The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-29
Mrs. Vernon. Of rOOklyn[l.. n
Writes Judge Cl0ptOn
About the Case.
SECRET MARRIAGE. #
NJ SAYS IN r. SMITH
Richmond Lawyers, Convicted
Counsel, E p1ains y y
Away Intirna+ions ii Mrs. 4 II d,
..5 g# Vernon, Letter and ri
! Interview in &;
i3 "vVorld."' s;5s "

Commonwealth's Attorney Page. Of
Manchester. made public yesterday II q
etter from Mrs. Emma Vernon, ol
which is printed below. saying
hat she cared for Ralph Smith under
,eculiar circumstances. VI q :S 3
That this letter has raised ii fiercl
storm OF public feeling against Mrs
rstelle Townsend Smith, lately convicted
Il voluntary manslaugh, ,ers and sentenced
o a flve-year term In the peniten.iary.Sia
! absollitely true, and that 1t may ena ii
.rouble Is the opinion OF N any. Mrs
Smiths attorney, Mr.. H. M. Smith s ,Jr.
however. throws still further light Il OF
he case, which dispels many clouds, and
Will tend to soften feeling toward hel
! great deal. l5s5fy s ,5s f4S8 \
Mrs. Vernon's i Letter.
The letter Of Mrs. Vernon reads 9,
follows: ig4s
Brooklyn, N Y, Sept. #1 9, IL so5. IL
4 Hon. Judge Clopton: s5 s
Fl Dear Sir, Tin to days edition Of "
u the New ork American + read an
4 account Of the ppllcation Of Il Mrs
B Smith for a. new trial forS the IN ur-ps
Il der of hers child. Ralph Lawrence
q Smith. Enclosed you 4 will s find N q Il
4 clipping from, tho N ew Y orle World, e
Il Of August 49,, $685. the same shows
Ing that I have just cause for 5wri t-S
ing you what Is actually the truth
The said RALPH n Z. SIN lth was In! my q
charge from the age IA Of ton days
until over his fourth year during &
" which time 4 received Socoastona | vis-s
Z Its from his father and vice from
B his mother, q and Notwithstanding theS
4 publicity that was given to the case
4 at the time Of the published state
mont Fac sinlle to the nelosed SclIp--SS
& ping none OF e respeeta Bile relatives
Il Of s. .5g "a Smith on Of The 4, n'othe
j5 Mrs. e. Smith, have s8a ppe ared,
i althouo every effort was N ade To-
discover thelr there abotlts 70 no
4 purpose. Inwriting you this I. am not 4
doing IT to- sa tisfy any grudge o In
4 a spirit of reyenge for II y had felt
like that I could have made a stat te-S
ment that would mot have sounded I
4 much to Mrs. Smith 8 credit, for
4 have been approached by her rela-iS5
itlves to defames the character and y
ulSpObtlluIl lIlc llCA sbOl4SIhEy
flt.} But ] refused to speak clloos-&
ling that the law should # take It's
\ course. Now that the trial is over
Id want to say that the child n m ust
: have a been horribly a bused * to have *
died In such manner. for he was &
a strong. healthy. child and the envy
\ Of my neighbors when he was In my \
81 charge. , 4 X II. y i8s3t 81 33
335As am sorry that the father finally
took the child away, which he did u
after promising to settle with mo for
5 the chllds board. n II Q s. has never i
given me one cent. I3F & ~:
In tho account that. ! received In q
( to-day's paper 1t states that Ralp hi
I is the only child /. which Is false.
Mrs. Smlthgls the mother OF two chill
4 dren, both boys. What has become II
4. OF tho younger brother OF Ralph
II you wishaany further informa-iiss
4 ton, / would be only too glad to-
4 give It to YOU and will you kindly
NJ return tho enclosed n clipping, as 1 y
would like to keep, them for future s
reference. remain, sir, %5i ii sS$$
Yours most respectfully,
MRS. EMMA Y VERNO OrJ,
901 ST. Johns Place. Brooklyn. \. ~ Z. y
Tries to Find the Father.
The following is from the New ia g orr Y
World, August %, 1903: a S "A
Prattllng In childish innocence at tht
loma OF Mrs, Emma Vernon, at No. 1b6s
Broadway, Brooklyn. Is Ralph Lawrence
Smith, three years old, unaware ~ ha t ne
las been abandoned by his s ather nnt
hat the woman who has reared hin. IRON
lis earliest Infancy must part With hin
because hor husband Is Ill and she cnnnot
eed three mouths Mrs. Vernon mas ap.
,ealed to the World to find the missing
parent. whose name Is said to be Y S ,lep,
,ard Knapp Smith, a member of 9
vealthy New York family. 5
Though little Ralph has won a place ir
Yrs. Vernon's heart as II he were lisl
'wn child. she cannot longer provide fol
Tim. III ,3s t5ia. X 5 IA
Mrs. Vernon, who was then N straight.
ned circumstances. was Informed tnree
tears ago that she could make a lite
money by boarding a baby. She was tolc
o be in Bushwick Avenue In the rear ol
,er home on the evening OF October 23
500, She went, to the spot, and had moi
,een awaiting many minutes when d
tylish equppage drove UP and q young
nan with baby In his arms alighted,
Are you Mrs. Vermont he asked, and
eCelV!llk " leplS III tlle tdll4FlIlhLlVe,F ut
,laced the baby In her arms, % H
@"My name Is Sheppard Knapp Smith,
10 continued. belong to a fine 4 ole
amily In New York and cannot afford &
ct my relatives know Of my predlca'
nent MY Wife, whom married. secret
y, because my relatives We're opposee
o II, Is III and ! shall take her some,
where to get VOL. You take good care
Il the baby, His name 10 Ralph Law
'ence Smith," q
Little Ralph was only ten days olt
yhen his father, kissed him goodbye
Regularly for time Mrs, Vernon re
eived ssla a month for TIE child's board
md Mr. Smith called occasionally to go
he little one. The mother never, cal lei
md the father explained her absence b
laying that the marriage was still u
ecret. Mrs, Vernon last saw Smith eigt
cen months ago, but he continued !
!. IA n Fl; 81 X =. SIS