The evening times., 1896-09-12

Bridgeport, Sept. 12.-The young McLeods
have returned to their father, the minister,
and Stafford Springs re Joices. The good
people say tn at the young men have escaped
from the temptress. They have been guilty,
OF course, but it was the woman who was to
blame.
The relationship between the youths and
the woman with history was remarkable
enough upon the surface. In the new light
it was almost inexplicable. Mrs. Mary L.
McDougali is the niece OF Gen. Graham, OF
the eUnitedStates army. and a lineal descend
ant of Alexander Hamilton. Her father was
rich merchant in New York,
When she married her dot was $50 900.
Her husbandspe the money in three years.
He also taught her the opium habit. She
left him and sank in the social scale. She
was an outcast in New York and sang in the
streets to live.
She had fine voice. 1t caused her to be
recognized, and she was sent to n hospital.
While there she Inherited So 900 from an
aunt. She fell in love with n medical stu
dent and eloped with him. He squaudered
her money and she was again reduced to
beggary. But it was not for long. She soon
inherited an income OF $4,000 a year
Then she went to Philadelphia to live.
WANDERED FROM PLACE TO PLACE.
There Mrs. McDuugali met Edward
Mcleod. son OF the stafford Springs min
lister. He is a handsome young man, six
feet tall. He was studying dentistry when
they met in 1894. Not long afterward Ed
wards brother Ray joined them.
The three went from place to place and
apparently had plenty OF money. They III
naliy landed In Bridgeport They lived in
several boarding houses, but their actions
attracted attention. Local newspapers
called attention to their dolngs. A lawyer
appeared from New York and the minister
can't from his home. Mrs NcDougall dis
appeared, and the young men have gone
home TO their father.
This is the statement made by the Rev.
Mr.. Mcleod:
.ln September, 1894, Edward went to
Philadelphia, and the next spring Mrs. Nc
Dougail, then tbirty ty-three yearsold stopped
at the sane boarding house. They became
close friends. when the examinations were
over Edward came home. The following
Sunday l saw strange woman in the
congregation. 1t was Mis-. McDougall, who
had com on to Stafford Springs, and who
offered my sson every ihducement to go
away with her, but he refused
Last September he returned to college.
He met Mrs McDougail on the street and
she persuaded him to call by a promise OF
money.
OFFERED HIM EDUCATION.
Not only did she then offer him edu-
cation IN whatever institution he might
desire. and almost unlimited means, but
placed securities amounting to $50, GOO
in bis bands, to be his II he would go with
her and marry her when he became OF
age.
This friendship continued through the
autumn and winter, Mrs McDougall fur
nishisg money and exerting wonderful
influence over him. He insists that this
was at least partially effected through
drugs. Last spring he was taken i'll and
brought home Mrs. McDougall teie
grapbed him TO meet her in New London,
but he refused
About June 1 Mrs. McDougall conf
muuicated with him by telephone from
Willimantic, and he visited her there.
gain every inducenent was offered him,
and finally the woman threatened that If
he did not. go With her she would follow
him to Stafford Springs. He consented to
go to bridgeport with her.
They lived 4 strange sort of existence
for several weeks. The young mans mind
was in state bordering on chaos. on one
hand was education, prosperity, in fact
a fortune and on the other his childhood
teaching, home association, and conscience.
1t was his conscience that led him to re-
nounce the woman"
Mrs. McDougall has disappeared. She
is said to be woman of singular at
tractiveness and many good traits. She
is not niercenary, and her affection for
Young Mr. Mcleod seems to be sincere.