The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-29
ONE PECULIAR VAGARY.
No Motive for the Offenses
Committed by a Very
Pretty Girl.
HER WEAK MIND INFLUENCED
Rich Grandparents Who Brought
Her Up Are Now In
Despair.

NEW YORK, N. Y, June 28.-Sadie
Dwyer, girl Is years old, was arraigned
before United States Commissioner Shields
yesterday, charged with sending an OBJ
scene letter through the mails. Back of
this simple announcement lies story of
infinite pathos, telling a tragedy in the
lives of two old loving people.
Sadie Dwyer is an orphan. Her father
died month before she was born, and
her mother died in giving Sadie life. This
mother had been a favored child in the
eyes of Mr.. and Mrs. Francis Dwyer's
parents. They took the little grandchild.
gave it their name, and lavished upon it a
wealth of affection.
For long months it was thought that the
little one must die, but patient nursing
and careful watching fed the tiny spark of
life until the baby thrive d. The old couple
saw in the infant the form and features of
their dead daughter. A kindlier, gentler
soul than Mrs. Dwyer none could wish to
know, and the pride she took in the little
foster child was simple and beautiful.
When Sadie was grown into girl a
shadow fell across her life. 1t was noticed
that sometimes the little mind would go
wandering away, and she would prattle of
things that no one saw or could see. She
would answer the questioning of her grand
parents absently ana astray of the sub
ject. The child's brain was straying into
unknown fields.
But this sorrow only served to intensity
the love her grandparents wrapped around
her. She was brought up as their child
and dwelt in that belief. Through the
long summer d avs she played about the
beautiful yard of her home and gazed upon
| the quiet, peaceful waters of Rockland
Lake that stret ched away to the east, and,
save occasional lapses, she was as other
children. She grew to be possessed of a
strange beauty, that was made somber by
the restless, shifting light in the blue eyes.
She was Kind and gentle. In the winter
| months they taught her to read and write
and she learned rapidly. The grandpar
| ents grew old, their lives tinged with re-
| gret, but glad, utterly glad, that their
child's child still lived and was happy. Sc
passed many peaceful years.
| The blow that shattered this serenity
| came without warning. A man came tc
the house and asked for Sadie. The man
was Postotfice Inspector Anthony Com
stock. He had warrant for Sadie's ar
rest, charging her with sending through
the mails lewd, scurrilous letters Mr.
and Mrs. Dwyer were astounded by the in
telligence. Sadie was too frightened te
Immediately tell her story. She admitted
the authorship of the vile epistle, but re-
membered only vaguely and indistinctly
the time of its sending or its contents. Ar
investigation revealed a strange state OF
affairs. During hemonth of May she had
indited many similar messages. Some
were written to herself. Others were sent
to her friends near by and to her dearest
associates. Those knowing the malady O.
their playmate kept the matter secret
In what the deluded girl did there was
no motive of spite or fear or jealousy. Il
was merely a curious vagary of mind dis
eased. One of the letters was sent to 6
Miss Bell of Nyack. Sadie had seen hel
only once and then at distance. Miss
Bell knew nothing of the sender, and gave
the queer missive into the hands of the
postal authorities, and Sadie's arrest fol
lowed. 1t was alleged that the young CIR