Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-08
A WIFE'S SECRET.
Brooklyn Heights Scandal---A Romantic
Character.

Brooklyn Heights Scandal---A Romantic
Character.
New York World Sunday.
An action has been brought in the
Brooklyn city court which, if it ever
comes to trial, will prove a highly SEN
sational morsel for the scandal-lovers of
that city. The names of the parties
are carefully withheld by counsel for
plaintiff and defendant alike, and yes
terday negotiations were pending look
lug to Il satisfactory settlement The
story upon which the action is brought
is, in substance, that in 1868 the plain
tiff, respectable married woman, saw
an advertisement in one of the news
papers of New York for nurse to take
charge of a newly born infant. She
answered the advertisement in person,
calling at a house in Bond street, be-
tween Broadway and the Bowery, this
city. There she was shown into bed
room, where an invalid young girl,
about seventeen years of age, and a
male child few days old, reposed.
The invalid was made known to the
nurse as the mother of the baby There
was man, whom she supposed was the
father, and female attendant present
during her visit The plaintiff observed
that the mother had no wedding ring
on her finger It was finally agreed
that the plaintiff should take the infant
and care for it tenderly, for which she
was to be paid at the rate of $l4 per
month. The first months wages were
given in advance. The nurse was paid
regularly for several years, after which
all further payments ceased and were
never afterward renewed. Unfortun-
ately she had failed to ascertain the
name of the parents of the little one,
and inquiry at the Bond street house
failed to throw any light upon the mys-
terious couple or their whereabouts.
The child grew up finely, and is now in
his ninth year, his foster mother having
proved kind guardian when he was
forsaken by his natural protectors. But
the care and support of the boy was a
great drain upon the slender means of
the plaintiff who never relaxed her eff
forts to learn the fate of the young and
seemingly heartless mother.
A DRAMATIC MEETING.
A few weeks ago the plaintiff was
going through Fulton street, Brooklyn,
when suddenly she recognized in a
woman Fastening toward the ferry the
female attendant whom she met in 1868
at the bedside of the mother of her
ward. The plaintiff accosted the wo-
man and engaging her In conversation
for several minutes ascertalned that the
mother Of the child was married to Il
wealthy and fashionable gentleman,
who was living on Columbia Heights,
Brooklyn, moved in the highest circles
of society, and was respected and hap
by. The following morning after the
departure of the husband of the lady
for whom the nurse was searching she
called and had an 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 demanded payment
for the care of the lady's son from May
II, 1871, to May II, 1877, according to
contract at the rate of $14 month, the
bill amounting to 81 ,O0S. The time be-
ing limited, under the statutes, to six
years, shuts out all beyond that. The
defendant 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 plaintiff
the lady consulted a lawyer The
plaintiff then gave the case to Counsel
lor G. W. Niles, who duly caused the
summons to be served. The answer
sets forth that the defendant, during
the period mentioned, was a married
Il, II
to son of the defendant it must lave
been by the husband Of defendant.
That plaintiff received and adopted the.
alleged son in question, and that he goes
by her name and the name of her hus-
band ; that the allegations in modi-
fled sense are not true, and that the de-
PENDANT was under the age of twenty
one at the time the transaction took
place.
The defendant, who is said to be the
daughter Of a merchant, is the wife of
a gentleman connected with one Of the
largest life insurance companies in the
United States, and they are members
of fashionable church on Brooklyn
Heights-a church which has been as
ISOLATED with scandals, more or less,
within the past few years. The corns ell
said various sums of money had been
offered the plaintiff as a compromise,
but she had refused to accept any
thing less than the full amount above
named. Counsel was satisfied that the
case would be settled satisfactorily and
all further publicity would be thereby
avoided
Don't Lose Minute.
Keep busy. The man who has moth
ing to do is the most miserable Of beings.