Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-17
A Philadelphia Romance.
HEIRs 10 FORTUNE FOUND IN Low LIFE BIT sEcRR
TARY TRLLERs SISTER.

HEIRS 10 FORTUNE FOUND IN Low LIFE BIT sEcRR-
TARY rRLLRR's SISTER.
A telegram to the New York World from Phila-
delphia, August 10. says: This city has been the
scene OF strange romance In real nfe In the plot
OF which the tragic elements OF love- suicide muir.
der and desertion were interviewer. The romance
ends dramatically. with the triumph Of the good
over the bad and q poor widows unexpected ac-
cessten to comparative wealth.
On saturday last Mrs Cody, venerable white.
ma @ sister OF the Secretary of the Interior
10 TINS city from Denver In search OF the wife ana
cniloren OF son OF David Scanlon, who died in
Oenver, leaving property valued at s2s,oDa The
Identity was that scanon had murdered S his nofSr
ana afterwards killed himself while waiting trial
a search was made through the records OF the
@From the coroner's office Mrs. Cody went 10 the
county jail, where she learned that man named
wards, in June 1882 killed himself while awaiting
his trial. No such name as Scanlon had been heard
OF by the prison ofncials. subsequent investiga-
ton. however, proved that Daviison's real name
was John Scanlon. and that he was the son OF
David Scanlon. or Denver. The wife and two sons
or the murderer and suicide were then discovered
without difficulty and Informed OF their GOOD for.
tune, very much to their establishment
David Scanlon was born In this country. Thirty
SIX years ago he went to Ireland and married q
comely lass Of Donegal, whom he soon afterwards
brought back with him. Soon after reaching New
west He finally settled in Denver where. by CON.
slant application to business, he amassed q for
tune winch ne beQueathed at his death to charfta-
never attempted to ind the young wife he had lett
unprotected and penniless In a strange city Two
nepheWs, therefore, came forward and contested
the Will on the ground OF insanity. Although it
was believed that there were other heirs living no
tldlngs OF them could be obtained and the neph.
eWs were awarded the entire estate.
After ScanlOn deserted his wife she came TO this
CITY ana earned living by peddllng small wares
she waited several years for news OF her trua mt
husband, but finally concluded that he was dead,
ana married man named Davidson, who died
ABOUT ten years ago. John, her son by Scanlon
took the name OF his stepfather AS he grew up
he began to drink heavily and formed bad associa-
In his own station In life and the couple lived
with his mother. In his drunken fits he frpouent-
" beat his aged mother, his wife and his two
On the 4th day Of May, 1882, the elder folks and
the children were living huddled together in q
miseraoly furnished thirdstory attic In one OF the
drinking heavily in the morning and the neighbors
mad heard him quarreling with his mother. when
to the EarIes shortly before Dark
In the face with his fist. The old woman
picked up a chair to defend herself, but
Seto.e she could use 1t scanlon had snatched up
hatchet, and, rushing at her, he hit her terrible
blow with the butt-end on the top of the head
She Ieli TO the floor insensible Frenzled, Scanlon
the head TO Jelly. He was arrested by two two
OF MS neighbora He was committed to await a
trial for murder. His suicide In his CELL which
occurred 1os on the afternoon OF Monday, July 10.
1852 created the greatest surprise among the
prison of1cials. After having inrst removed ali
MS clothing, he hung himself by his red flannel
: Mrs John Scanlon, when Informed OF the wealth
InaI she mad inherited, refused to believe the
story, and treated it as a hoax. Lost Monday
her little boys left for Denver Mrs Scanlon car
ries with her the record OF her mother-in-law's
marriage In Ireland. The case comes I'D In the
settlement