Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-29

GOutesthntss
BALTIMORE, July 2G.-The details of
suit involving over one million dollars
have Just come to light here through the
lawyers engaged In the case. They fur
nish ample groundwork for romantic
narrative, the truth OF which, we're il not
supported by indisputable facts, would no
doubt be questioned. The interest in the
case is heightened by the fact that among
the claimants Of the property in question,
which is situated in Toledo, Ohio. are
President Hayes. Chief Justice NJ r.
Waite OF the Supreme Court of the United
States, and Myron II Tilden, n cousin of
the Hon. Samuel j. T'ildan OF New York.
The main facts of the story are given by
records in possession of Mr.. John II.
Handy OF the Baltimore bar, from which
the following narrative liz derived
In the year 1872 there lived in Biiti-
more SEA captain named Ford who
marri,d oue bovey Buekirt, widow, for
merry MISS Lovey Ward of Somerset
county. Md, aud lived with her quietly
for several months. About year after, Ia
the war with Great Britain, he fitted out
prlvateer, and sailed from this port on a
cruise. He was captured by British
cruisers and incsrcersted in Dartmor
prison. whence he escaped by tunntlpg,
and made his way to Sweden. At the
close of the war he returned TO his wife,
aud found her hvlDg with three or four
year-old girl. which he was informed was
his child Emelne Ford, M the little one
was called was even nj that period remark
able for her beauty.
Captain Ford, after remaining at home
a time, became tired of inaciion and fitted
out SLAYER, in which he made several
trips to the coast of Africa. landing his
carRoes of slaves at Charleston. Savannah,
aud on the island OF Cuba. Ga his re-
turn from his last trip he qunrreled with
his wife and went West, then, in 1917, a
wilderness He was gone three months,
and located supdry land warrants, among
Others one at the indian block house al
the mouth OF the Maumee River, now the
site of the city of Toledo. Returning to
Baltimore he found his wife still unyied-
ing, and bidding final adieu to the Uni
ted States he entered the Mexican navy as
Lieutenant, and after cruising around the
world died in that service in 1922 intestate,
leaving his wife and daughter, who were
still in Baltimore, and mother and sister
in Connecticut.
Mrs. Ford, after being abandoned by
her husband, went from bad to worse
until she became proprietress of noted
bagnio in this city. Her daughter,
Emeline, had grown up to a surprisingly
beautiful woman, and became the chief
attractions of her mothers house. With
her life alone are associated many TRACE
dies, involving the suicide and ruin of her
admirers, whom she in turn dismissed
after enriching herself at their expense.
At length society was shocked by her
marriage to one OF Baltimore's most
wealthy merchant princes, who became
infatuated with her. Three persons are
now living in this city, the descendants OF
this union, whose names stand high in
social and financial circles. Mrs. Ford
continued to keep her resort for some
years after her daughters marriage, and
accumulated comfortable fortune. Then
she retired to quiet residence in the
suburbs.
In the year 1893 number OF gent, mer
came to this city from Toledo to look ut
the heirs OF the property in that place
which Capt. Ford had acquired title to
The gentlemen had little difficulty in ind
ing Mrs. Ford for she was well known al
over the city. As wife of Cspt. Ford sh,
was regarded AZ the heir at law To thes,
gentlemen Mrs Ford represented tina
Emeline was the legitimate and only chill,
OF Capt. Ford by her. She sold he
dowry interest in the Toledo land to thes
gentlemen, and caused Emeline to conve
her title for some insignificant sum
Meanwhile another party had noted til
growing Importance of Toledo, an
inquired ~ to the title to the Ford lots
, then lying vacant and unenclosed. Fl
discovered, as he thought. that the Con
, necticut sisters of Capt. Ford were tn
, Captains heirs,at law, having heard tia
he had no Legitimate child. He thereupo
purchased from them the title of the sam
/ property.
Thus the matter stood for years, unit
/ Ben Wade got an interest 10 the property
1 Wade sent his emisssres to Baltimore
1 look into the title, They found the ma
t riage of Capt Ford and Lovey Buskirt r,
corded in old st. Psul's parish record an
: also procured the affidavits of a sister {
: Mrs. Ford, Elizabeth Ward who had live
/ as girl of IL with her sister while Gap
r Ford was prisoner in England The
t investigation apparently established hey on
s doubt the validity of the title. Toled
I tOhtihhtu w SioW, anu NJ itbBlu
s this disputed property. A great railroa
n depot was built on it by trunk line, hol,
r ing title under the Baltimore deed fro
Mrs. Ford and her daughter Emeline.
is said that more than 200 dwellings, wei
!. put on land purchased under that till
- which were mainly occupied by Il
owners. Nearly the whole of the FIT
r. ward of Toledo now lies upon this pro-
N erty. No enclosures having been pr
around the property by the elaiman
A under either title, the whole case rested c
. the soundness of the paper title.
q Among other persons who BEGAN
=, largely interested in the Baltimore tit
: were Rutherford b. Hayes and Chi
y Justice Waite. The owner of the Come
ticut title was Judge Myron H. Tilden,
cousin of Samuel j. Tilden. In 1875,
10 thereabouts some of the holders of Il
y Baltimore title, becoming uneasy, begi
d proceedings against Judge rilden in Il
% Court of Common Pleas of Toledo,
fe quit their title; but Hayes, Wait I'll
y railroad company, and by far the MAORI
VI of the owners under that title refused
u join in the proceedings, and got no ben
= No from them. Attorneys were sent
y Baltimore to take testimony, and judi
"a Ii!den obtained counsel here Eyerythil
At seemed to go on well with the plaintiff
% They proved the marriage from the rtgi
u ter, then in the custody Of the late Ere
!, erick U. Bruno az an officer of St. Pau
u Episcopal Church, also the baptism of Il
child Emeline in the Catholic church {
y Broadway, as "Emeline Ford and til,
IS were about to return to Toledo with til
u proof, when some one suggested the e
: ANIMATION of the sister of Mrs. For
III above referred to.
~ The sister, Elizabeth, who was tn,
l. married to a man named johnson Al
II was living near Marion, a few miles fro
ie Orisfield, Somerset county, Nd, WI
III visited by the plaintiffs attorneys. 81
n WAS then an old woman with long list
10 children and grand children. The ATTIC
neys spent one whole day in propoundii
10 aud getting the answers to IL question
~ aud returned to Toledo with the depo,
~ tons. These depositions ss put in
40 court made'the witness swear that Em
er line was the daughter of Captain Ford al
OF his wife Lovey. The Court on this e,
ne deDce, decreed in favor of the b iltimo
IL title, aud quoted the same as to all tho
e, plaintiffs who had joined in the procee
III ings.
as About one year afterward Tole,
10 ne Sspaper published an account of h
case, headed "a Million of Proper
III Saved by Maryland Witness" III
p article WAS copied by Baltimore newsu
by per and one morning Mrs. johnson n
a. Elizabeth Wood, while Mt country sto
y, in her neighborhood, heard the prophet
OF of tie store read this article. She at on
pronounced the dispositions nurporting