The Indianapolis journal., 1883-07-06
FROM BELLE TO BEGGAR.
Downfall of a Woman Who Was Engaged
to ChiefJastice Chase

Olean, N. Y, Letter in Philadelphia Press.
While in New York the other day your
correspondent noticed gray yhaired woman
begging at the foot of the steps leading to the
Fourteenth station of the Sixth-avenu ue
Elevated road. A gentleman who was with
me said that the woman's name was Lucy E.
Maclem, and that she was person of literary
tendencies.
Residents of this place recognize in the
name singular and unhappy woman we'll
known here, whose strange actions have
caused much comment. Her mania foI
buStles is predominant characteristic of her
wardrobe. In summer and winter alike she
wore dark calico dress, with long full
skirt and a waist of style in vogue twenty
or twenty-five years ago She is tall and in
other days doubtless graceful
She was the daughter of Captain Maclem,
who served in the Revolutionary war, and
who afterward moved with his family
to Ohio and from there to Springville Erie
county, in this State. Lucy Maclem and her
sister Sarah moved from there about twenty
five years ago to this place When the two
girls were young Lucy was a great belle, was
very pretty. talented and gay, and her ad-
mirers were many. She wrote poetry of some
merit. as the pages of Graham" Cooley"
and the "Knickerbocker' testified. One OF
her best pieces was a satire on a schoolmas-
ter, who had in some manner given her
OAICiioC. ~ iiaQ SISdL run Lie ueWSpd-
pers of that day. She had wide correspond
ence with men OF letters, and among them
Mr. Longfellow.
She became acquainted with the late Chief
justice Salmon P Chase in the bloom of her
youth, and the friendship established ter
minated in an engagement of marriage. Cor
respondence continued between the two for
some time, when suddenly the letters ceased.
The reason of this Lucy would never dis
close, but it was not very long after this that
her friends noticed that her actions were
very strange. She manifested more and
more crazy impulses, until finally she be-
came hopelessly insane. For twenty years
she has wandered aimlessly dependent upon
the charity OF her sister Sara.
Some OF Lucy's habits are very singular.
For years she haunted the banks of this city.
continually inquiring for remittanees that
never came. Finally she gave this up and
took to borrowing. or trying to borrow, small
sums of money. Her usual manner was TO
enter a store when the proprietor was most
busily engaged, apologize for her intrusion
in lady-like manner, and ask for the loan
and never less. A refusal had no effect, as
she would return pext day with an apology
and a similar request She has frequently
been to New York, and several years ago she
went to Washington to see certain members
OF Congress about a subsidy which she
CIdltneu size WAS enblIleQ 10 as an auLnOreSS.
1t is mystery how she obtained money for
her travels Some say she did not use any
money at all, but trusted to the gallantry OF
conductors not to put her off their trains
between the stations, and when she had
gone as far as possible on one train she
would patiently await the arrival of the
next.
Some of her vagaries are shown by an in
cident that happened here five or six years
ago. Theodore Tilton was to lecture one
evening, and she took her stand at the foot
of the stairs awaiting his coming. When he
appeared, in company with several men, she
went toward him, touched him on the shoul-
der and said
'Mr. Tilton, want you to pay me the
money you owe me-"
Tlton was so sstonished that for some
time he was unable to say anything, but at
length asked her for what he was indebted to
her.
you have been using my lecture long
enough" she replied, "and now l want you
to pay me for it."