The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-03

The unusual phases relate to an eight
weeks old male infant, now dead, and in a
bright fiaxen-haired three year old girl
living. The woman in the case, if the
husband and the sworn documents in his
possession are to be believed, is a sort Of
Fedora.
The book-writers of the day have nottold
anything that is more unexplainable, more
crafty, or more selfish; neither have they
recited anything more improbable than Is
the story told by A. G. Cunningham, the
defendant in the divorce proceedings.
81 met my wife in 1897 said Mr.. Gun
ningham yesterday. "and we were married
the same year. She was widow at that
time and her name was Gibbons. She was
born in Middletown, Orange County, New
York, about tWenty-nine years ago, and
her father was Mr.. Mccullough of that
place. Judging from the letters l have
seen from them, 1 should say they were
well-educated and refined people.
Zone day, in the early part OF 1889, there
walked into my place of business young
woman, quietly though elegantly dressed.
That was our first meeting. In about six
months time this lady became my wife.
Mrs. Gibbons as she was then called was a
divorced woman, and had one child by her
former husband.
"After our marriage she gave up taking
roomers, and we went to live IN house
furnished entirely by me. The first few
months of our married life were as happy
as could be desired, though like most young
couples we had occasional quarrels, that
made us only the more loving when the
differences were adjusted. For several
times / was strongly inclined to think that
she was not entirely true to me, but as
could never secure tangible evidence, L
attributed my suspicious to jealousy.
'1n the early part OF 1892 began to
look forward to the time when our home
circle would be increased by the presence
of a little stranger. This event was to take
place some time in May of that year. One
day in April 1 returned home, and an
empty house was all that met my gaze
Ny wife was gone, and what was more, she
had stripped the house of every article OF
furniture. l had engaged doctor to at
tend my wife during her illness and also
woman to do the general work, but of
course their services were not needed since
the object of their care was gone.
II vainly endeavored to find out where
nv wife was, but it was not until about
June that could find the least trace of
her. A gentleman came to me and stated
that my wife had written to him announc-
ing the birth of child, and few days
after this | met her at this friends house
and she told me l would have to put up
500 to see my own child. | don't know
why l did it, but I took her back, though
did not pay that 500, and in few days
she told me that the boy was at found
ling asylum on Golden Gate avenue. got
the little fellow, then only few weeks
old, and Immediately called in DR.. James,
as the baby had been poorly cared for and
was very i'll. The boy finally died, though
the mother insisted that l should get a
priest, that he might have the christening
service read over him before the end came
The manifestations of grief by the mother
were something awful to witness. During
the boys last illness she nursed him ten
derby, and when the end came she ap-
peared absolutely heart-broken. On sew
eral occasions she went to the cemetery
and put flowers on the grave, each time
evidencing the most poignant sorrow.
about four months ago my wife
dead child was not my own, but that our
fatty refused to credit this story, because
she could not produce certificate of birth,
neither would she tell me where the child
was born. The child-a girl this time
was brought to the house, and, though
mine, did all any father could do for an
innocent infant.
Zone night she told that the child was
born in Sausalito, and in quiet way
searched the records of Marin County,
and consulted every doctor and midwife
there, but could find no record of its birth.
| did learn, however, that after she left
me. and month before the child was