Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-31
Al&far(0rla 6ax&tte
TUESDAY EVENING. JULY3l.
a Wife'S Secret.

An action has been brought 10 the BrookIyn
City Court which, il it ever comes to trial, will
prove highly sensational morsel for the scan.
dallovers of that city. The names OF the par.
ties are carefully withheld by COUNSEL for plain.
tiff and defendant alike, and yesterday negotia
tions were pending looking to satisfactory
settlement. The story upon which the action
is brought is in substance that 10 1868 the
plaintiff, respectable married woman, saw
advertisement 10 one Of the newspapers of New
| Ycrk for a nurse to take charge Of newly born
infant. She answered the advertisement 10
person, calling at house in Bond street, be-
tween Broadway and the Bowery, this city.
| There she was shown into a bedroom, where an
invalid young girl, about seventeen years Of age.
and male child few days old, reposed. The
invalid was made known to the nurse as the
mother fthe baby. There was man, whom she
supposed was tho father, and female attendant
present during her visit. The plaintiff observed
that the mother had no wedding ring on her
| fnger. 1t was fually agreed that the plaintiff
should take the infant aud care for it tendery,
for which she was to be paid at the rate l$l4
per month. TIE first months wages were Civ.
co 10 advance. The nurse was paid regularly
for several years, after which all further pay
Unfortunately she had failed to ascertain the
namc of the parents of The little one, and 10.
uuiry at the house failed to throw any light
upon the mysterious couple or their where.
abous. The child grew Up finely, and is now
10 bis ninth year, his foster mother having
proved kind guardian when he was forsaken
by bis natural protectors But the care aud
support of the boy was great drain upon the
slender means of the plaintiff who never relaxed
her efforts to learn the fate of the young aud
seemingly bcartless mother.
A few weeks ago the plaintiff vas going
through Fulton street, Brookiyn, when sud
denly she recognized 10 womau Fastening to.
ward the ferry the female attendant whom she
met in 1868 at the bedside Of the mother OF her
ward The plaintiff aceosted the woman aud
engaging her in conversation for several min.
utes ascertaned that the mother of the child
was married to a wealthy and fashionable gen
lemsn, who was living on Columbia Heights
Brooklyn, moved in the highest circles OF so.
ciety, aud was respected aod happy. The fol-
loving morning after the departure OF the huS.
band of the lady tor whom the purse was search.
iug she called aud had au interview with her.
recognizing the handsome matron at once as
The person whose Child she had taken care OF
unaided all these long years. The nurse de-
manded payment for the care OF the Iady's
500 from the 2lst of May, 1871, to the 18th Of
May, 1877, according 10 contract, at the rate OF
$l4 month, the bill amounting to Sl,O0S.
rhe time being limited, undcr the statutes to
six years.. shuts out all beyond that. The de.
fendant begged her to keep the secret locked
within her bosom. and promised to call on her
the next day with the money. That promise
was not kept, but instead Of calling on the PLAIN
iff the lady consulted lawyer. The plaintiff
then gave the case to counsellor u. w. Niles.
who duly caused the SUMMONS TO be served.
The answer sets forth that the defendant, dur
ing the period mentioned was married wo.
man, and if any board was furnished to son
Of the defendant it must have been by the hus
band of defendant. That Llanutf received and
adopted the alleged sou ia question, and that
he goes by her name and the name OF her hus
band; that the allegations 10 a modified sense
are nut true, aud thst the de!endsot was uuder
the age Of twenty ono at the time the tra's-c'
tinn took place.
Tnc dcien Eant, who is sal! to BE- the daugh
ter of a merchant, IS the wife OF geutlcman
connected with ouc Of the largest life insurance
mpanies in the Unitcd States, and they arc
members Of fashionable church ou Brookyp
Hcights-a church which had been associated
with scandals, more or css, Wltho the past lew
years. The counsel said various sums OF money
had been offered the plaintiff as compromise,
but she had refused to accept anything les!
than the full amount above pamed. Counsel
was satisfi d that the case would be settled sat
isfactorly and all tu,ther publicity would be
I, tod