Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-05-29
glf1HK DIAMOND BUTTON
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$780, FROM THE DIARY OF A LAWYER AND THE NOTE
81 Az BOOK OF A REPORTER.
AfTV By BARCLAY NORTH.
FW Copyrighted. 1889, by G. M. Durham. Published by se-
rai Arrangement through the American Press Association.
By BARCLAY NORTH.

my right name, although ! have borne
it now for twenty years. My real name
is Carroll Preston.
81 propose to set down here briefly
the facts, to be read by Judge Harkner
after my death.
81 was born ut Red Bank, N. j. When
parents to Plainfield, N. j. There, two
years after, l married a young girl, who
died at the end of year in giving birth
to a daughter.
shortly after l went to Philadelphia.
Women have been the bane of my life.
/ became involved with a widow named
Messing. with M child-a boy. She
forced me into a marriage. | pretended
20 yield, but it was q meek marriage.
The supposed minister was an accom-
plice. l fled from this alliance, taking
care that after my flight she should
know the ceremony was false.
81 fled to Europe, and while there an
American, of my name exactly. died in
a small town. Though aware of it, /
paid no attention to it, until I learned
through the American consul that in
quiries had been made by my dead wife's
relatives and by the woman Messing.
Then I persuaded the consul that it was
myself who had died. 1t was easy to do.
for the other Preston had no friends.
II then returned to this country and
adopted the name of Charles Pierson.
Fifteen years had elapsed since I left
Plainfield. I put inquiries on foot and
learned that the Messing woman had
never taken my name.
81 entered business and ~prospered
from the beginning. From time to time
I have sent money, through secret
sources, to the woman Messing.
subsequently l had inquiries made as
left with her aunt.
"She had just married. at the time of
my inquiries, a man by the name of
Templeton-married well and was hap
Ply, SO / did not disturb her.
During my life in New York 1 mar
ried a young girl under the name of
Fountain. She thought she had married
me. 1t was another mock marriage. A
scamp of a lawyer, named Parker, acted
the part of a clergyman
"Hehad me in his power for years,
and bled me freely, until / caught him
in a scrape and held the state prison
over him. Then l was Independent.
81 lived with this woman three years
in Putnam county under the name OF
Fountain. Then firing of her, l dis
abused her mind as to the marriage and
left her, after giving her enough prop.
erty to make her independent. had &
son by her named Harry Fountain.
81 married another woman under the
same circumstances, forcing Parker tt
perform the marriage ceremony.
"He was my slave now. My name il
this marriage was Simpson. The woman
lives in New Rochelle, and has a daugh
ter now about 12 years old. made hel
independent when / left her. which wa.
only q year ago.
81 have a villain of a brother who dis
appeared when he was sixteen from Rec
Bank, and we all thought him dead. II,
turned up five years ago-a terribl,
drunkard-and recognized me. 1 denied
the relationship, but have given hin
money to keep him quiet. He want
rum, that's all.
Parker believes my proper name i
Pierson-that is, he does not know to tn,
lcontrary. If he does, he has never shown
it to me.
when I am dead l want Judge Hank
ner to establish the fact that my daugh
ter, now Mrs. Templeton, is my heir
He will find papers establishing that fac
in q safe in the Chemical bank, in a DO,
in the charge of the president, marke.
TO be delivered only on the order of tn,
surrogate
ST request Judge Harkner to advis
Mrs. Templeton that it is my wish tina
$4,000 be given to Mrs. Messing, O
Philadelphia, if alive at the time of M,
death.
"That $3.50, 600 be given Mrs. Fountain
if alive at my death. and if not then t.
her son Harry Fountain if he be alive
but if not of age to then be held in trus
for him by Judge Harkner. If he b
dead, then the sum to be divided equal,
among Mrs. Templeton's children.
"That Sa50,0o be given to Mrs. Simp
son under the same circumstances an.
conditions as the gift to the Fountain
woman.
81 desire also that Mrs. Templeto1
shall pay weekly to my scamp and jail
bird of a brother, James Preston, $50, Il
the hope that he will o drink himsel
to death.
81 am quite conscious that this is nc
a will, but if Mrs. Templeton is az goo
a woman as her mother was she vii
obey these instructions.
CHARLES PIERsoN.
New York, April 10, 1874"
Holbrook laid the paper down, over
whelmed.