Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-31

more Belle Dies an Outcast In stuyve-
SAINT Park, Saying II Have No
Home"
Neso York Morning Journal.
1t is the custom Of the watchman in
stuyvesant square to clear the park at s
O'Clock on Sunday evenings. The CAV
throng Of laughing children and their
well-dressed elders had passed out
through the big iron gates on Sunday
evening when Park Policeman William
II. Brown noticed a middle-aged woman
leaning dejectedly against a bench in the
northern end Of the square. Going up to
her be inquired:
Are you i'll, madame
The woman uttered groan, but did not
reply. LET me assist YOU to your home"
continued the policeman. She turned to-
ward him and cried:
81 have no hOme."
Then she tottered and fell. Policeman
Brown hastily summoned assistance. but
when he returned the woman was dead.
Her clothing was neat but badly worn.
and her features, which had evidently
once been beautiful, were furrewed with
the marks OF care aud exposure. There
were no papers in her pockets bv which
she might be identified. An ambulance
was summoned and the body was re-
moved to the morgue.
structure Yesterday afternoon. While
looking at the lady the door of the morgue
opened and handsomely dressed woman,
evidently about 80 years Of age, entered.
The rich dress and glittering diamonds
looked sadly out of place in that abode of
horrors. Tremblingly the visitor glanced
around at the half dozen bodies that Law
stark and stiff beneath the black tarpau-
Inns.
'Can see the lady who was brought
here last night@ she asked in a silvery
tone of the black-bearded keeper. The
latter led her to corner of the room,
raised the covering and the fair stranger
glanced at the face, which looked as
peaceful as if the woman were sleeping.
Then she shuddered and gasped:
Ills she! tits my poor friend Mabel"
She was so overcome by the shock that
the keeper led her to a chair and brought
her restorative. When the lady had
somewhat recovered the Journal reporter
ventured to ask her for the life story of
the woman who lay dead. She consented
and began:
"Mabel Murray, for that was the maid
en- name Of my poor friend, was in her
youth the acknowledged belle of Balti-
more. We attended a young ladies' semi
nary together, and Mabel graduated with
high hOnOrS. Her father. who has been
dead for some years, was James III. Muir
ray, once well-known cotton broker of
that city. He was wealthy and the family
moved in the highest social circles. When
Mabel had made her debut in the world
OF fashion the young men of the Monu-
mental City went wild over her charms.
They wrote sOnnets on her dark eyes and
beautiful hair, and for two or three sea-
sons she reigned supreme. A young cot
ton merchant from Atlanta, Ca, named
lnglis, came to Baltimore on business
trip and was introduced by Mr.. MURRAY to
the beautiful girl. He paid her the most
asslduOuS attention, and the costly pres
ents which he shOwered upon her were
the talk Of the city. At length they were
married. was one of the bridesmaids,
and what handsome bride she wasp
The lady here broke down and went
softly for some moments. Then she re-
sumed: ''They settled in Atlanta and for
few years lived most happily. Two baby
girls were born to them, and Mabel ire
quently came to Baltimore with her pretty
children and remained for weeks with her
father and friends. After six wears. ru-
mors came to Baltimore that all was not
happiness In the Atlanta home. The fact
gradually leaked out that Mabel had be-
come an opium eater. Her husband did all
In his power to break her of the terrible
habit, and was, for a time, successful.
Then she became worse than ever. and
abandoned her daughters to the care of
others, while she slept away whole DAYS
in stupor brought on by the deadly drug,
Her heart-broken husband sent for me.
and l visited their pretty home. MY
efforts were useless, as the habit had
secured too firm hold upon it's victim,
Mr.. Inglis had his wife removed to an
asylum, where she was kept for
three years. Her husband then died and
was soon followed by her father, who left
his daughter considerable sum of money.
but the bulk of his property went to her
children, who were taken care of by
friends of the family. Poor Mabel went
from bad to worse and soon dissipated her
health. Then she drifted away from her
friends, and her daughters, who are now
gay young bellies in Baltimore society. be-
came oblivious to her fate. While in New
York for few days visit, l happened to
hear that Mabel had been seen in the vi
cinity of Stuyvesant Park, and when the
body was found l knew it was she.o
The lady took her departure in a hand
some carriage and promised to call to-day
and see that the remains of the once
proud belle were properly buried,