Daily Republican., 1881-09-16
THE WILMINGTON ROMANCE.
Ihe Real Facts Connected with
the Discovery OF Mr.. II. l.. Patter.
SON MHurned for Dead,

u,
the time through motives OF delicacy al
names were carefully suppressed. Sine,
tnat tiine however the affair has be
come public property by another paper
using the names of the parties concern,
ed and hence there can be no impro,
prlety III the EErr BLICAN now giving
u condensed but full history of the case
without any ferrid imaginations or
embellishments. The following are the
facts Of this wonderful case
Mr. /. l.. Patterson the real hero of
TINS true romance is a brother of John
{. Patterson Esq, Of this city, present
United States District Attorney Tor the
state of Delaware. He was a gentle
man well known 20 many who vet re-
mrmber him AMI lis high character en-
Tilted him 10 the respect of ali who
kne" him. About fifteen years ago he
Woood and won the hand OF Miss Kate
ltlce daughter Of one OF Wi.minptou's
well known retired merchants, now re-
siding at til" North West Corner of
fl!tli and Shlriey streets. After receiv-
ing the congratulations of their mapy
friends the newly welded and happv
Cour.e removed to Baltimore where the
husband engaged in business living a
happy life wilh his wife and child
horn to bless the union,
Like thousands of other noble but
impulsive men lie gave way to habits of
.dlSslpa!ion, and chagrned at the
thought that he was making the wife
he had promised to cherish and love
unhappy, one night about five wears
after their marriage, he hastily kissed
bis wife and child, telling them thai
they would never more see his face u,l-
Til he had reformed and made himself
worthy of their love, he left the house
After waiting a few days to see If the
crring husband would return, Mrs.
Patterson with her it'll" daughter Susie
came back 20 thcir father and grand
father residence.
y year after this u Baltimore
paper contained an account of the
suicide oi IL gentleman ut Erie, Penn
sHranla, from an overdose OF lau,la-
mum. The description Of The dead man
taIilrd SO closely to That Of the missing
NJ. Patterson, that Il frieuu at Baltl- |
more sent a copy on to Mrs. Patterson
III" latter AZ once recognized in the de- |
srription hsr lost husband, and Mr.
samuel Patterson, another brother,
Went to Erie, and from a close inv,sti- |
cation he was fully convinced that the |
man who had destroyed himself was
his brother. He reco.lected that his |
brother had the initials CT L. F."
pricked with India ink on his arm, and |
on the arm of the deceased were the
letters 81. P.," the inference being
that while living the deceased had tried |
10 obliteIate every trace whereby he
could be identified. In every respect,
appearance, size, habits and actions,
he proof but accumulated that he was
his lost brother, and the remains were
lisinterred from the Lake Shore and
brought to this city and inferred in the
family vault in the Wilmington Il
Cemetery,
Mrs. Patterson nurSed her grief
through several more succeeding years,
sincerely mourning her loss, and re-
using several offers Of marriage but
never once thinking that the remains
If her husband were not quietly sleep
ng in the cemetery.
Last November, however, an init
nate friend received letter in the
Tell-known handwriting, and signed
" r. l.. Patterson, asking for informa-
ion of his wife and child. There could
,e no doubt Of the genuinesS of the let.
er, and without apprlzing Mrs. Patter-
on Of his discovery he wrote back to
'lr. Patterson the information he de-
ired.
1t appears that Mr.. Patterson on
eaving Baltimore went to Texas, and
ngageu successfully in cattle raising. :,
selling out he engaged successfully
lso in teaming to New Mexico. He
ad overcome his habits which made
i'm leave home, and had accumulated
uch snug amount that he wrote to I
is wife and chilli, but through some !
arelessness on the part of the messen-
er the letter never reached the office to
e uailed, and consequently he never
eceivel ary reply from those Gearer tr
i'm than his own life.
To make matters worse, the lndi"n"
lad9 a descent upon the settlenr ,
apturinS Mr.. Patterson and takin@
is money and other property. In IL Z
ally escaped from his captors and =
'alked forty miles to the nearest settle =
lent, but destitute and pennlless to
omlnence life eanew again. He worked
is way back, however, to Wisconsin,
there he had some friends, and here he
for the third time to build
y his broken fortunes, and being sober {
nd Industrious he succeeded III accu- t
again handsome compe- {
pnce, and he once more wrote to his $
wife with better success than when he
vrote from New Mexico.
There is little else to tell in the case.
he remains of the stranger in tie Will
linglon & Brandywine Cemetery are |
ot those of r. l.. Patterson, and at the a
esidence of Mr.. Rice couple of happy S
odies-the wife and daughter of T. l.. {
'atterson-are busy making prepara-
ions to receive the long lost husband
nd father some time in October, and
,ill return with him to his Western !:
ONE, where, it is hoped, they will live ,,
lany years in the enjoyment of that
appiuess which was so sadly inter
upted in the early part of their mar
=