The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-06-19
PHILADELPHIA LADY SWINDLED.

just become cogniZant of the facts sur
rounding a most pitiful story, and the I'M
fortunate lady who is the principal char
acter in the sad drama is receiving many
expressions Of sympathy and offers of
material aid to gain the point upon which
her life almost depends. Briefly told the
story is this:
About six years ago there lived in Arch
street this city, ayoung widow, chldless,
of excellent family, considerable wealth
| and attractive person. She had the en-
tree to the best society in Philadelphia,
and at a party on West Walnut street
was introduced by her sister to a gentle
man from New York, who was then tenn
porarily stopping here. The gentleman,
who was an exceedingly handsome man,
and whose dress and manners proved his
familiarity with good breeding and good
society, was struck with the charms of
the young widow, and in few short
weeks proposed. He was, he said,
bachelor; had very wealthy family con-
nections, and was at that time connected
with a New York mercantile house. In
vestigation by the friends of the lady re-
suited in the veriicaton of these state
ments, and the gentleman's social status
and family resi- 10 liability being establish
ed, marriage speedily followed
After brief honeymoon the gentleman
took his bride to Boston, where apart
ments were taken in first class board
ing-house on Murray Hill, right in the
aristocratic quarters of the city. In
month or SO the husband had so far won
upon the confidence and devotion of his
young wife that he had little difficulty in
inducing her to place in his hands So
600 in government bonds. part of her
private fortune This sum, he represent
ed, was to be used in this business
About two years after the marriage a
little girl was born, and the husband and
his wife for a time became more attached
to each other than ever. He still con-
tinued his demand for money, and was
continually accommodated by his trust
ing and devoted wife. Finally the hus-
band began to grow careless in his atten-
,ons, absented himself from his wife and
, child for days and weeks together and
otherwise gave his victim unmistakable
reason to believe that her hopes of happi-
ness with him were dispelled forever.
Finding that he had obtained the last
cent of money, the scoundrel began de-
mands on his wife of such family jewelry
as she possessed, thus gaining possession
of some fine plate and other hairlooms
which she treasured highly by reason of
their associations. But this state of
things could not continue forever, and
after demand for money which was re-
fused, for the reason that her supplies
were exhausted, the husband threw off
the mask and came out in his true colors.
\ volley of oaths and language of the
most brutal and vulgar description at last
replied to the wife's appeal that her hus-
band would remain at home, and about
month ago, after visit, the brute threat
ened the poor woman with violence if she
didn't obtain for him money, he didn't
care how or from whom. Finally the
hcart-broken wife wrote to her friends
in this city about her condition and her
case was placed in the hands of proper
legal representative. \ watch kept on
the movements of the husband resulted
in startling discovery. 1t had been
suspected that the man had entangling
alliances otherwise which might account
for the treatmet his wife received, and
this theory proved true. No one, how
ever, has suspected the worst. The man
was found to be living in grand style
on street which crosses Fifth Avenue,
and not far from that aristocratic thor
oughfare, and there is reason to believe
that he is living with his wife and that
he was already married when he woocd
and Won the lady i'll this city. The sad
sequel of this real life romance, however,
yet remains to be told. A few weeks
ago. the bereaved wife and sorrowful
mother visited some friends living in
New York city, bringing with her her
two year old daughter.
Since the discovery of her husbands
fa;thlessnesS, the mother had become
presumably attached to her child, and
found in this tie some measure of COM
tort. The mother and child visited 4
large dry goods establishment in New
York, and while the lady made some
purchases the child was permitted to
play around. When the lady had com
| pleted her purchases she looked around
and found that her child was gone.
The distracted mother, nearly frantic
with grief. caused quite an excitement in
the store by her piteous appeals for her
child, but the mystery of its disappear
ance was soon solved. A clerk in the
store came up and calmed her by saying
that the child was all right-that it had
gone in carriage with a gentleman.
" \ gentleman-whatg gentleman ~
"Your hulsband-her father" was the
reply. The clerk had seen the husband
and wife together in the store in happier
days, and naturally conjectured that
there was nothing wrong in allowing the
child to be taken by its father.
The mother with the piercing cry,
''IIe has stolen my child, y swooncd away
and had to be carried from the store
The ease was placed in the hands of pri-
waite detectives, who blcd the unfortu-
nate lady out of hundreds of dollars, one
man getting $500 in one day. Finally
Superintendent Walling, of the New
York police, was appealed to and he is
making every cxertion to find the stolen
child. In the meantime, proceedings are
being taken for divorce, and in few
days the public will learn the names of
the actors to the sad drama, the story Of
which has now been told.
|