The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-10
LETTERS FROM AN UNKNOWN.
ARDENT. MYSTERIOUS, BADLY SPELLED,
AND VERY ANNOYING.

| penter Macca11ier Called In Person ana
| Was introduced to the Detective who
Had Been Waiting for Months for Hin.
For nearly six months Miss Nathalie Down.
ing of $50 Fifth avenue has been besieged by
an inveterate and affectionate letter writer.
| His epistles were written in the tenderest
language and darling" and dearest" were
! the most ordinary terms OF endearment used
| Who the persistent writer could be neither
| Miss Downing nor any member OF her house,
hold had the slightest idea Some Of the let
tors were signed with the name Hugh Mao
ALTAR" but tho majority terminated In q cross.
The lettors we're usually written on cheap
blue-lined white paper. with o pencil. In o
| scrawling, uncertain hand.
In her home. Miss Nathalie Downing is
called Jennie. She is % years old. tall. and Of
| good figure. Tho first letter arrived in the
| early part OF last May. and moro than score
followed before the family left the city early in
| June for Saratoga. Some how this Hugh Mac
ALTAR learned OF their departure. and all sum-
mer long letters came to tho house every week.
with the request, Please forward to Jennie"
written on the envelope. When thirty or forty
OF the letters had been received. Miss Down.
| ing's brother. Augustus c. Downing. mining
| expert and engineer at 80 Wall street, thought
that the matter had gone far enough. and went
| to Police Captain Gunner and told him the cir
| cumstances. One letter mentioned an address
in Fourteenth street. to which Miss Downing
was requested to send q reply. Detective
| Campbell found that this place was vacant
lot. Several times appointments were set for
meetings In Madison square. at the entrances
to Central Park. and on street corners. Camp
bell tried to induce Miss Downing to keep ono
Of these appointments. when he would be PRES
ent to arrest the man. but sho would not CON-
sent to do 80. 30 the letters came and the de-
tective waited. hoping that the writer would
give his address or call at the house.
About two weeks ago q strange man rang
the doorbell at the Downing residence and in
quired il Miss Jennie was In. When told mo-"
he left his card. saying he would call again.
When Miss Downing saw the card q few hours
later she was more startled than ever. for IL
bore the name Hugh Macalliar." in clear
black script. Three days ago Miss Downing
received the following letter. which was Just
what Detective Campbell had been waiting for
and it quickly led to the mans arrest.
NY DEAR MADAM: Please forward this to Jennie and
oolige.
DEAR JENNIE. MI DARLrSc It is with pleasure THAT
address you - this morning with the hope Of seeing
you soon understand that you desire to call
at IL O'Clock sharp Thursday tho 9Th Inst you de-
pend that will not dissappoint except that you would
Instruct me tomorrow morning to not go there.
30 now Ny Darling expect me at IL or few minutes
AIter De ana keep wanting OF course
HSs Except Ut se aAn DC
ihops you well this morning. Expect all my love.
Just before IL O'Clock tho detective. Miss
Downing and the servant who he'd opsneS the
few minutes before the hour a man attired
IN black, who was walking Ing on the opposite eide
He passed and repassed the house half dozen
times. looking toward it each time as though
e"R That Is the man. am sure Of it" said tho
Defective Campbell went out and after fol;
lowing the fellow for about block said: Il
think young lady in that house wants to see
is that so ?" said the man. Frightening up.
Hugh Macai liar y was the reply: and he
then gave the detective card similar to tho
IT The man was taken into the parlor where
beeame 'Me a%d whea
asked II he knew any Of tho ladies' said No"
Then one 81 the letters was shown to him: andhe
East Sixty seventh street station, and yester-
daX morning was arraiened in the Yorkville
I ons Ss.t9
H Win his ana
429 East Fourteenth street He was dressed in
seGe ssRs
had been arrested for; The hearing took place
boa Rs dsss ss Mis-
Ing. and the domestic. Elise Kemple came to
court. Mr.: Downing carried q good sized
ts aSe sent e house
last six months, and there g; were about hun.
room. She was dressed in black and plainly
showed that she felt her husbands disgrace.
The Judge handed her several OF the love
rs that your husbands wrIting3," he asked.
nlia1 with taur6 in her q" Yes.
WHY. Lizzie" said her husband. jumping
Macalliar insisted that his wife had never
Miss Downing told how S' She had been an
Straightforward manner. She didn't want her
name to appear in the matter. but the Judge
When She heard that she would have to appear
in another court against the prisoner she gave
She gave another little, jump when the
prisoner told the Judge that he was a carpen-
ter. The two sisters looked at each other for
tee McMshon hsld the prisoner IN 500 bail
for the General Sessions.
signed. is another specimen Of his style.
!;';
so III dear oaaviss would g where you intent
r"1 s e%"1 r9s VIII he for s hs
called there but letter ir have not written
there don't write to same address,,
live in l<th 1t. City or course cannot give Homo
address,. When hear answer to this will give you
address, where can call night and morning easily.
Let me know when 1t will be time TO stop writing -
you before you 40,
Also IL IL would be snfe to adress you there.
Better for to make little sacrifice than to run
any Risks my Dear madam 1t pains to have to say
ssy Gs
sH%H @
will not sign mine either
So my Dear Madam with love I am yours most Re-
specially II. MAGELLAN
After the hearing both Miss Downing and
her brother said that they had no desire to
prosecute the man. il he would promise to
sane. His wife says that he has occasionally
acted in n peculiar manner but has generally
been steady working man and given no cause
for anxiety. She followed her husband as he
was led away by the detective and had tear
full interview with him In the corridor.
why don't you say You wrote tho letterS
and save yourself md me all this trouble2"
she said. We'll 7 am sorry" he finally said.
al do mud IN