The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-26
NOT MRSnBEDF0RD'S BABY.
SHE PLEA DSEIILTI TO ATTEMPT
Ed FRAUD AND rs FINED.
Case Comes TO n sudden End In London
Police court -I,aDy secured From =
N,idwife--Fi>e American women VIII
Now Ditldc the Bedford Estate.

ming S. Bedford. who was accused OF making
a false entry Of the birth of child in order
to obtain about 1875, 900 left by her husband
and %f1o wax arrested at Queenstown
on: May rs on the arrival Of the
steamship Ufnbrla came TO sud-
dep end in tho Bow Street Police
Court to-day. Mrs Bedford pleaded
guilty to the charge OF false registration
and admitted that the child was not hers.
She was fined fls. which is the maximum
penalty that can be imposed by police
coy rt =
The end came infer Prosecuting Counsel
Muir had told. remarkably convincing,
detailed story. He pointed out that he
had a number of witnesses from Paris,
such as Mr.. Redford's valet, charwoman
and a mlliner. who had seen Mrs Bed
ford every day during the months of Oc-
tober, November and December and had
noticed no signs of approaching con-
fntmedit Tile first knowledge OF the
child came when Mrs. Bedford presented
herself with the infant at the office Of
Ioudert Brothers, saying 1t was hers
These attorneys had been with Mr., Bedford
almost until his death and had never heard
him mention the chile!
Coming to the actual registration, Mr.
Mair said that Mrs. Bedford arrived in
London on Dec. II. 1902, She stayed at
the Charing Cross Hotel. registering there
alone On Dec. "a shc started for Paris
On Dec "a a man of the name of Webb
eaw Mrs Bedford drive up in a cab to the
Registrars office, which vas closed She
spoke to Webb saving she wished to regis
ter the birth of her sisters child. Mr.
Cowie, the Registrar,w prepared T." testify
that Mrs Bedford signed the register as
Margaret Car,itte, the chlId's aunt, saying
the mother had been confined at l6 Upper
Woburn place. where the proprietress de-
cIares there has been no birth for three
years and that she never saw Mrs. Bed
ford. Registrar Cowie had identified Mrs.
Bedford as the woman who had signed the
register and as the one who had been ar
rested on the arrival of the steamship
Umbria from New York.
Subsequent to Mrs. Bedford's arrest
further discoveries We're made. show
nS that working woman, whose
name could not be given because IL would
cost her her employment. gave birth to
female child on Jan. u, She was attended
by a midwife Of the name of Bourcher. at
lsleworth. Mrs. Bourcher was prepared to
testify that she answered an advertisement
from Madame b.! who wished to adopt
a female child She received letters dated
Paris and signed Helena Bancroft in
the handwriting of Mrs. Bedford. She was
able to identify Mrs. Bedford as the Helena
Bancroft" to whom she handed over the
child.
THE, counsel for the prosecution said the
scheme was one which never could sue
ceed, and speaking in behalf of his clients,
he suggested that Magistrate Sir Albert
de Rutzen should deal with the cake. in
stead Of sending it to the Assizes, where,
il the woman was convicted, she could be
sentenced 70 seven years imprisonment
Mr.. Hall, X. c., who conducted the do
fence. said, he. desired in behalf Of Mrs
Bedford to plead guilty and 10 make the
admission that the child was not hers
He stated that Mrs. Bedford had acted
az she did on the suggestion Of her husband
and that there was no attempt at fraud on
her part He said he could show that tho
child had been recognized by Mr. Bedford
az having been adopted as his own.
When Magistrate De Rutzen imposed the
fine Mrs. Bedford insisted that her coun-
eel state that she had been misrepre-
defraud. She had acted in the matter as
Mr. Bedford had particularly desired. The
trust fund for the child was but a small
portion OF her husbands fortune.
When her counsel asked that the prop
erty taken from Mrs. Bedford at the time
of her arrest be returned. Inspector Cough,
Of Scotland Yard, acquiesced, except in
the matter of the loaded revolver which
had been found in her possession
This caused Mrs. Bedford to rise in the
dock and say: "Of course l want it. Since
nv husband was attacked have always
carried it
Her counsel interposed and said: But
you don't want it,
To. this Mrs. Bedford replied; All
right I'll get another one
Mrs Bedford, who was dressed In widow
weeds, showed the effects of her weeks
Imprisonment in Holloway Jail. She wat
pale and extremely nervous. Up to the last
moment it was expected that the case woulc
be fought and counsel for the defence wa.
fully prepsred to make bitter contest unit
Mr.. Muir's straightforward story OF wha
hhHrpeotAl to be able TO prove showed tina
the information in the possession Of the de
fence was useless.
Twas announced in court that Mrs
Bedford, viii retain possession OF the child
which she will adopt as her own, arrange
ments with the real mother having beel
satisfactorily concluded.
The attorneys for the five women who
now that the widow Of Cunning S. Bed
ford has admitted in court that the bah.
was not her own child, are indisputabl,
the heirs to the two trust estates in %ficl
young Bedford had life interest, did no
attempt to disguise their satisfaction yes
terday. The women are Mrs. Virgin;
Xefega OF Plainfeld.' y. j.; Mrs. Louis
Gallagher Of North Aabury Park, n. D.
Mrs. Henrietta Martinez of New York, ant
Mrs Adelaide Blanchard Of Mount Vernon
sisters, who are represented by Couder
RrotAsers and Mrs Mary f. Wright OF Hemp
stead, III. T.. whose interests are being looked
after by Tompkins Mcllvaine. All arr
second cousina -
.Mrs Bedfori's admission that TIN
child is not hers" said LORENZO Sempl
of Coudert Brothers. yesterday. makes un
necessary any litigation 10 establish th
claims OF these five heirs They will TAX
all, the property left under the willis o
young Bedford's father, Dr. Frederc
Bedford and his uncle. Judge Cunning
s. Bedford. ,of which properties Eugen
J.. Bushe is trustee, Bedford having die
without issue.
Mr.. Semple said that The property. whic
WAS left in two trust estates. was wort
between $4,000 and $500 ,00n, and con