The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-01
SIZE BOUGHT TEN CHILDREN.
But Her Husband Thought All The
Time They We're His.
From the Philadelphia Recort

FROM the Philadelphia Record.
Upon the records of the coroner's office
is written the ending of many broken
life and many a grim tragedy, but no
more curious tale of mans belief and
faith in his wife and the duplicity with
which he was deceived is found among
them than the unraveling of the story OF
| Lawrence NJ. Sullivan brought to light
Mr.. Sullivan lives at No. 612 St. John
street, and for thirty years was happy in
the companionship of his wife. In the
thirty years they lived together Mrs. Sui
Ivan presented her husband with ten chill
dren. All the children but one, however.
died in infancy, and it was only when
his wife deserted him some months ago
for another man that Sullivan made the
amazing discovery that not one of the
babes he had buried was born to Mrs.
Sullivan. Mrs. Sullivan bought every one
of the ten children, and through her nus
bands unsuspiciousness and with the aid
of venal midwives she was able to palm
them off on Sullivan as their infants.
In January of the present year Mrs.
sullivan disappeared from her home. At
first Sullivan thought that she had been
killed or had met with some accident,
but eventually he discovered that she had
eloped with a man named Charles Ii.
Fisher. Mrs. Sullivan and Fisher were
arrested on Sullivan's complaint and put
under bail, but are now said to be living
together in Brooklyn.
After his wife's infidelity Sullivan sought
revenge. The remarkable mortality
among the children came to the mans
mind. Inhamed with anger as he was,
Sullivan was ready to believe anything
against his wife. He told the story to the
coroner, and in investigating the case De-
tective Donal learned the strange impos-
ture that had been practiced on Sullivan.
1t was found that all the children died a
natural death, but Detective Donal learn
ed that Mrs. Sullivan was not the mother
of one of them.
Mrs. Sullivan obtained all the babes from
midwives and baby farms. The infants
were struggled into the house, and the
uretended sick woman afterward pret
scented them to her husband as his off,
spring. On every occasion, 1t is said, the
happy husband was showered with con-
gratulations by the midwife in attendance
and he always accepted these congratula-
tons with the unfegned JOY of a delighted
parent
Sullivan says that he was completely de-
ceived by his wife, and he thought all the
children were his. But Detective Donal
has the records OF the births Of all the
babies In question, and the date Of their
adoption from the baby farms at which
Mrs. Sullivan obtained them. Sullivan de-
clares he is entirely at loss to under
stand why his wife should have practiced
the deception. She was, he says, very
fond Of children, and apparently sincere
ly mourned with him the loss of all the
babies.
Sullivan and his wife were married in
1868. They had no children until 1874. when
there was an arrival in the shape of a
baby boy. 1t lived but few months. A
year or two afterwards another child was
added to the family, which also died in
infancy. At intervals Of a year or two.
up TO the summer OF 1896 baby boys and
girls made their appearance, but with the
exception OF one little boy. none of them
lived more than FIVE or six months. MIR.
Sullivan was always delighted when the
babies we're born, and was nearly incon-
solable over their deaths. His wife also
gave evidence OF maternal sorrow over the
early demise OF her little ones.
with tho exception OF the first child
buried in St. Mary's cemetery, all the ba-
bies are Inferred az Northwood cemetery
In lot which Sullivan bought when the
second child died