Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-19

"Alcn was CclcUIdCeu Win great eClat,
and which brought unusual JOY to the
parents. N the midst os oil this happy
condition of things the whole neighbor
hood was thrown into state Of utter con
fusion by the report that Mark Horton
had separated from his wife, and that he
had filed bill for divorce, alleging that
a fraud had been perpctrated upon him
| in the marriage; that his wife had negro
blood in her veins, and that, therefore, the
marriage was null and void. There were
hundreds OF rumors, some ridiculous,
many malicious, and the remainder about
as near the truth as is usual in such cases.
The houses of Reynolds and Horton were
IN tlutter, and were closed to all out
slders. The case has just been decided,
and the facts are substantially as follows
During the carly, part Of May last the
quadroom woman Lucy Shepherd, here
totorc referred to, was taken quite i'll,
and when it became apparent that she
could not live but a few days, she secret
ly requested DR.. Blackman, the physi-
clan attending her, to inform Mark: Hort
on that she had something of importance
to communicate to him and desired
him to call and see her at once.
MIR. Horton, in response to thisy request,
called about an hour after the request
was made. The woman began by telling
him that she had kept secret locked in
her breast tor years, and now that she
was going to die she could no longer re-
main silent. She did not wish to 20 to
her grave as the partner in great fraud.
| bhe then informed Mr.. Horton that his
wife Jessie was her daughter, that she
was the illegitimate child of Reynolds,
and that the secret which had so long
been kept was the cause of the death Of
MIR. Reynolds wife, who grieved herself
into an early grave on account of the
fraud which Reynolds was practiclng in
palming off Jessie as his Legitimate
daughter. The woman informed Mr..
Horton that Jessie knew nothing of these
facts; that she was perfectly innocent and
| believed herself the legitimate daughter
OF Reynolds. She stated that Jessie was
| born in Wilmington, N. c., after Rey-
nolds had married, and he notified his
wife that she must adopt the child as her
own and rear 1t as such. He threatened
both his wife and the mother of the child
with death should they divulge the facts.
| Mrs. Reynolds died broken hearted after
years of grief and shame.
Mark Horton, after hearing the story of
| the quadroon woman, at once went to
Reynolds and confronted him with the
facts. The latter did not deny the state
ment of the woman but told Horton that
ne had better remain silent, as any ex-
Posure would bring shame on both fami-
lies. But Horton belonged to an old
fashioned, high-bred family, and pride
was his most striking characteristic. He
notified Reynolds that he would send
Jessie pack to him, with their child, and
that he would at once apply for divorce.
lie then went back to his home, called
Jessie into private apartment, and there
told her the story of the quadroon woman
who was then dying as he repeated the
words she had spoken to him. ..
The wife was struck with terror and
could not utter word. She acted for a
while as If she was bereft Of her senses
When she became composed she found
herself and child in her fathers house
She at once became an object of pity and
sympathy. She will see no one, and pass.
es her time locked in her room with he1
child. ......
This exposure broke up the Horton
family, the old man selling out and re-
turning to North Carolina, and Mark
having left few days since for Califor-
nia-after the Court had declared the
marriage void because of fraud. Rev
nolds is cndeavoring to dispose of his
property, intending also to leave the
country. He is blamed by everybody fol
the misery he has brought upon his I'm.
happy daughter and the Horizons. He
attempted to induce his daughter to con.
test the divorce suit, but she was not in
a condition to appear in court. The case
brought together the largest crowd eve1
gathered in Walker County.