The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
4 Young W0man's Sad Story.

By the Identification of the body of
young woman at the morgue, says the
New York World, the history OF one Of
the many unknown dead " of the river
was revealed. Hannah Roach was born
in this country, her parents being we'll
to-do English people of the laboring
class. Her mother died when she was
seven years of age, and her father few
years later, leaving his daughter with q
stepmother. When she WAS fourteen
years old she attracted the attention Of
Mr.. Miles, father of Mr.. w. H. Miles,
cashier of the Sixpenny savings bank
who took her into his family. The
girl was bright, intelligent, good looking
and ambitious, and lost no opportunity
of improving her condition. AS result,
when she reached her nineteenth year
she was measurably accomplished
young woman. At this time she formed
the acquaintance-most unfortunately,
as it has since proved-of q young man
named James Abbott, and last Septem-
Der they were married. A few days
after the little money Abbott had pro-
fessed to have accumulated disappeared.
But the little wife cheered him in what
he said was his loss, and resolved that
they would yet recover 1t and do even
better. Fhree weeks after the marriage
she madethe discovery that Abbott had
another wife still living. She applied to
the district attorney, and, receiving di-
rections how to act, found his fist wife,
one Mary Dougal, living in Westchester
county. This woman was willing to ap-
pear as q witness against the man who
had deserted her and cruelty betrayed
the other. She produced her marriage
certificate. as did also Hannah. All
proof having been collected, Hannah
wrote to Abbott asking him to call upon
her. Meantime detective was secured
and posted. One Monday night, late in
January, the matter was brought to a
successful ending. The girl and her be-
trayer left the house for a walk. She
broached the subject of her illegal.mar-
riage to Abbott, and he tried to con-
ciliate. Before they had gone block
the detective overlook them and sum-
marily arrested Abbott. The man was
tried in the special sessions before Judge
Gildersleeve and sentenced to two years
in the State prison. Pending his trial
he made several threats against Hannah.
He swore he would kill her when he re-
gained his freedom, and that he had
companions whom he would put on her
track to make way with her at once. The
strain, both of capturing her betrayer
and incident upon his trial, at it after
ward proved, told severely upon her.
Her friends did their best to cheer her,
but on thcmorning of the .twenty-seventh
of April she did not appear at the usual
hour, and to call there was no response.
Nothing has been seen OF heard of her
since, until a young man rowing in the
sound ran foul of the body since recog-
nized as hers. She had but little cloth
ing on when found, being dressed only
in night dress, over which she had put
q black alpaca dress. The shawl she
wore had been washed away. The beauty
of her face and grace of figure were lost,
but the brown hair was best preserved
and by its peculiar color and her clothing
she was identified. assisted by one of two
rings that bnre the initials H. R" and
"H. S." They had been given her by a
youth when little girl.