close of the
war, one, William, went to Orange county,
y. ", to reside, and the other James came
/ to Bridgeport. William was the youngest
and hearing that family OF McDermotts
lived ip Sheffield, he wrote to them, think
ing they might turn out to be his parents.
1t proved that the Sheffield McDermott was
his uncle. and through him, of course, the
parties were placed in communication, and
THE FAMILY UNITED,
so far as the bows was concerned. But this
did not restore the lost daughter. The
boys subsequently removed to East Long
Branch, n. j., where they now reside, and
for long time have been ardently working
to discover her, but even their young enter
prise and intelligence was not able to find
even the remotest trace. Then the Beecher-
Tilton business commenced, and the truth
dropped out, in the course of Iilton's testi-
mony, that the name of the much-talked
about Bessie Turner was Lizzie McDsr-
mott. 1t was said that she was an orphan
without known relatives of any degree. two
facts that attracted the attention of William
McDermott, and he began Investigations at
once. He is now convinced that she is the
long missing sister, and the communications
that have passed between him and his father
az Lee make the old gentleman quite as sure
that Bessie is his daughter. The difficulties
in the way of establishing tho identity to s
certainty are very many. She was but four
years old when placed in the asylum,
and was taken from there very soon after.
She mas only her childhood recollections to
guide her. and, in part, those confirm very
strongly the theory that she is this McDer-
motifs child. She says she was really placed
in an orphan asylum with two brothers, but
she has understood from one source or other
that she was not the child of the McDer-
motifs, but was given to them by a Mrs.
Funk, when three months old, to be nursed,
and that they placed her in the asylum
when Mrs. McDermott die j, and they have
therefore no claim upon her, Only for the
kindness showed (if these are the real Nc
Dermotts) while she was in their care. Mr..
McDermott replies that this is mistake,
and as the girl has nothing but an impress
sion concerning that part OF her history,
with little or no foundation, all the evidence
thus far discovered confirms the belief that
she is the sister and daughter that for 22
years has been so vsinly sought. Mr.. Bart
lett McDermott lives near the New York
quarry in Lee, mild, genial old gentleman,
and the hope he has OF recovering his child
has quiet renewed his youth. Correspond
ence is now going on TO develop further
stages in this romance in real life.
The Japanese minister at Washington
Yoshida, is rejoicing over the birth of a
6aunhtar tha first child of Iananeaa ,nararnts