The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-09-02
A TERRIBLE STORY.
A Brother and Sister Married for Thlr-
teen Years, Become Insane.

t08u xC01DH Jul
-|
NFw YORK, August S.-Several years ago
a pitful story was told OF how a man came
to marry his own sister and live with her for
several years without knowing that she was
a relative. When a boy he had gone to
California, where he stayed twenty years,
acquiring a comfortable fortune from the
mines. He finally returned to his oid nome
but found no one to welcome MN. Ills
parents were dead and his only sister a
disappeared. The now middle-aged Cali
~fornian turned his steps Westward. While
in Chicago he metsome old friends, through
whom he became acquainted with a pre-
possessing young woman who was employed
in a dry goods store. The two became
warm friends and at the end of a short ac-
quaintance he asked her to marry him..
The lady hesitated at first, although she
acknowledg ed that she loved him. Finally,
on being urged to give her reasons, she told
her history. She had run away from her
home in the East with q young man who
turned out to be a rambler and rake. After
q few years of wretched existence she was
released from martial bondage by the death
of her husband, who was killed in a drunken
row. Since hat time she has supported
herself as best she could. II, when knowing
these circumstances, her friend should urge
his suit she would marry him. The gallant
Californian at once expressed his willing
ness and said that her sad history should
never again be mentioned.
LIVING HAPPILY TOGETHER.
It never was. They were married and
lived happily together for many years in
California. In their old age they came
East, and on visiting a little town in north
ern New York learned for the first time that
they were brother and sister. The poor
woman's heart was broken by the terrible
intelligence, and she died before leaving the
scene Of her birth. A few months later her
husband followed her to the grave. Only
one child was left. a weak-minded dwarf.
Such a story appeals to the sensibilities
OF the most hardened. No body could be
blamed. It was simply a terrible mistake
which could never be rectiied. That two
people in a similar situation should know
ingly and willingly become parties to such
an arrangement seems utterly Incredible. 1t
is certain that q case of the kind has never
been recorded. In the most immoral, bar
barrie age of the world such an instance was
not known. 1t remained to be written in
the history of the nineteenth century.
The story is not a long one Thirteen
years ago Thomas White, a young man of
the corner of Smith and Pacific streets,
Brooklyn. He resided on Bergen street
with a young woman whom he introduced
as his wife. She was really his sister. In
1873 they moved to st. Marks place, and
in the winter OF that year a boy was born.
He was called Edward Henry. Six years
later another child, christened Charles, was
born. Then for the first time the woman
began to realize her situation and tried to
leave the house, but was deferred by her
brother. She persisted, but in vain. For
@11v l. ~o+ - No. -@@,yo . h-o@l1I
over her trouble. Finally her mind gave
way and she declared that her life was made
miserable by magicians, and that sorcerers
were ever near. One morning she would
not let her brother leave the house, saying
that the sorcerers were waiting outside to
kill him. Whites employer learned of this
fact and insisted that she be put under
proper treatment. The brother consented.
and his wife, as he called her, was taken to
a private institution for the insane.
She remained there several months, and
when she was released her reason was par
TALLY restored. Much against her will and
compelled by her brother to return to the
old life. So the matter rested till about
two years ago. when a young man who
lives on Madison street began to visit the
house. The weak-minded woman fell in
owe with him, and her affection seemed to
be returned. They became intimate. and
White was SO overcome by jealousy that
he abused his sister in every possible way.
A third child was born last October and
seemed to be doing well till Sunday, July
18th, when it suddenly sickened and died.
The cause of it's death cannot be learned.
The affection affected the poor mother ter
ribly. She moaned over tine dead body OF
her child that she had been bewitched by a
black cat and knee not what to do. Her
brother asked what was the matter with
her and she replied vehemently chat God
had abandoned them because OF their great
sin. Kneeling over the corpse she confessed
her guilt and prayed for forgiveness. This
drove the brother wild with rage, and, with
a terrible oath, he swore that he was not
the child's father and would never bury it.
The young man who had been visiting the
house, he said, must pay the funeral ex-
penses.
For four days the wretched couple re- |
manned in the same room with the body of
the child. Decomposition began and
neighbors demanded the burial OF the
corpse. Their cry was uuheeded and the |
police were notified. Both White and his |
sister, whose name is Sarah, were arrested
and the child was buried. When asked
why he refused to c~onsign the body to the
White said both he and his sister
had been bewitched. With no knowledge
OF the previous history of these people,
Drs. John S. Young and R. H. Stone ad-
vised that they be taken to the Flatbush
Asylum for the Insane, and Judge Clement
50 ordered at the request OF William White,
another brother, who is a waiter in a
on Willoughby street. The
man was SO enraged at being taken
to the asylum that he told the whole story,
is supported by facts. He evidently
considers his crime of little Importance and
speaks with utter disregard of his sister,
who declares, now that she is out of the
power of her brother, that she has hated
him for years and that she wants to marry
the young man above referred to.
OF the children only n survives. Ed
ward died in his second year. Charles is in
an orphan asylum. where he is kept by the
Besides the waiter there is still
brother, named John, who resides
Adams street.
unnd1v onA thu pvo1, sTif1n~ista |