The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-05-03
A STRANGE ISLAND ROMANCE.
The Remark able Double Life of Nan
tucket Physician.
Eronl he PhtladeIphia InQNirer

From me lftttutLetDfltL inquirer
NANTUCKET, MASS, May LIN the su-
IRENE court, sitting at Taunton, for the
counties Of Bristol. Nantucket and Dukes,
there was settled last week a lawsuit which
,,rav ont of a strange romance dating back
r. before the war Many romances have
baoun or ended il this little grit isle, but
no1e compare with the one of which this
lawsuit was the sequel
There came to Nantucket in the fall of
1S62 a dashiug young man, who announced
his name as DR.. Augustus Franklin, his
rrofession as physician, and his intention
N locate on the island and engage in the
nrectice of his profession. Nantucket was
hot then as now, famous summer water
ING place. The whale fishery, though de-
cining, did not reach its end until seven
years later, ana the town had not lost all
If its old time activity, now little more
than memory.
Into this island community where every
one knew all his neighbors' affairs came DR..
Augustus Franklin, and there for a quarter
of a century he buried himself completely,
ca far as his former life was concerned
The impudence or rather the self-assertion
If the young physician, seemed to take with
the hardy islanders. He was a good talker,
ard the story of his former life and his
REF sols for locating at Nantucket were so
far received by the islanders, who were
never basbful about asking questions, that
he soon became accepted as a permanent
inbabltant.
He proved himself skillful physician
and appeared to have abundant means, aud
although on some points relating to his past
history he was reticent and mysterious, he
became respected member of Nantucket
society.
Ten years passed and he was engaged TO
he married to a Miss Hallett, a daughter of
one of the island families. The day for the
wedding was set, but just before the date
DR., Augustus Franklin went TO the main
land ostensibly to make some necessary
preparations. He did not return, and the
sudden disappearance of the expected bride
groom was nine days wonder for all Nan
tucket.
THE DOCTOR RETURNS.
Two years passed, and the doctors career
and mysterious disappearance had ceased to
be the absorbing topic of discussion in the
captains room" ana at tue Nantucket
sewing circles, when one afternoon the boat
from the mainland brought among its pas
sengers the long missing doctor. He sought
out his old quarters, but this time he hung
out new single, and 1t bore the name Of
Dr. Franklin A. Ellis.
He explained that this was his real name,
and that his departure and long absence
were caused by complications which had
caused him trouble, but which had been
cleared up. But he did not marry Miss
Hallett, and the gossips had more food for
discussion, 1t was whispered that the Hal
let's had discovered that the doctor had a
family somewhere else, but the Halletts
we're not inclined to be very communicative
on this subject. As the years went by the
gossip died out, the doctor resumed his
practice and passed for a skillful. wealthy
and generous man, though somewhat
eccentric IN his way.
So things continued until 1884, when DR..
Ellis di d. His will gave a small legacy to
friend in Nantucket, and left the balance
Of bis property to his heirs at-law.
Then the trouble began.
No executor was appointed in the will
and the court appointed as administrator
Allen Coffin, a Nantucket lawyer The
estate inventoried SIS 300 real and S16, 4SO
personal, and the debts amounted to about
$1,000 A box which contained United
States bonds of an amount estimated at
$4,000, and which the doctor insisted on
keeping at his bedside during his illness,
nysterlously disappeared after his death.
The only heirs that Mr.. Coffin could find
were three sisters of the doctor-Mrs. An
geline L. Hathaway of Monson, and Mrs.
Elsie D. Spear and Miss Mary A. Ellis, of
Orange, to whom the property was turned
over, and by whom the real estate was
sold
After the estate had been settled there
came to Lawyer Coffin letter from way
out in California, making inquiries con-
ceTning the dead mans property, The
writer was man of the name of Cleveland,
residing in San Francisco, and he wanted
to know if one Of his sons had not been
mentioned in the will.
Then, as the result of the inquiries insti-
tnted on the Pacific coast, there was grad
ualy unearthed the secret which had been
buried with DIR. Franklin A. Ellis in this
little island of the Atlantic.
THE SECRET IS UNEARTHED.
The researches occupied several years,
and the secret of the DOCTORS early life was
discovered down in Alabama.
There came to Gainesville, in that State,
In 1860, DR.. Franklin A. Ellis, then a hand
some and dashing youth, who combined the
profession of dancing master and dentist,
ana made quite an impression among the
bellies Of the place. He won the affections
o. one Miss Martha Patty, and married her.
he also won the confidence of his mother
ln-law, who, at his advice, turned her plan
tauon and negroes into gold and came
north with her son-in-law and his wife be-
fore the war.
They went to Maroa. Macon county, Iii
nos, !" here they had resided but short time
when Or. Ellis one day disappeared with
lhe entire wealth of the family, leaving no
trace. few months afterward ne turned
up IN Nantucket, but of this the deserted
VIE knew nothing.
NoJ long after bis departure she gave
URN 10 child, a daughter, and then with
qer mother and child removed to Tamaroa,
= cry county, in the same state. where her
,Nother died. Several years afterwaTd,
.,$SNng received no tidings of her husband,
NIS' Ellis married man of the name of
charles Ramsey.
9ne died not long after her second MARI
age ana Ramsey took his stepdaughter to
y.s oir hplace in jackson county, Tennessee.
u d le" years Ramsey died and the girl,
l'.ole Iuan doubly orphaned was left to the
e 81 ol a Mr. Dixon, a cousin of Ramsey's
n.SI we, who took her to his home in the
"T'S OF The Tennessee mountains.
ere she was found little over a year
go py the parties who had instituted the
y ,eaIch Tor DR.. Ellis child. She was then
toIg woman of %, handsome, strong aud
rv NIy' but all IN all typical back woods
s~h Hylng in poverty, knowing nothing
eNNepJ nard work, and profoundly ignorant
r,nCer9lng even the rudIments Of an ordi-
nary education.
FROM POVERTY TO RICHES
,.,, this backwoods girl did the thousands
lit Wy Ihe Nantucket physician rightfully
~ She was taken in charge by Mr..
~ .'ie OIL GAINESVILLE, Ala. an old neighbor
neI mothers, who had been most active
prosecuting the search for the missing