The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-02

has been found. and n search Is being made
for the man who is said to rave been
adopted as a son. Meanwhile the Admin
istraior has been selling stocks and bonds
that have brought the unclaimed estate I'D
TO the sum of SS0.000.
Mrs. Susan ii. Van Mort died IN .July.
1899. For years previous to her death she
had been known in New York society as
the wife of George NJ. Van Mort, an asso-
clate of Tweed in Tamrnany Hall. who was
at various times secretary to the Park
Board and Commissioned of Public Works.
Among her papers were letters written by
Mrs. Isabella Duffey from a country place
I'm Massachusetts In terms of deep anec-
ton.
Mrs. Van Mort left n valuable estate.
There was a will. in which she bequeathed
everything to her husband. but he had died
in 1885,. The Mrs. Duffey OF the letters
came forward at the Instance OF tho au-
thorities TO establish herself as the dauCb-
ter and heir of the dead woman The Ad-
ministrator deemed the documentary EVIL
dencc sufficient to lead him to make an in
vestigation. He sent a lawyer to Ireland,
the birthplace Of Mrs. Van Mort. He re-
manned there for six weeks. returning to
this country only last week.
The Noman's Early History.
The lawyer found the birthplace of Mrs.
Van Mort in Ireland. There he learned that
the woman had given birth to a laughter
while she was a barmaid In an inn. On the
records of the parish the child was en-
tered as having been born in 1sii to Daniel
F'earon, "A ship carpenter. and the girl who
was afterward known as Mrs. Van Mort.
Fearon was a guest at the inn where the
woman was employed. On the parish reg
lister in the entry of the chiId's birth was
written the abbreviation ''illeg." The name
of the child was Isabella. For a number of
years the relatives Of the young mother
cared for Isabella. who lived the life OF the
ordinary Irish peasant.
Meanwhile the mother. in 1s47, had come
to America. She married into a good fam
lily, becoming the wife of Henry Roberts.
Her husband was subsequently killed in his
fathers mill. There were no children. Ten
years later. in 1851. Mrs. Roberts married
William ). Niles. in Rome. N. Y. The
Nileses were well-to-do business people.
TIT couple soon after their marriage moved
to the little New York town of Angelica.
Later. in Battle Creek. Mich. Mrs. Niles
divorced her husband on the charge of nom
support. He. however. died before the de-
cree mad been entered.
The agents of the administrator were told
BY surviving member of the Niles family
that while Mr.. and Mrs. Niles were living in
Angelica "A male child had been left on their
doorstep. This child, they assert. was Ie-
saliy adopted under the name OF Charles
r'errere Irwin Niles. IL he were living at
the present time he would be about IS years
old.
Seeking Adopted Son.
The law in this State permits an lille
Ultimate child TO inherit property from the
mother in the absence of lawful issue or
legally adopted children. II this man were
to be found. and it were proved that such
adoption took place. he would inherit the
agents of the administrator traced the man
to San Francisco, where they have lost him.
After the death of MIR. Niles. Mrs. Niles
spent some time abroad. In England she