The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-22
WEALTHY MRS. CRUIKsHANK.
LibeIed a Pretty school Girl, and Then
Had to Retract.
New York Journal.

LibeIed Pretty school Girl, and Then
Had to Retract.
New York Journal.
Why woman of nearly forty years. one
of the wealthiest residents of an essen
TALLY wealthy community, should deliber-
ately and without apparent cause attack
sne harac9e aan the cty Of Pssned
N. J. Public opinion has arrayed itself On
the side of the girl. with the result that
Mrs Simeon "A. Cruikshank, her traducer,
finds herself almost completely ostracised
socially Among the mansions of Plaintield
none is so beautiful and spacious as that
ated on the crest of hill 1t was built
two years ago by Mrs. Cruikshanks father,
a retired clergyman Of the Presbyterian
The house which he built for his only
daughter is said to have cost $4,000, exclu--
sive of the grounds, which cover several
oaks and NAPLES.
An eighth of a mile away, in new
Milford a wealthy coffee broker of No.
101 Wall street, this city. Mr.. Mnford's
family consists of his wife, his seventeen
year-old daughter Agnes, and young son.
The Milford mansion, while not so costly
as that of Mrs. Cruikshank, Is yet among
ShS Yt and his ndbor aGef
have always been good friends, going to
the city each day together. the latter to
1t is not related that the relations of their
wives have been so cordial, but both are
communicates of the fashionable church of
which the Rev. DR.. E. NJ. Rodman has
been rector for upward OF quarter of
century.
Ever since her early girlhood Agnes Min
ford, a tall, slender girl, with particu-
larly pretty face and most charming man
ners, had attended. the Schribner School, the
most exclusive private. school of that sec
ton. AS she grew older a fashionable
school known as the Elms,'' at Spring
field, Mass, was selected as the place for
her to receive the finishing touches of her
education. 1t was to this school that the
father took his daughter last week, There
he was received by the principal, Miss Por-
ter, who called him aside and showed him
the following letter, which she had re-
ceiyed It vas sS dated Oct, 8 and bore ,t the
letter began Dear Madame and contin-
ued:
'You are about to receive an application
for admission to your excellent and far
famed seminary from one Agnes Minford,
young person residing in this city, whose
parents. regret to say, are near, neighbors
are wise you will refuse this young person
admission. If you do not you will lose two
of yours provided this Milford girl is not
a student of your academy. This young
person has twice been detected in theft, and
Is not q fit person for any honest girl to
associate with. can easily prove what I
say and you will do well to heed my advice.
Miss Porter gladly gave Mr.. Milford the
letter, and as she had received the strong
est Endorsement of Miss Minford's charac-
ter from the Rev. DR.. Rodman, as well as
from Bishop Lawrence, of Massachusetts,
who knows the girl, she had no hesitation
in accepting her as a pupil Mr.. Minford
returned to Plainfield and consulted his
wife. That lady thought the handwriting
seemed familiar, and after some hesitation
went to the rectory of Grace Church to
consult DR.. Rodman, who has been her
warm friend and admirer for twenty years.
DR.. Rodman took down his letter files and
produced several communications which he
had received from Mrs. Cruikshaak. There
H. l. -sk1
that Mrs. Cruikshank had written the
anonymous letter to Miss Porter but to
make assurance doubly sure an expert
chirographist of this city was employed.
He unhesitatingly pronounced her the au-
thor.
as his opinion that Mrs. Cruikshank could
be prosecuted under the United States
the mails. the penalty for which is ten
years Imprisonment and fine of $4,000,
or both. He also said that she could be
lily for libel. Mr. Milford, desiring to
avoid publicity asked if some reparation
could not be made without, resorting to the
courts Mr. Marsh thought this possible,
and, accordingly, Mr. and Mrs. Cruikshank
called at the lawyers office Tuesday night.
could be guilty Of such thing, and for a
long time she denied all knowledge of the
letter. But when the lawyer said Mr.. Min
ford was determined to seek redress in
the courts If statement generating the
girl were not signed by the author Of the
charges, Mrs. Cruikshank affixed her sigma
ture to the paper which had been drawn
up, and there the matter will probably
rest, so far as Mr.. Milford is concerned.
No possible motive can be assigned for
Mrs. Cruikshank's actions. She has two
daughters. one of whom is about the age
of Agnes Minford, but so far as any one
knows these two girls have always been
good friends. Dr.: Rodman who is much
distressed over the affair, says the only
possible explanation is the charitable one
that Mrs. Cruikshank was suffering from
some malady at the time which made her
irresponsible FOR her act. Lawyer Marsh
would not discuss the matter, nor would
Mr. and Mrs. Milford, other than to
say that it. was utterly inexplicable to
them, and that as their daughter had been
fully exonerated in writing, they were will
ing to try to forget 1t.
At the home of Mrs. Cruikshank it was
said yesterday that the mistress of the
house was lying seriously i'll with nervous
prostration. Half an hour later she was
seen driving. down the principal street of
the city holding the lreins over two spirited
horses which she drives daily. She wore
a straw sailor hat and tight-ftting driv-
ing gown of dark brown, and never looked
in better health.