The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-02
PRICE TWO CENTS.
CAROLINE WILSON'S STORY.
THE HOMiN WH0 ASKED AID FOR HEH
BEIRfENDTN0 SOLDIERs

hfttttfh w OtuttNtN NstimcFe nnI EEUokcr ana
President Grant Read Ia her Behalf ON hes
Examination on - Charge OF Mendienacy
Mrs Caroline S. Wilson, who was arrested
In Elizabeth. N. j.. on Monday. on q charge Of
being n professional bcggar and who carried
note Of recommendation from William Cullen
Bryant and paper showing that sho had coli
iectcd over 81, 900 in nine months from distin-
gulShed persons, on tho plea Of having cK-
haustcd her property in aiding Union prison-
ora during the war. was examined before
Justice Osborne. in Elizabeth. Yesterday. The
story Of Mrs Wilson's ride from town TO town
IN New Jersey. In carriage specially lltcd foe
her and OF her stopping at hotels and asking
aid from leading citizens. was told In Tar SuN
OF Wednesday, She was put undcr oath yes
terday. and told the following story:
was born in Springfield. Mass. and my
maiden name was Norton. When years old I
went with my little sister to live with my aunt
In Savannah. Ga. my father having Just died.
| was married in New Orleans 10 Mr. Charles
stewart Wilson. lawyer. not engaged In prac-
ticc. do not remember the exact date OF my
marriage. which. | think was celebrated in the
First Presbyterian Church Of that city. NV
husband was engaged in planting in
teress at Jcfreison. Texas, Immediately
after our marriage wo went to savan-
nah. Ga remaining there perhaps two
we spont three years. Returning to Now Or
isahS at the enI OF Nat tlmo we fouQd tho ycl-
ionw iPvlr raging there and were both pfoe-
trnted. While ! was lying sick my husband
died. cannot tell whore he was buried Aitor
I recovered ! went at onco % my sister's in
savannah. She had married Horace Gilman. a
lumber merchant and mill owner. who died
shortly after the beginning Q! the war Ny sister
was then overwhelmed with litigation by her
deceased husbands brothers james and Henry.
ana wien sc!tloment was finally made slie
rsiIwSSy rsiIG;SSa ISSH 'TUU prlnSipaliy tn bank and
cause ot ne war. Ia 1874 or 1875 my sister .ro-
mSysd mo si, to bAgIHTn H. where She Is IN
my means which were Considerable. during
ttae ttaaee, war IN giving aid TO Union soldiers; In
III went TO Boston, Stopping at the Winthrop
caan9t remember being in Boston in 1871"
i,;,d ~ tnis polni IN Ne testimony tho following
T9obie'g Pgee G,'se. E,,,th. y, i.
ssrc Sr y s9e % hns q, Ela'Si S sam esn,e here she
prgprietoT and len win Tic enclosed due iii ror tie
heIsS h sS y p', 1Pas h@L @ PcGg gnc , note e. ,el
~ ra, I've y9@ IGruer pareuar' rg1idtns her
The due bill is for slO0 Mrs. Wilson nd-
then resumed and Mrs Wilson said: y" domot
remember being IN Baltimore in 1866 and talk.
ing with Mr. Van Name or OF telling him that
William Cullen Bryant gave me 1850 10 pay the
expenses OF my sister and myself IN going
he once gave mo s26O TO nay tho fees OF
a surgeon who attended me when broke my
@ RS Mr 'ir BTyanF FwR,G@h% was sonr 10 10
leave me legacy. aud do not know TINT he
know man in Savannah by the same name as
ny ny DECEASED husband. and never told any one
mat Edward u. Wilson. u clerk in tho court at
savannah. was my husband. Tho idca is pre-
Chief OF Police Kcron-Can you tell me- Mrs
Wilson. the name Of any soldier you aided
Mrs wilson-I cannot name them all. there
were SO many OF them.
Mrs. ,Mi!son-Wcll; there was n NIr Peck and
a Mr. Brown. Mr. Peck went To New Haven
This was at Andersonvillc. where went In dis.
gus, ! assisted great many in Libby prison
Mr.. Bergen then read tho following from
among many letters found In Mrs. Wilson's
possession:
liuroN IilAp, 5 q july ~ isa5
NJ. ; Wilson !, oyallady, who ha, been Of grea,
s,Nlce 10 mon nrisoncrs during the war aai mcrit.
mend 6cT to my rc"d. Ia The So H. Mc2 GIPni ,c ioSsia Ss
'esreI i Si empo,menL She desires position ~ some
ncn by whom She Is bcniendrd in this department lie
seek '' '' r. GGSon nv 9 IaSf IlSs enc aa'
Three years later she obtained the following
letter from Gen. joe Hooker:
IhaNc know ledge of the bearer of Ills letter exceo1
what 'ad q her u, diGorc Gu have no Ie.itsdgno
a' M nI,ns h'r t9 ur kindness and CLARITY o AZ for
NE hand. q the r,hel% Itismy convicton that she IS
10. .iil Hooalu Nsor.GcncfSl commanding.
ARC. >, lS6s.
letter dated In the Senate Chamber on tho
l9ih ot June, 1856, and signed John sherman,
isks the Hon. William L. Chandler to give Mrs.
Wilson employment 10 relieve her Immediate
wants. Ia July OF the same year President
irant writes as follows:
The agent oi The Bureau II Freedmen, Refugees AMI
Aluhd Nncd Lands, savannah, tu. will rrltNc the dis.
rcss o truly loNHl woman. who dih all she could
luin- the rebellion tie r,ilvf u Mon ri nrrs con.
lncd IN the SOUTH hN issuing to her such ratous she
my ltqmf' llolh time o. time. [. = GHANL
Aner these letters had been read Mr. Bergen
moved for Mrs. Wilson's discharge upon hor
'wn recogn1ancc. saying the letters were gem
iinc. and proved thurc wns q foundation for
Ter story She had. doubtless. used tho letters
,ery freely. and had lived cAtravagantly II
hO Justice was unwilling TO cNoncrato her un-
rely hc suggested That She should be released
N iler own rccogniAlncc 10 answer before tho
II md Jury
The Court granted the motion Mrs Wilson
vas discharged and money Will DC raised to
end her 10 Auburn. ~ \.