St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-19
Her Story of R uin, Flight and
Sin a Remarkably Pa
thetic One.
She Meets Her Father and
Goes Home to Milwaukee
With Him.
Sermons That Were Preached
in Various Pulpits Yes
terday Morn.

pOoSCSSluS NliliSGIdnltJ SOAuS DC9 oiu
mere outward form. The elimination
of a life OF sin and the beginning of a
better existence occurred in Mime
apolis last week, due almost entirely to
the work of one lady in this city,
who is well known for Chris
tian like deeds, yet who dislikes
to have her name paraded before the
public in connection with what she
does. Her husband is one of the solid
business men of the city, his Office be-
ing in Temple Court, and his wife's
name is often seen in the society col
umns of the papers, yet she can do
charitable wolk unobtruSively. The
story which she told GLOBE reporter
was related only after she was assured
that her name would not be mentioned
in connection Herewith.
Some four years ago Margaret Van
naessler was living with her parents in
Sheboygan, Wis, her father, Rev. Fred
erick II. Van Haessler, being then the
beloved pastor of a German Lutheran
church in that city. Margaret was a
beautiful girl, and just at that age when
IClllulC 1ONCllIlCCo lOtftluO ITO SlNotSOb
brilIiancy. Among the commercial
travellers who frequently visited that
city was a Young man representing a
wholesale cigar firm which did business
on Reed street in Milwaukee. This
young man is now no more, and it is
useless to cast obloquy oh his name by
mentioning it. His business called
him to Sheboygan so often that he soon
became an intimate friend of the family
of the landlord of the Poppy house,
where he always stopped. 1t was there
there that he met Miss Van Haessler.
Her beauty attracted him, and he being
brilliant cOnversationaliSt, handsome
and engaging in manners, nothing was
more natural than that she would be at
tracted by him. These two soon be-
came intimate. Long walks, secluded
chats and pleasure drives soon became
an everyday occurrence while he was
in Sheboygan. He was young man
of good habits and bright business pros
poets, and there was no reason why her
parents should object to his attentions.
They became engaged to be married,
but before the wedding day arrived the
young couple went on pleasure-seek-
ing trip to Plymouth, not far away, and
before they returned trusting Margaret
van I1dtSSlcI HdN DCClI lulIICt' hOOOh
after that the attentions of the young
man became OF a cooler nature,
and later, when long time
had elapsed without his having
come to Sheboygan, she left for Mil
waukee in search of him. on the plea of
going to visit girl friend in that city.
Soon she knew the consequences of her
intimacy with the young man would be-
come apparent, and she resolved to 90
to him and force him to keep his word,
her condition having been, as yet, COLI
cealed from her parents.
Well she found him, and with his
smooth tongue he quoted her fears,
and together they took rooms at the
American house in Milwaukee, she
passing as his wife. Thus they lived
few weeks, she constantly entreating
him to do her justice and being as often
put off until finally she resolved to force
him TO comply with her wishes or seek
legal redress Be it said that she came
to this conclusion while he was
away on business trip through
Western Wisconsin. But she was denied
the opportunity. He was killed in the
great disaster at Rio, OH the Milwaukee
road. With the news of his death.
shocking in itself to one who still loved
him, came to this poor wrOnged girl the
full significance of her position. She
knew that she was forever diSgraced
and, instead of throwing herself upon
the clemency of her parents, did, as
many another in like position has
done, removed herself from the
world that had known her. Some
time previously she had writ
ten to her mother that she
had been married and had gone to New
York to escape the prying eyes of those
who had known her. and who would,
MANY of them, gloat over the fact that
she had not been wholly Virtuous.
After the death of the man who should
have been her husband she eluded
search by taking apartments in an OBJ
scure quarter of Milwaukee. where the
little money that she had Suf1iced until
her child was born. Fortunately for
the little one, perhaps. it died. Then
began her downward career. AS an in
mate of house on River street in the
Cream City she was lost to her reSpecta-
Bile friends.
One night she there met some meu
who had known her in ShebOygan. and
thus was the consciousness of her dis
grace intensified. She resolved to go be-
yond the pale Of possible recognition,
and, with that object in view. sought
the city of Butte, Mont. There would.
she thought, be little chance of any one
recognizing Margaret Van Haessler as
one of the painted harlots who
thronged that city famed for its wick
wild talk and riOtOuS conduct of the
all memory of former life. But a
feeling Of inconsistencies overcame her
about SIX months ago and she came to
st. Paul. 1t was not home, but it was
nearer it than Butte. She entered a
house on Cedar street there, but all the
time there was growing within her a
| desire to return to a ylrtuOuS life.
She came to Minneapolis a couple of
weeks ago, and tried hard to enter upon
| a new existence. Day after day she
| sought work in the different stores,
| but the traces of years of dissipation
| could not be eradicated in an instant,
| and employers eyed her askance. She
was given some encouragement in a
| large retail emporium on Nicollet ave-
nue., but it was not certain. Last
| Thursday night she was taking walk,
| seeking to calm her troubled thoughts
and to forget the hunger from
which she was suffering, when
she paused dG tIIo cOiueT
of Seventh street and First avenue
south. Family toward her tloated the
strains of an old, familiar hymn. She
timidly approached its source, and tim
idly entered Centenary church. She
sank down in pew near the door. A
| prayer meeting was IN progress and she
listened. Instantly it all came back to
her. with the words of hope and COM
fort then ascending to heaven. She saw
her old father as he used to look, be-
slowing the benediction upon his con-
gregation; she saw her mother
as she used to sit in the corner
of the old family pew; she saw
herself as she was in that old time be-
| fore her heart knew aught that was not
| pure and she was overcome by the men,
| DRY. But the meeting was over. She
mist escape observation and wrestle
with her grief alone. She started to
leave the church, but on the hard stones
without the weakness of the body, con-
sequent upon lack of food, asserted
itself, and she fell. Some Of those pass
ing out saw her. few cared to see her.
But there was one good lady wHe
| looked upon her inanimate form, and