The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-29
POOR WOMAN TO
GET BIG ESTATE
Mrs. Duffy Believed 10 Be Mrs.
Van Norris Daughter.
LATTER LEFT A BIG FORTUNE.
Her Career Was an EnatIc 0as, and Began
With Her Serve, as a Barmald
Ia Ireland.

New York, May 29-By a strange chain
OF circumstances, the outcome of which
she could never have foretold. Mrs Isa-
bella Duffy. now living in a small Massa-
chusetts town. viii soon become the pos
SCISSOR OF $200.0OO in gold from the estate
of her mother, Mrs Susan Van Mort. an
eccentric old woman, who died last July
in this city
William NJ. Hose, public administrator,
has been trying for long time through
agents all over the country 10 locate the
heirs OF Mrs. Van Mort estate He even
sent William H. VILLAS To Europe to un-
earth the records of the Van Mort ances.
tors
lie has succeeded I'm tracing Charles Fer
zero Niles, who had been brought up by
Mrs. Van Mort after she found him on
her doorstep TO California and thence 10
Prescott and Phoenix. Ariz. But there is
no evidence TO show that the hoy was
adopted, and II he was not he will have
no share i'm the estate.
Mr. Hose was about 10 look for collat-
eral heirs I'm ireland when Charles q.
Suydam brought TO him such convincing
proofs that Mrs. Van Mort WAS really
the mother OF Mrs. Duffy that the admin
The letters and pictures found in the
rooms of the dead woman added strength
TO Mrs. nuffy's case. and now IL H. ac-
knowledgcd that she IS entitled TO the es-
tate IN whole. If Niles was not adopted
and I'm part even II he was.
TWEED HER HUSBANDS FRIEND.
This Is how It all happened. Mrs. Van
Mort, who was belle during the Tweed
-Aeeft-e>ffff,4trtfo Uf ttTe fHmOus
Boss" had. previous to her marriage,
led a varied and somewhat erratic life
Before she came to this country from
Ireland she capuvated Daniel Fearou,
shipwright, who was staying i'm the hotel
where she did duty as barmaid She was
a trle over fourteen then. but beautiful.
and when she left the island for England
she left baby, too. It Is this child. now
Mrs. DufTy. who claims the mothers
property.
The barmaid came 10 America. returned
to England and there married Henry
Roberts. who was shortly after killed IN
his fathers mill. Mrs. Roberts then
revisited this country and I'm 1857, became,
In Rome. n Y, the wife OF William j.
Niles. They moved TO Angelica. where
Mrs. Niles sued her husband for divorce.
but he died before the decree was granted.
IL was during her life with Niles that
the boy who was afterward named
Charles Ferrero Niles was found on the
doorstep ana taken into the family by
the wife.
Another trip 10 England and Mrs. Niles
married for the last time. she became the
wife of George NJ. Van Mort. then con
uected with the department OF public
parks and later commissioner OF public
works. Mr.. Van Mort who was well
known about town, lived stylishly and
belonged TO many clubs. ffe died in Ny
ack i'm 1895.
COOKED HER OWN MEALS.
Since that time until her death his
widow lived quietly. Her apartments at
No 3l Madison avenue were sumptu-
ously furnished. but she seldom received
visitors. and often cooked her own meals.
Most OF her time she spent gazing at
the portrait OF her dead husband and on
many occasions it was her habit 10 con-
meet II by a blue ribbon 20 a bow OF the
same material over her heart
Mrs Van Mort was y graduate OF the
New York Law school -accnmpllzl4.4-
witty. and during her lost hnsband's ifo
a society woman,
Strangely enough those who knew her
imagined thst Mr Ven Mort was her
nrst husband
Mrs Duny says that the old woman
before her death told her that she was
her omther. aud ss the daughter has sew |
crsl photographs of abe dead woman and |
AIRS Van Mort had pictures Of Mrs. Duny |
and her children. tho evidence IN favor of |
her claims is regarded - conclusiYe