Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-15
QUITE ROMANTIC.
The Mysterious Case OF "a Woman and a
Child.

The Mysterious Case OF "A Woman ana a
Child.
The Bellaire Independent Of yester-
day said:
"Some three years ago there was
something of a sensation created In this
city by the fact that a closed carriage
came over from Wheeling and stopped
at the unpretentious home OF Sebastian
Berger, who then lived in small frame
on the Cummins place to the right OF
the road leading mp TO the middle ferry
at the point where ear line crosses the
railroad tracks. A woman closely veil
ed alighted from the carriage and carry
ing something in her arms entered the
house. There she unwrapped baby
and proposed TO Mrs. Berger that II she
would keep and care for the child she
should be well paid for II and with this
the woman drew forth Il roll OF money
and proposed to pay three months IN
advance for the keeping OF the child.
Her proposition was accepted and the
baby and money was left with It's new
mother, but the visiting woman con
cealed her identity all the time. Nor
did she give her place OF residence, but
when the facts as above related were
known. Dame RumOr soon fixed upon a
mother for the child and IL was coupled
with that of the name Of a lady who for
merly lived in this city, but about that
time was having rather a bumillating
experience in Wheeling through the
Iauarrels of others. The tongues OF the
gossipers wagged freely and confidently
upon this subject, but now that the
seauel is out il serves to show how great
Injustice can be done 10 woman against
whom the audible breath OF suspicion
has been raised. The child has been
kept by Mr.. and Mrs. Berger ever since
II was first placed In their charge, but
the mother seems TO have always kept
track of them and her child and when
they moved from the Cummins place TO
Pinch Run she knew II. On Monday
last the lady appeared in this city and
soliciting the aid OF Constable Richard
son told her story and repaired In con-
many with the officer TO the Berger home
ON Pinch Run to recover the child. When
they arrived they learned from the
Bergers that they had adopted the
child. The old couple had no children
of their own at home, and were very
much attached 10 the child and made a
strong fight TO keep it, but the mysteri-
Gus womaI was just as persistent In
seeking 10 recover IL. Sc gave her
name as Mrs. Margaret Arthur, but re.
fused TO tell who she was, where she had
lived, when she was married, or where
the child was born; neither would she
tell where her parents lived. The bur-
den OF her story was: ! am married; my
name Is Mrs. Margaret Arthur; am the
mother Of the child; ! took II 10 these
people to keep for me; am now able 10
keep it myself and want II; ! live 10
Columbus. She had procured writ oil
hGbeds corpus and the case was tried be-
fore Judge CASTOR at st. Clalrsyille
yesterday, and the child was awarded
TO the mysterious woman claiming 10 be
its mother. This woman probably did
right to refuse TO unveil the shadow or
cloud that may have hung over Its
birth. The little girl cried plteously on
leaving its adopted parents, but as she
is SO young the woman who dared 70
fight the world as this one seems 70
have done will soon learn the little one
to know her rIghtful mother, II she Is
that one"