Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-04
THE BRANsCOMBE BABY.
1t StiIl Lives and Knows Its Father,
which Is More than the Little 50.
Paul Fraud Can say.

the handsome little actress Maude Brans,
combe, who, it stated, had been In st. Paul
and was eagerly sought for by Mr.. Scott Sid
dons. 1t appears from inquiries made by
Times-JouTnGE reporter yesterday that the
Globe had been misinformed, and that if there
is a woman in st. Paul who represents her.
self as Maude Branscombe she is a fraud.
The Globe, after going into ecstacles over
Maude's beauty, proceeds to state that she
located in st. Paul in December last, having
arrived there with q commercial traveller
named Mason, or Maxwell, from Chicago,
who deserted her-that she was delivered of
a child soon atterward-that she was on the
verge of starvation and compelled to sell her
clothing and Jewelry, that she deserted her
child and returned to Chicago about two
weeks ago, that she originally came to this
country with the Lydia Thompson troupe
that her father was a clergyman-that she
was engaged to be married to young Eng
llshman, who went to Australia for his
health, and while he was absent she married
man named Louis Polek, wealthy Jew
that she deserted Polek and came to Amer
lea, and that her English lover commissioned
Mrs. Siddons to convey message to her
saying that he should forgive her and take
her to his heart again If che was willing to
be taken. Whether this story was told b.
Mrs. SIddons, or whether it was the product
of fertile reportorial brain, is not stated,
but in any event, it is wrong in all It's details
so far as it relates to Maude Branscombe.
In the first place, she never was 10 st. Paul,
nor has she ever travelled with commercial
man from Chicago. AS she was delivered of
a child In st. Louis in August last, It Is not
probable that she went to st. Paul four
months afterward and was delivered of an-
other one. AT least it does not seem proba-
bic that she would do so. AS she be-
gan an engagement at the Lyceum theater,
In New York, two weeks ago, it is manifestly
impossible that she could have deserted her
child In st. Paul two weeks ago to go to
Chicago. She did not come to this country
with the Lydia Thompson troupe, but IN COM
pany with her husband. Mr.. Stuart came
to New York with the Liza Weber troupe.
Her father was not clergyman but lawyer,
and she never married a Jew named Polek.
Maude Branscombe has sister several years
older than herself, named Gertrude, who
came to America, in company with her moth
er, In 1876, to attend the Centennial exhibit
ton, but they returned to England soon after
ward. Gertrude was married to Jew named
Louis Polek. and, as far as can be learned, is
living happily with him to-day. Whether
Gertrude ever had an English lover to whom
she was matrlmonlally engaged, and whom
she Tilted IN favor of Polek after her lover
had gone to Australia, the reporter was IN
able to learn. Maude BranscombeI came
to st. Louis about a year ago with
the Pauline Markham company accom-
panied by her husband. The compa-
ny disbanded here, reorganized again and
again disbanded, tn. second time at Louisville,
Kentucky. Maude and her husband re-
turned to st. Louis and visited at the resi-
dence of Prof. Waldemar Malmene, 1902
Olive street, where, on August 7th, her child
little girl, was born. 1t was sIckly infant,
and for several weeks its life was despaired
Of. 1t was finally placed In the care of wet
nurse, named M'Coy who resides on Summit
avenue, and the mother took an engagement
with the Robert INVADE combination TO
travel in the south. She severed her connec-
ton with that company in November last,
returning to st. Louis. She renamed here
eight weeks. she was here during the whole
month of December, and, of course, could not
have been IN st. Paul at the same time. she
then accepted an engagement to play Little
Silver In Baltimore and Philadelphia, after
which she went to New York, and was en-
gagged to play 'Hebe in II. N. S. Pinafore,
at the Lyceum theater, her husband, Mr. Stu
art, playing Sir Joseph. This engagement
| reporter called at Prof. Malmene's residence
yesterday, where the greater portion of the
facts given above were learned. While he was
| conversing with Miss Gertie Malmene in the
parlor, Mrs. M'Coy, the wet nurse in charge
of Mrs. Stuart's baby, rang the door-bell,
and was admitted to the parlor. She had the
| child with her, and in compliance with the re-
I
| him to see 1t. 1t was a puny little specimen
of humanity, and beng only eight months
old, and asleep, it was rather difficult to
judge whether or not it inherited its moth
er's ethereal beauty. Mrs. M'Coy stated
that she had called to ask Mrs. Malmene's
advice in regard to placing the child in some
| charitable institution, as she could not afford
| to keepIt any longer. Mrs. Stuart had prom
ised to pay her five dollars per week for its
support, but she had received only eight dol
lars during the past three months, and there
seemed very little hope OF her receiving any
more, She was poor woman, and could
not afford to care for the child unless she was
paid for it. She felt that it would die if
placed in charitable institution, as it could
not drink COW milk, but it was impossible for
her to care for it any longer. Mrs. Stuart
wrote very affectionately regarding the child,
but did not display much maternal devotion
to it. The question Of what should be done
with the babe had not been decided when
the reporter left