The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-04-19

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Alleged u,other. who Disowned HIS s's.
ter In Her Fall Hut IL willing 10 Accept
the Price Of uer shame.
CHICAGO. lU., April ".
Mr.. Austin A. Canavan,the attorney en-.
ployed by Andrew Cunningham, of this
city, toprosccutc the latter's claims to tho
estate Of Kate Townsend, the murdered
New Orleans cyprlan, was seen yesterday !
In relation TO Cunnlngham's prospects Of
success. Mr. Cunningham Is not at pres.
cnt In the city, but II is understood that
he firmly believes that the Townsend wd-
man was his sister. She was
murdered by her alleged husband,
Trolsyillo Sykes, few months
ago, and Sykes, who was made sole heir
to her fortune Of about $3.50, 900, was ac-
quilted. lie has been prevented, how
ever, from obtaining possession Of tho
property, by legal process, and II Is now
tied up In the courts. The fact has al
ready been published that Cunningham
instituted suit 10 secure the properly, rs
one Of the woman's nearest living rela-
tlyes, and the circumstances which In
duced him 10 this course are somewhat
peculiar. Tho story ns told by Mr.. Can
avan IL as follows, From proofs aud
other reliable Information now In the
possession Of Cunningham II would seem
that he and his two brothers here have ut
least good claIm 10 the estate. Mr.. Gun
bingham discovered his relationship with
the woman In singular manner. At tbs
time Of her death lengthy reports OF the
tragedy were printed In the local press.
lie read the first telegraphic report Of the
homicide, and, experiencing a peculiar
AVID altogether Irresistible interest In the
matter, followed the case up. Ills inter-
est seemed TO cease after the last report
had chronlcled the lntermcnt Of Kate
Townsend aud the holding Of Sykes
for trial. II was several weeks later
when on Sunday forenoon he
purchased q local morning paper.
lie had not been reading the paper long
when his eyes rested son reprinted In
tcrylew between q New DREAMS reporter
and Mrs. Anna IIournboose, tho woman
who had done Kate Townscnd's washing
for twenty years. In that article II was
stated by Mrs. Hournboosc, who lives
on Rocheblane, near Palmyra street, New
Orleans, that Kate once told her 10 the
course of confidential conversation that
she had relatives living In America, nnn
that her real name was Cunningham
She continued that instead OF Kate her
given name was Bridget and that her
home was In Waterford, County Cork,
Ireland. Like a fash tho startling intellI.
gence passed through the mans mind,
and he remembered that he, TOO, had q
sister whose name was Bridget cunning
ham, and that she was born at the home
OF her parents, who had lived In Water
ford, Ireland He felt almost certain
that the dead woman was MS own sls'ef. !.
but he feared 70 associate MS good nam'
with that oil the dead eyprinn, who hao
been the most notorious woman of hef
Kind In the South. lie did not rest the
matter, and opened correspondence
with friends living a. New Or
leans. u was asceiiained by him ~ that
manner that kntc Townsend must have
been his sister. He also remembered
that his sister Bridget had pone
south twenty.three OF twenty-five yearz
before, and tiat because shc gave her-
sell up W liie OF shaine nc and ms
brothers had broken on al communi'
cation with her and finally lost track
OF her entirely. Since the matter has
been given 70 Mr. Canasan valuable
Information has been received from vari-
Gus police oniclals and Catholic priests
OF the Crescent City. The Information