The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-10-27
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
A LANCASHIRE ESoCH ARDEN WITHOUT
ESoGH,s SPIRIT OF sACRIFIcE-A CHECK
Erred FAMILY HISTORY.

II y
A LANCASHIRE ESoCH ARDEN wITHoU
: ENoGH's SPIRIT OF sACRIFTCE-A cHEcF
E Erred FAMILY HISTORY
J New York Herald
! A romance of real life of tue Enoch Arde
character was reported at Police Heac
: quarters on Saturday, and yesterday at th
. Corener's Office. A modest looking matror
: plainly but neatly attired, a Mrs. Meyers
the wife of a Greenpoint artizan, calle'
, upon the above named officials in search O
Information relative TO the mysterious an
iprotracted disappearance of her father
, Daniel Bank, whom she had not seen for
number of wears. Neither could anythin:
be learned beyond a rumor to show whethe
he was living or dead. a search of tn
Erecords of the Coroner's Office was made
: Mrs. Meyers could give no definite dat:
Further than the general statement that sh,
had not seen her father since 1868. Some
three wears ago, however, lady friend haC
informed her that the newspapers of some
previous date had contained notice of her
fathers death. After considerable Difficult
" and delay, Clerk Toal at last satisfied
he woman's curiosity and set her mind a
rest regarding the fate of her parent. He
had died suddenly in cheap lodging house
at No 60 Mott street, August 10, 1869, in
the thirty-eighth year of his age. The in
tquest proceedings, which were conducted by
ICoroner Flynn, showed that deceased had
been in failing health for a long time, and
Illad been an inmate of hospital for four
months previous TO his taking up his resi-
Idence in the abode where he had come by
his death.
Strange to say until recently Mrs. Meyers
was but imperfectly acquainted with her
| fathers antecedents. He had been absent
| from home for such a long time that she
was brought up to regard him as dead.
Subsequent interesting events have, however,
| quickened her curiosity to ascertain more
about her fathers history. With that OBJ
lect in view she was engaged in accumula-
ting testimony which, when properly re-
duced to legal form, would she was con
WINGED, make her heiress to a property in
| England worth 9600 sterling. From
| Mrs. Meyers and other reliable sources the
history of the deceased was obtained
Daniel Bank was born in Lancashire,
England, in 1881, where he obtained a
liberal education. His father was pros
porous architect and builder Before he
had outgrown his teens he ran away from
home and came to this country. Having
been carefully educated in his fathers
profession, he readily obtained employment,
at liberal wages, in this city. He had not
yet attained his majority when he fell in
love with a bright young girl whom he
married For few years his welded life
was attended by happiness and prosperity.
A daughter was born to him; his business
increased and riches seemed to flow in upon
him. 1t appears, however, that prosperity
spoiled him. He purchased a fast horse to
keep pace with his own headlong career of
extravaganza. He went to horse races and
became professional sport. Money slipped
through his fingers like sand. His wife, who
was possessed of less extravagant notions,
took exceptions to these spendthrift habits.
Finding that he was opposed in his life of
expenditure and gayety, he took the notion
into his head to abandon his wife and child.
Being impetuous i'll all things, he carried
out this unnatural design. This estrange-
ment took place over quarter of a century
ago Nothing was seen or heard of him for
a number of years thereafter. In the mean
time his wife had advertised for him in the
newspapers, and deeming him dead she
married again. Her second husband, Mr.
Vanderwall, was a steady man and a cap
tain of a coasting schooner. During the
time of her fancied widowhood, and for
some time after her second marriage, Mrs.
Vanderwall resided in Pearl street.
One day, years after the disappearance of
her first husband, while she was happy in
her subsequent marriage relations and |
having children, Daniel Bank returned |
From being a handsome young man he bad |
sadly degenerated in appearance. But he |
professed to be repentant. His reappear-
ance was a profound surprise. The matron |
found herself placed in an awkward dilem !
ma. Her affections and allegiance, however,
were conferred in her second husband. A /
family caucus was held The prodigal |
should be propitiated for the loss of his
wife. At one time domestic war was
threatened hut was aYerted by the business
like Diplomacy of Mrs. VanderwalI. A |
was effected The truant spouse
could obtain possession of his daughter, and
leave Mrs. Vanderwall to live in peace with
her supplemental lord and their interesting
offspring. To this arrangement the high
contracting parties signed their consent.
Father and daughter took up their residence
in Madison street, where they lived happily
together for several years, he in the mean
time working steadily at his trade He
never, however rallied from the blow he
had received at the forced sePaI alton from
his wife, He took to drink and became
From his relatives in England
he was in the habit of receiving monthly
1t appears that he was the
only son of an only son. His father died a
few years since, but his grandfather sur
viYed up to few months ago, Father and
laughter lived together until 1853 One
day he left the house, saying he vas going
to cash checkshe had received from Eng
and, and from that time nothing was
heard of him. The demise of the grand
father threw the family estate into his
hands, or, in the event of his demise, the
children. If any, became the heirs. A
eadfng lawyer Of this city was given charge
IF the case, and he instituted such inquiries
IS resulted in the discovery of Mrs. Meyers,
who, years after the death Of her father,
lad married her present husband, a Ger
nan mechanic. Her mother and step
ather still survive with their grown-qp
children. She, heiag the only daughter of
Daniel Bank, expects to become heiress to
he EGO, 900 which have been left by the
lecease of her grandfather.