Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-10
CnEsEBRouGH,s FoRTuNE.
The Woman who Lived in Bis Fort
Washington "rpsion Said to Have
Been Found

The Woman who Lived in ufs Fort
Washington "ppsicn Said to Have
Been Found.
NEW YORK, June Obligation is
likely 10 be renewed shortly over the
property left by the late Blasius NJ. Cheese
brough, an eccentric Englishman, who
/ lived years ago in an old house at Fort
Washington, and was famous in town up
to the time Of his death, in 1866 as Count
/ ChesebrOugh. He bought the title in
/ Italy. He and two brothers inherited
from their father Andronicus, and their
| mother, Margaret, real estate in the lower
part of this city which is now valued
at several millions of dollars.
He lived alone, in princelY style,
at his Fort Washington home after
he got the title, and travelled about
with richly-dressed valet. At one time
he advertised his own funeral in the daily
papers, and then waited at home to greet
those who called to attend the services.
He explained the freak afterward by say
ing that be wanted to find out Just who
would be likely TO come to his funeral il
be really had died. After trying this eX-
pertinent he unexpectedly brought to his
home one day a rather comedy woman,
who lived with him until his death. 1t
was generally understood that she was
the Counts wife, and that the child who
lived with them, and who bore marked
resemblance TO the Count, was his daugh-
ter by the marriage.
One of the Counts brothers died after
the marriage, and when the Count him
self died, his only surviving brother,
Charles A. Chesebrough, who is now
living at NorthpOrt, l.. l., came into pos
session OF the Counts property, asserting
that the woman who had lived with him
was not his wife, and that he died without
lawful issue. In 1871 decision was enter
ed in favor of the plaintiff, Charles, and
down town business prOpertSe valued at
100000 was turned over to lin. lmme-
diately after the case was decided
against her the woman and the
child both left the city,
and all trace of them was lost for years.
Yesterday interest was renewed in her
case by the report that New York law
yer, who had been collecting evidence for
a new trial of the case, in order to estab-
lish the woman's claim to a dover inter-
est, had discovered the woman living at
the WOman's Mission Home in Nashville,
under the name of Nellie Jackson. She
had been living there ever since she left
New York. 1t is not stated whether her
child is with her or not.
Mrs. Hannah ChesebrOugh, of 351 East
Eighty-third street, is the daughter.in-la
of Charles A. Chesebrough. She was the
wife OF the late Charles A. ChesebrOugh,
Jr., and was divorced from her husband
by Justice Donohue many years ago.
AlimOny was awarded to her. Under a
peculiar provision of the original wills of
Andronicus and Margaret Chesebrough.
however, she cannot receive any money
from the estate until the death of Charles
A. Chesebrough, the Counts surviving
brother.
Il don't know whether Nellie jackson
really was the Counts wife," Mrs. CHEESE
brough said last night, "but l am sure
that the child that she carried away with
her was the Counts daughter. Nobody
could possibly doubt that who ever saw
the Count. The resemblance was remark
atle. | said at the time to my father-in-
law that it wasn't right TO permit the
little one TO 20 unpr0vided for, but my
advice wasn't needed. / for one shall be
glad if the new legal proceedings to es-
tabllsh the claims of the woman and child
succeed"
NASHVILLE, Tenn, June 9.-James X.
Averill, a lawyer OF New York, room 1913,
Temple court, arrived to-day and went to
the WOman's Mission Home and called
for an inmate named Nellie jackson. 1t
was developed that the woman was the
wife of BlazZrus NJ. Cbesebrough of New
L OIhs WuO ultu IN $500, anu VINO was
known as Count Chesebrough, having
purchased an Italian title. He had two
children, one now dead. but the other
married and is living in Brooklyn. In 1871
ChesebrOugh's brother Charles set UP the
claim that he had died without lawful is
sue and got possession Of property worth
over $2,00O,0OO, principally real estate in
New York State. Suit will be at once en-
tered 20 recover Mrs. Chesebrough's dover
interest and that of her daughter. Mrs.
ChesebrOugh, under the name of Nellie
Jackson, led life OF shame in Nashville
for fifteen years. Several times she has
been an inmate of the Mission Home,
place Of refuge for repentaDt prostitutes.
One night a month ago she WAS on her
way TO enter a den of shame when she
stopped and heard Rev. Sam Jones
preaching, aud then determined to COM
pletely reform. The lawyer arrived to-
day and says there is not a shadow Of
doubt that Mrs. Chesebrough's claims will
be fully established.