Evening journal., 1891-07-28
ROMANCE OF THE STAGE
How Frank Frayne Stole Lit
tie George Mccormick.
DYING BE CONFESSED THE CRIME.

Strange Story OF Real Life That Reads
like Play--Young Frank Frayne Il
the New Charley Ross-The serret Re-
veaied After Many Years.
NEW HAVEN, July 2s.-Frank I. Frayne,
the actor, on his deathbed confessed a
crime which has just reached its denoue-
ment at Silver Sands, a beautiful seaside
resort a mile east Of the New Haven light
house. Twenty-one years ago Mr.. and
Mrs Mccormick, prominent people Of
Baltimore, were visiting in Chicago with
their two children, girl aged ten years
and boy OF two years Mr.. Mccormick
was attacked with paralysis on the street
and soon died. In order to have the baby
provided for until the widow could make
arrangements to return tQ1Baltimore the
child was left in q convept' in Chicago in
the care of the mother superior. Withina
week or two Mrs. Mccormick was taken
suddenly IN and died, leaving the little
daughter alone and almost friendless
Baby George Disappeared
Almost on the same day that the mother
died the great Chicago fire began. To
convent in which the little boy was lefl
was burned to the ground and its inmates
were scattered all over the city. The liiils
girl was sent back TO friends in Baltimore
after a time by the Chicago authoritie.,.
but the baby George disappeared, as they
! finally believed, forever Every effort TO
find him failed. In the meantime the
mother superior had taken the hoy 10 a
private house in the suburbs of Chicago,
where he happened to catch the eye Of the
original Frank /. Frayne.
How the hoy Was stolen.
The actor wanted the boy to use in sen-
sational parts OF his play, and, learning
the name of It's mother, sent his wife with
a forged letter, purporting to be from Mrs.
/ Mccormick, asking the mother superior
! 20 give the boy TO her.
The boy was given up, and soon after
Frayne and his wife left the city, having
the boy adopted as their own. Baby
George always supposed himself their
child and was known as Frank l. Frayne.
Jr. The woman whom he supposed was
his mother was soon afterward estranged
from her husband. She died In later
years, and the youth had a monuments
erected over her grave bearing this inscrip-
tion, Deserted by all but her loving son.
He Told the Secret.
The original Frayne soon married again,
and, until he was dying, his second wifc
supposed that young Frayne was his own
son. On his deathbed, overcome by r.
morse, the actor told her the secret, nnd
made her swear to restore the boy to .s
family, giving her the mothers name
Mrs Frayne faithfully carried out his IN
structions. Sue has advertised and eut
ployed detectives by the score.
t, The Mccormick sister married a wealtl
merchant in Oshkosh, Wis, and has al
ways sought for tidings Of her llsl
brother. One day recently she discovered
one Of Mrs. Frayne's advertisements, AID
at once packed up and sought the widow,
who told her that her brother, who waa
known as Frank l. Frayne, the young ac.-
or, was stopping at Silver Sands, New
Haven, the summer cottage Of f. j. has
son, the theatrical manager
He Was George Mccormick.
On Thursday Mrs. Cannon, the sister.
reached Silver Sands, and young Frayne
for the first time knew that he was not
Frank Frayne, but George McCormick,
and that he had a sister who was very
wealthy. The meeting was of course.
sensational aud touching. A banquet was
given by Mr.. Hasson in celebration OF the
event.