The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-07-14
A FEMALE TRAMP,
THE DAUGHTER OF A TITLED ENGLISuMAN
AN oUTCAST-STARvING IN A
FREIGHT CAR,

Some days ago a shabbily dressed, fee
BILE woman of about torty-three years of
age was visible on the streets of Port
Jervis, New York. At the police station
where she slept she gave her name as
Elizabeth Benjamin, of Statfordshire,
England. On the 18th she disappeared,
but was heard from on Tuesday in Mid
dletown. Mrs. Benjamin is on her way
to New York, and has walked all the way
from San Francisco.
| Inquiry reveals the fact that she was
the daughter of Sir Edward IIarc"urt,
ut one time one of the most brilliant
young English orators. Her mother was
Il variety actress, who lived in Wales to
escape the persecution of Sir Edward S
family, who opposed his mesallinnce.
When the babe was born she was christ
ened Pauline Elizabeth Harcourt. She
was given all the advantages OF a super
ior education. and early in life evinced
great poetical genius. Her mother was
a direct descendant of Sir Phillip Francis,
who is believed to have been the author
of the celebrated political essays which
startled all England from 1869 to III,
and which were signed Junius.
Walter p. Benjamin, of South Carolina
nephew of Judah p. Benjamin, at one
time Treasurer of the Con ederate States
of America met Miss Pauline at Swansea,
| Wales, when she was seventeen years
old. \ mutual attachment was formed.
Her father death. however summoned
her home. Benjamin, who was but
twenty-five, followed her, and contrived
to see her occasionally Finally the
young laey's mother learned of these
stolen interviews, and a terrible scene
ensued. Pauline begged tn be allowed
to marry her American sweetheart. but
her mother remained firm, and finally
sent her to st. Andrews, i'll Scot land, tC
school.
BY means of prearranged signals the
young lady, previous to leaving home,
managed to inform her lover whittier she
was going. Young Benjamin found il
convenient to visit ST. Andrews fire.
quently and, in 1860, they We're married
on Pauline twentieth birthday. When
Lady liarcourt heard the news of he.
daughters secret marriage and learned
that she had fled from tie school at st
Andrews she was stricken with paralysis
and died shortly afterwards. Young
Benjamin came to the United States AT
once upon hearing of the rebellion ant
enlisted in the Confederate Navy, where
he remained until the close of the war
He then specialized in cotton, made con
siderable money aud started by water fol
California, accompanied by his wife, il
1870. They had one child, who died oil
the voyage to the isthmns. They were
delayed in leaving Aspinwall and Pauline
and her husband We're stricken with :
terrible fever. which resulted i'll the
death of Mr.. Benjamin.
After the burial of her husband at sea
the young widows reason was partly de
stroyed. and at San Francisco she wa,
placed in an asylum. Six years later She
escaped and walked to Virginia City
She was next heard from at Corinne
Nevada.
in the fall of 1878 she wandered through
Wyoming. When near the site of the
Custer massacre. along Wind river, Sh,
was captured by a band of Indians. y
what tribe she does not remember, al
though her description OF their life an,
habits is very accurate and proves tina
her story is true one. The Indians
finding that she was returning to til,
home of her pale face friend, gave he
some dried meat and started her on he
way rejoicing.
From Fort Reno, Wyoming Tern itory
to Fort Pierra, in Dakota, she was il
company with some soldiers coming East
and in 1879 she came from Fort Pierre t.
Iankton, and thence by rail to Omaha.
From Omaha she managed to ge
through by stealing rides upon frcish
trains and walk ing. On one occasion
she nearly lost her life by being burne,
in a freight car which had taken fire.
She has the key of Il safe deposit vaul
in New York city where, she says, he
husband left a large sum of money. Thi
she intends to secure and sail immediatel
for Wales, where she hopes to end he
days.