St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-16
A GRANDFATHER'SG GIFT
The Romantic Story Of How a Toledo Girl
Steps From Poverty to Al
fuence.
Her Mother Married an Irish Horse Tra-
der and Was Disinherited by Her
Father.
The Latter Relents, But the Family,
One Daughter Excepted, Per-
ishes at sea.
Filled With Remorse, the Grandpar-
ent Sends to America for the
Heiress.
A Granddaughter's Good Fortune.

Special to the Globe.
TOLEDO, o., Jan. ia romance in
real life was developed here to-day which
has all the elements of a first-class novel.
In 1867 Ca young horse trainer named
Charles O'COnner left his home in ireland
TO seek employment i'm the sister island
across the channel. O'COnner, it seems,
like others in somewhat similar situations
III later times, had an eye for the beautiful
as Well as more than an ordinary love for
lucre. both of which he found in the person
OF Miss Greg, daughter of Gen. Rutledge
Greg of the English army, in whose employ
he was at the time. Miss Greg was Young
and wealthy, while O'Connor was poor but
handsome The two were thrown much
together and the consequence was an elope-
ment, marriage, and diSinherited
daughter. OCOnner returned to Ireland
with his wife and settled down near the
town of Sligo. Two girls and three boys
were the fruits of the union. The family
never heard from their relatives in England
until about five months ago, when a letter
came from Gen. Greg asking forgiveness
and requesting his long-discarded daughter
To return with her husband and children, IL
she had any. The generals request was
cheerfully complied with. O'Conner and
his family, with the exception of a daughter
who had come to America, set sail in Sep,
tember last for England, on whose soil
PROVIDENCE HAD DESTINED
they should never set foot, for in one of
those terrific storms which are only known
around the Irish coast, the vessel foundered
and went down. Many passengers were
lost, among the number being the O'Con-
ner family. About two years ago a bright
looking girl, then only sixteen years of age,
made her appearance III the city and OBJ
tanned employment as chambermaid at the
New York house on st. Clair street. She
was born in County Sligo, Ireland, and
came directly to Toledo. where she has an
uncle. Yesterday there came letter bear
ing an English pOStmark addressed to Miss
Annie O'COnner, Toledo, o. Ii was for
the young Irish girl, and proved to be from
Gen. Rutledge Greg asking her to come to
him in his old age and become the heiress OF
his ESQ, 900 year. The letter is dated az
20G Parkin street. Sunderland, Durham.
England, and bears date Dec. >. lie says:
MY dear daughter, as / may now call YOU
Alas! have bad news to tell you in my first
letter TO you. l suppose You do not know
who is writing TO you, but you shall know
1t is you grandfather, Gen. Rutledge Greg,
your mothers father. My dear. it is a sad
statement for me To have 20 make. Your
mother, as you are aware, left me nineteen
years ago and married this man, Charles
O'Conner, a mere householder, your father.
She turned papist, and in the course of u few
years wrote to me for her fortune But my
anger was not "A bit unabated, so / returned
her letter opened. She wrote again and did
the same. Would to God 1 had answered it,
but did not. Two years ago your grand
mother took suddenly i'll and rayed about her
daughter, so In November / wrote 70 your
mother telling her to take her children with
her and live with me in my old age.
THEIR FATE.
He then tells of their fate. and adds:
/ was waiting their arrival in Glasgow
when heard the fatal news. Oh, my GodI
forgive me in my old age for having been the
cause of death of children and father and
mother. | found letter in my daughters
bosom containing your address. so / am going
to have you come home to your grandfather
in his old age. Oh, GOdl my child, If you
have the blood of Greg, think of the cloud
that was on your poor mothers name and
past life. You can change your name and
supply my old age with the care of "a daugh-
ter. / am 65 years old. Don't let me die
without one of my dead daughters children
to look upon. l am man who passed some
hard days in the hot climate of India. DO not
let me be disappointed. Come, write soon.
send you 9l.0OO TO equip you in tirst-class
style. Write by return of post.
The letter is signed Gen. Rutledge Greg,
Nineteenth regiment England. The loss
of her relatives in this awful manner, proS-s
tTated the poor girl to such an extent
that she became quite i'll on receipt of the
news, and for three or four hours remained
in a state of utter uncOnSciousness. A ca
blegram was at once dispatched to England
by the girls relatives, for the purpose Of7
testing the truth of the letter. The newssl
has created quite an excitement. To-mor-
row will decide whether Miss O'COnners
friends are in the land of the living, OF
whether she is an orphan and an heiress to-
one of the largest estates in England.