Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-05-17
FAMILY LIVED IN X
Maccartous Existed ON Their wits
Though Penshiless.

MacCartons Existea on Their Wits
Though Penniless.
When an army Of writ servers swarm
ed about the residence Of DR.. George
B. Wood, in an exclusive section Of
Philadelphia known us Rittenhouse
square. the other day, the entire neigh
borhood OF millionaires was ae0g. No
such commotion has been known in
this section for many q day, and as DIR.
Wood is n Of the wealthiest physi-
clans Of the city interest was at a fever
heat. Then it became known that a
clever oma by the name Of Mrs.
MacCarton had for several years pro-
vided for herself and children in a Law
tsh manner and that, too, without a
cent of income from any source, says
the New York Times.
This woman, who has shifted from
one fashionable section to another in
Philadelphia under different aliases
and has %squandered many thousands
of dollars Of money for the ~storekeep-
ers who are now out in great squads
trying to get some returns for their
bills, has outwitted them all and has
covered her tracks SO successfully that
not n trace Of her is left.
Scores of costly plants piled in two
rooms in the magnificent house are the
only valuable mementos left in Phil
adelphia to recall the presence Of the
MacCarton family, whose history for
the last two years is almost incredible.
Now their fight reveals unpaid bills
amounting to fully $4,000.
For days at u time these people actu-
ally starved. Then their wits would
provide a banquet costing oftentimes
500, and upon the dainties thus Sc
cured on promises they would feast for
a week. The children always had a
carriage at their disposal. Florists
fell e one another in order to keep
the rooms of the family supplied with
the choicest blossoms. Valuable paint
ings were sent from the leading art
stores to deck the walls, and a better
dressed family could not be found in
all the city.
1t now leaks out that this peculiar
family has lived in many parts of the
city, but there is a long interval in
their existence about which nothing
seems to be known. At times, how
ever, their life was one of acute mis-
cry. They We're watched night and
Gay by tradespeople of the humber
sort, the boy was stopped in the street
and forced to give up his o%vercoat,
the little girls have sold bouquets,
got on credit, but their pride has
been undiminished, and the children
always told customers that they were
selling the flowers to help some char
ity. Now all six have vanished.
A little more than a year ago an inn
posing mansion at 3041 North Broad
street was rented by the mother, who
gave her lame as Mrs. j. w. Mcbride.
She convinced the agent that they
had just come from New Orleans, and
he waived the question of prepayment,
especially as Mrs. Mcbride agreed to
sign a lease for two years. Within a
few days the delivery wagons of all
the big department stores began stop
ping in front of the house. At the end
of the week the residence of the Nc
Brides was n of the best furnished
in the neighborhood.
When she was crowded too much by
her creditors she suddenly disappear
ed and next established herself in Rit-
tenhouse square. Here they were
known as Mrs. Clarke and her chill
dren, the mother stating that they had
just returned from Paris and that their
trunks were detained at the New York
custom house. Then the most fash
ionable dressmakers, milliners, art
dealers, t%ailors, caterers and various
others furnished costly garments and
furnishings.
1t is now ascertained that their true
name is MacCarton.