Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-03-16

tlllUNlilt lbI 't'N'lll'l VI thHNii -
February and March. 1900. some one
seems to have tampercd with some
church records at Trenton. Dodge
County. Wisconsin.
The following certainly reads
strangely:
From the Chicago American. March
-. 1901
What is the maine of the Republican
candidate for Mayor of Chicago:
lie was nominated as Elbridgc Han.
ccy. aud a. Elbrdge lianccy he has
been known throughout his career in
Chicago.
Vet persons in other parts of the
country. who assert that they know
what they are talking about, now say
that Mr.. llanccy is not Mr. llanocy.
hut something else.
Or at least that this i not the name
he was clristcned with.
This startling assertion j. not report
ed To intimate that Judge llanecy Is
fulfilling his career under an alias. or
that there can he any questionable rca-
son for the apparent discrepancy in
names. 1t may be- n strange colnci-
dcncc. or merely II mystery or Il mis-.
take. Whatever 1t is. the story Is sur.
iicicntly remarkable to arrest attention.
Judge Hanecy. according to the book
called THE Bench and Bar of chi.
cago." was born ai Trenton, Dodge
County. Wisconsin. the son of William
llanecy. As Judge lianccy Is close To
fifty years old. that should make the
year of his birth ISL.
Now. in ISL NJ Trenton. Dodge
County. near Fox Lake. Wis. son
was born TO one William Icnncsscy.
and on March III. 1852. was baptized
10y Father Jacob Roche. pastor of the
Roman Catholic Church of ST. Mary's.
This child received the name of pat.
rick Elbrldge Icnnosscy.
Relatives of this Patrick Elbrldgc
IIcnnessey, a sister ana two ncphcws.
for instance. declare that Patrick FL
bridge Hennessey ana Judge Elbridgr
llanccy are one and the same.
This seems extremely unlikely on the
face of II. as the child Patrick Elbrldgc
IIcnncsscy was baptized In one rclig
iJus faith and Judge Hanecy Is OF an.
other: but this j. what the relatives
assert.
Their curious statement IL strangely
enough indorsed by old residents at
Trenton, who declare that they have
followed the fortunes of this branch Of
the excellent Hennesscy family, and
that Judge IIanecy j. the son of VIII.
lam Hcnncssey. late of Trenton. Dodge
County, near Fox Lake. Wis.
Ordinarily there would bc two ways
of settling any such question.
There would be the records of the
church where the child was baptized.
and there would be the statement OF
the person whose name was In dispute.
Unfortunately II Is not possible In
this instance 10 take advantage of
either source of information.
As to the church records, they have
been mutilated. Two pages. on one of
which was the entry so important IN
this Interesting mystery, have been
torn out. In the opinion of the present
parish priest this deplorable event hap,
pcned between April | and May Is
1900.
AZ To III" person most concerned IN
this strange dispute, he. Strang,
enough to say, declines To throw any
light on the problem.
Every day in his court persons ar,
asked their names, and no one has even
regarded the question ~ insulting.
But when Judge llamccy was asked
concerning his own name he declined
Ia answer.
or course there l. no reason why u
gentleman should not change his nam,
If he 50 desires ana the courts consent
The law, fOrcScrng that gentlemen
might he dissatisfied, for on" reason ol
another perhaps for reasons of cu
phony. let ~ say, with the names borne
by their ancestors, has thoughtfully
provided for III" relief of such souls
through certain legal proceedings.
And Of cours" Judge IIanccy-if. in
deed, he bc the son Of William Hen
ncSs"y, lat" Of Trenton, Dodg" County
WIS.-may have availcd himself Of thl,
privilege.
He may have failed to notify his rcla
lives Of this action, or they may hay,
forgotten II us unimportant
or, indeed. they may b" entirely IN
error, and Judge ElbrIdgr IIuuecy umr
Patrick EIbridgc HcuncsScy may b,
two distinct persons,
I'm the latter ease, however. trace Of
Elbridgc IIauccy ana William Hanccy
his father seems 10 Dee lost at Trenton
,.1I d.