The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-05
A PAUPER HEIR.
The Strange History of Nancy Banning Alias
Nancy Strong.

HARTFORD, Conn. Feb A case has been
on trial at Hadley which has brought out a
strange history. In 1879 Marion Banning died
in that town, leaving an estate valued at about
$4,000. There two sisters livingin the place,
who were supposed to be the only heirs. There
was sister, Nancy Banning, who possessed
O weak intellect, and mysteriously disappeared
many years ago. Soon after the death of Marion
Banning, the administrator of the estate re-
ceived notice from the authorities in Pough-
keepsie, N. Y, that Nancy Banning was there
an inmate of the aims house. and claimed her
share of the property. 1t was stated
that she had been pauper in Pough-
keepsie for about forty years, andw now about
seyenty-hve years old. To determine the ques-
tion of identity, the Probate Cours of Hadyme
gave hearing ex- Congressman Phelps appear
ing for the administrator. and City Attorney Lee,
of Poughkeepse, for that city. Among the
witnesses was Charles Strong who testified
that in 1889, when he was about twenty years
of age, he was employed by Day & JONES' of
Marlborough, who were contractors to support
the, State paupers; that he was directed by his
employers to 60 to the aims house, In Litchfield,
and take from there Nancy Banning, a pauper.
and carry her over the New York State line, and
his instructions, and on bleak winter night
drove HIS carriage to Dover, Duchess
eeantyse- where he deposited her-in front
of house, and hurriedly drove back
into Connecticut Superintendent butcher,
of the Poughkeepsie aims house, said that
the woman was there when he took
charge sixteen years ago. and that the former
keeper told him he had known her as an inmate
for thirty years Mr. Soule former postmaster
of Dover, testified that he remembered the time
when young woman was found ir the street
one morning, half clad and crazy. The record
of the aims house was produced, and it showed
that Nancy Strong was the name entered in the
books at the time of her admission. She prob
ably gave the name of Strong, adopting that of
the young man who drove her out of Connect
cut. The record showed that she was admitted
or March |, 1899, which corresponded with the
account given by others of her arrival in Dover
In order to make the Identification complete. the
woman, herself, was produced, and Chas, Strong
identified her by her figure, the color of her
eyes and her generel appearance the person
he knew AS Nancy Banning. She could give no
straightforward account of herself, this
expected, but even in her incoherency there was
enough to show she was the person she was
claimed to be. She went so far as to give the
name of the clergyman who preached in Had
lyme fifty years ago, besides names of persons
who attended the church, and Of others who
were school teachers store keepers and heads of
families AT the close of her testimony the
case was adjourned to May but 1t is probable
that an amicable result will be reached before
that time. The womans share in the estate is
about s.. 400, and the city of Poughkeepsie will
want'it TO pay the expense of keeping her over
forty years.