The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-09-22
Romance In Real Life.


A strange 70 nance of low life-one
that would have delighted the heart of
Dickens-having woven IN its plot the
absorbing element of love, suicide, MUIR
der, desertion and the final triumph of
the good over the bad. has just come to
light in this city. The persons con-
cerned have already acquired notoriety
in one shape or another through the
medium of the public prints. Recently
there came TO Philadelphia from
Denver, Colorado, Mrs. Cody, q sister Of
Secretary of the Interior Teller, a venera-
BILE lady with white hair. Mrs. Cody's
| mission was to find the wife and children
of certain John SSanlon, the SON of
David Seanlon, whoj died last year in
Denver, leaving property valued at $685.
600. The only clue which the lady pos
sessed as to their identity was that Scan
Ion murdered his mother and afterward
killed himself while awaiting trial. A
search was made through the records of
the court without revealing the name of
Scanlon. Mrs. Cody went to the county
Jail, where she learned that man named
Davidson had murdered his mother, and
afterward, in June, 1882, killed himself
while awaiting his trial. Davidson was
| none other than Scanlon. David Scanlon
was born in this country. and thirty
six years ago went to tho
Dounty Donegal, Ireland, where he
married pretty lass with
blooming cheeks the happy couple sailed
for this country during the honeymoon.
Reaching New York, they stopped at a
! cheap boarding house. A short time after
landing Soanlon deserted his young wife
and left New York. He had no settled
trade or occupation, but took to ped.
ding suspenders and like articles, and,
little by little, in his wanderings drifted
west, halting in the cities by the way,
and finally settling in Denver.
Here he fourished by dint of strict
economy and constant application OF busi-
ness, and acquired a snug fortune.
After Scanlon deserted his wife, she
came to Philadelphia, likewise turned to
peddling small wares, and, after waiting
| for years for news from her husband, she
| married man named Davidson. David
son in his turn was peddler, and after
his death his wife took charge OF the lit
| tie business which he left. John Scan
| lon, the son of her first husband, born
| after he deserted her, grew up to be
simple, half f-witted lad. He drank heav-
| lily and worked only when compelled to
do so. He married some years ago, a
young woman in his own station in life
and lived happily with old Mrs. Scanlon,
\ or Davidson, as she was now called. Al
though Johns right name was Scanlon
he got the name of Davidson and went
| by it until his death. He grew quarrel
some and frequently beat his aged
mother, his wife and his two children,
both boys. John sold peanuts and huck-
stored when not off on a spree. The old
woman bore a reputation for industry
and sobriety.
On May 4, 1882, the elder folks and
the children were living huddled to-
gether in q miserably furnished attic at
No. 718 Swanson street. Young Scanlon
had been drinking heavily in the morn
ing, and the neighbors heard him quar-
reling with his mother. He went home
to dinner, and then out again for more
whisky. He was in an unusually ugly
frame of mind when he returned to the
garret shortly before dark. He picked
mp quarrel with the female occupant OF
the room below that occupied by the
family on trihing pretense, and after
his evil passions had been thoroughly
excited, turned upon his mother and
struck her in the face with his fist. The
old lady picked up chair to defene
herself, but before she could use it Scan
lon had snatched up a hatchet, ant
rushing at her hit her terrible blov
with the butt end on the top of the head
She fell to the floor insensible. Fren
zied, Scanlon jumped upon the prostrat
form and literally beat the head to
Jelly He was arrested by two of tn
, neighbors and taken by the police to tn
Second District police station. He kne'
nothing of the murder and lay all tina
night in beastly state of iItoxication
In due time he was given preliminar
hearing and committed without bal
, to Moyamensing prison to await
| trial for murder. He appeared to tax
| to his confinement cheerfully, and hi
. suicide in his cell, which occurred O
the afternoon of Monday, July 10, 1885,
created the greatest surprise anon
= the prison officials. He chose tn
method of his death with singular delil
9 GRAFTON. After having first removed a
q his clothing, he hung himself by his re
9 flannel shirt from the lower bar Of b
q cell window.
From the time of the death of her hu
;. band Mrs. John Scanlon resided vii
q Mrs. MacMitchell, friend, at Third an
q Pine streets One of her boys was put
). an orphan asylum. When Ars. Cody
luckily stumbled upon her and inform,
her of the wealth she had inherited 81
L refused to believe the story and treated
% as hoax. When pressed to go to De
o YER to claim the money she refuse
Mrs. MacMitchell, however, final
% coaxed her into the notion, and on la
d Monday evening Mrs. Cody and MI
p Scanlon, and one of her little boys, Il
% for Denver. A Wilkesbarre lawy
u named Jerome will follow them and be
! them to secure the property. Mrs. Sea
g Ion carries with her the record of b
~ mother-in Jaws marriage in Irelan
q The case comes up in the supreme COZ
70 in Denver in September for final sett
T. ment. There. is said to be no possil
doubt but that Mrs. Scanlon will get I
IN entire fortune. Her other boy will
Q. shortly sent to join her in her new fou
n, western home.-Phila Press.