The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-03-23
CANALS OF A EsABy."
a Party by the Name of Smith
Formerly of Lyon County.

| ANNALS OE "A 6SA H q -.
a Party by the Name of smith,
Formerly of Lyon County.
The Kansas City Times, of the 18th,
contains, under the head of "Annals
of a Baby" rather startling and
mysterious story. The surprise is,
both as to the degeneracy of female
| character, and its appearance in that
paper, that it seems to be true. We
judge SD, from the fact that we are
somewhat acquainted with the heroine
Of the story, and her former history, as
also with one of the "heroes," who
was formerly prominent citizen of
Americas, in this county.
The story in brief is as follows
c. A. Hull and wife live IN Indepen-
dence, Kansas, where the husband
carries on the banking business. Mr..
Hall, says the Times report, was mar
ried to Carrie E. Swein,Gt shoald be
SWIM in January, 1876. 1t seems
that Mr. HulI's father, who lives east,
somewhere, and who is said to have
more money than he knows what to
do with, promised that the first SON OF
Mr. Hull should be presented with a
draft for $1,000. This offer daZzled
Mrs. Hull. She was after that 5000,
she was. She was bound to take it in
out of the weather, whether or no.
And thereby hangs this mysterious
yarn, which is stranger than fiction.
1t, and the life of the woman for the
past few years, are indeed tragic.
They furnish food for an Emerson Ben
nett. But we must confine ourselves
only to the facts.
The plan adopted by the shrew6, bad
woman to accomplish her object, was
to get possession of child by fair or
or foul means. She went to Kansas
City in November, 1875, and pretended
that while there son was born. We
quote from the Times
While at the Lindell hotel Mrs.
Hull is said TO have applied TO the
'tHome'' in this city for good healthy
male infant. Failing to obtain one
which suited her she managed to OBJ
tain, by rather slippery process, a re-
commentator from the Matron of the
Kansas City ''Home" to Mrs. Smith,
of the Home of the Friendless in
LeaYenworth. By this means Mrs.
Hull obtained possession of a fine
healthy child, one of pair of twins,
belonging to poor widow in Lesven-
worth. Returning to Kansas City.
Mrs. Hull appeared at the st. James
hotel with a newborn infant and
announced that she bad recently be-
come q mother. Her husband, the In
dependence banker, was notified and
he came on the next train to rejoice
and make merry over the birth OF q
son and heir. The grahpapa was
no doubt notified tha5 q draft for
S., 900 was due for grandson to be
named after him. So much for the
woman part of the scheme.
Suspicion was soon raised at indie
pendence that the claim of Mrs. Hull
was a fraud, and that the child was
not hers at all bat belonged to some
person who had parted with it be-
cause they were unable to take care of
it. Mrs, Hull has played her part
fine all the way through. She is a i
fine actor, and the whole thing was a
feast for scandal-mongers.
The next scene was a hunt for the
lost child, by Mrs. Smith, of the
"Home' in Leavenworth. They
found the child at the Hull house, in
independence, and although aided by
An officer, she failed to get possession.
Mrs. Hull most earnestly protested
that the infant was the genuine
property of herself and husband, |
and chung to it for life.
She wept at the slightest provoca-
rioa. It was only necessary to speak |
OF the possibility OF the baby being
taken away to cause great shining |
tears to well up in her eyes. The day
the deputy marshal and matron w ere |
at her house for the purpose of getting
the child, she would fold it to her |
breast and scream as if her heart |
would break, even after the danger |
had passed. It is said that she was |
in Leavenworth the day she claims |
her child was born in Kansas City, |
and that she set up in chair the third |
day after its birth that she changed |
hotels without much trouble, and yet |
was so weak when she reached !
Independence that she had to be car
ried from the cars TO the carriage.
Next comes chubby from the east. |
where he had been visiting sick rela- |
tive. He is met by q brother at the |
depot, who informs him OF the whole |
affair. He gets mad and refuses 20 go
and see his wife and child, not with |
standing Mrs. H. had taken the preeau-
ton TO have its name engraved on its |
back in India ink. He went back to
Kansas City to consult the officers.
The last scene brings the grandpa
from the east, and he is consulting
lawyers. Mrs. Smith has lawyers,
also, who think she win win, and get
the $1,000.
We quote further from the Times:
While the reputed mother is thus
dhoidiDg the fert'' in Independence,
her husband arrived in Kansas City
last night and took rooms at the Lin
dell. He is determined TO probe
the affair to the bottom and
obtain legal proof as 70 the
fraudulency of the son and heir. It
appears that he was married to Mrs.
Carrie L. Swein, in January, 1876.
He married her upon short acQuaint-
ance, having met her VIXEN she came
to Independence TO teach school. Mr.