The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-11-27
A MISSISSIPPI ANSWER TO AN
ARTICLE IN THE LIGHT,
In Which the other Side OF the
Quiet Melodrama" is Given.
With Variations.
STATE or MISSISSIPPI, MONROE Co, !
SnERIFF's OFFICE,


cannot pass unnoticed by those who are
acquainted with the facts 1t purports to
disclose. The writer knows the young
lady who Is said to have been abducted
from San Antonio, and also enough OF
The affair TO pronounce your reporters
information as one-sided, and interwo-
ven with very few truths.
1t is true that the wealthy widow had
an amiable son, who was married to a
young lady Of fortune, and that this
marriage was sanctioned by relatives on
both sides. Your reporters informant
omitted one very important fact,
namely: that they were both mutes.
The young lady belongs to distin-
gulshed family in Alabama, and has been
the charge Of an aunt living in Aber-
deem, Mississippi, a sacred trust conflded
to her by dying sister, whose wishes
she has religiously guarded and OBJ
served. There was n marriage settle
ment entered into, drawn with view
to the protection OF the young lady, as
was highly proper, considering her
aiilictlon, and supremacy wise, as results
have shown.
1t is true that her property was vested
in her uncle for her use. This was done
by able and distinguished counsel.
When this was being done the mother
in-law displayed an avidity In regard to
the young lady's worldly goods indeli-
cate In the extreme, contending that the
L.. a l.I .tasl 70 ar
such an instrument did not conform to
her wishes In regard to the disposition
of her property. This was found upon
the young lady being questioned upon 1t
to be entirely untrue. The instrument
was signed and the marriage con-
sumated.
These relatives to whom sinister
motives are attributed in regard to her
property have record In this country
far above either the reproach or approx
nj of the mother-in-law and that of
her relatives, who evidently fur
nished your reporter with his informa-
ton, and the action taken by them as re-
CARDS their unfortunate relative through
ont this whole affair was prompted by
the same fond solicitude which has ever
characterized them in their conduct to
her. The uncle is n gentleman OF cul-
ture and refinement, distinguished In the
polished society of Huntsville, Ala,
where he resides. lie has represented
his district in the United States Con-
gress, and his spotless character, upright
principles and generous instincts are
known far and wide.
The aunt is the widow of a distin-
guished Confederate General and re-
sides In Aberdeen, Mississippi. Her
lofty character and acts of unbounded
charity and benevolence are known in
more than one community. The same
are the attributes of the sister whose
heroism, spirit and good sense as evil
denced in this affair can not be too
highly commended.
Shortly after the death of the young
lady's husband, which occurred n few
weeks after the marriage, the aunt made
visit to her neice and was rudely re-
ceivcd by the mother-in-law, who, she
alleges, ordered her from her house. In
fact, every effort made to see her was
thwarted by the same jealous vigilance
that a cruel captor would exercise over
n luckless prisoner.
The aunt distressed by this astound-
ing earbarity at once conferred with her
relatives as to the necessary measures to
be adopted In behalf of her neioe, whose
situation now excited their alarm. Legal
steps were being taken for the purpose
of putting her in the hands Of those who
were her best and truest protectors, but
while they were in contemplation, the
sister solved the difficulty, and by a
brilliant "coupe de main" effected The
liberation Of the victim of as base and
depraved a scheme OF grasping ava
rice as human sordidness could. Invent.
That some strategy was resorted to will
not be denied; 1t was absolutely neces-
sary to defeat the hawk-like vigilance
of this mother-in-law who would not
suffer the young lady's relatives to be
alone with her and had treated all their
efforts to do SO with rudeness. Added
to this she exercised terrorizing influ-
ence over the helpless captive, endeav-
orlng all the while to poison her natural
affection for her nearest relatives by
miserable calumnies. The sister did
register under an assumed name, the
sister did use all dispatch In getting her
out Of the mother-in-law's hands, but
the statement of former attempt at alb
duotion by the aunt and male relative,
and that the young lady was placed on
the train In an unconscious condition,
together with the charge Of sinister mo-
tives against her relatives, are nothing
more or less than falsifications. The
young lady is now safe and happy in the
care OF loving relatives and In the midst
of host of friends who will uphold
them In their protection of her.
She recalls her cherries sojourn
with that mother-in-law with the
lveliest aversion, and has disclosed
brutalities both to herself and her
husband with view to influence them
in the disposition Of their fortune, which
will doubtless be the subject of further
Investigation II the auda0ity of this
mother-in-law and her coadjutors at
tempt to further modest her.
The other side of the story, which
was given so laconically. is truth chrys-
taliZed. She was kept In abject fear by
her mother-in-law; she was not per-
mitted to see her relatives; she did fly
to her relatives, and now holds in utter
detestatlon the captivity to which she
was reduced.
Since public attention is In q manner
called to the affair, let the public answer
the following questions: Whose interest
In this unfortunate lady is most natural
and afiectionate? Is II that of an uncle
aunt and sister, or that of mother-in-
law, whose acquaintance with her is. nj
least, a limited oneY In whose protec-
tion would reason and humanity natur-
ally place her, with the mother-in-law
or these nearest relatives? Whom
would the world judge as most dlsinter.
ested In affection to her and less effected
by the $4,000 which the young lady is
reputed to be worth What is the mo.
tive OF this mother-in-law In retaining
and guarding from intercourse with her
relatives this wealthy heiress9
Can 1t be simply natural love and af
lection greater than that of an aunt
uncle and sister whose wealth place