The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-26

said to now something Of the case. l
wrote to Mr.. Steinhart, who was then
Consul General there He interested him
self in my case. He came to see me here in
Brooklyn three years ago and told me that
in his opinion | was the daughter Of a
Spanish-American opera singer named
Bonita Fernandez, who was murdered in
Havana many years ago and who left a
little daughter, wh0 disappeared. The
committeeman left me, promising to try
to see the old sporting man whom nave
mentioned. He saw him, and a strange
change came over him, From q friend, he
became Indifferent, That strange change
has come over every one connected with
the affair. 1t is as though these people
were affected by the baneful influence
which is keeping me from my own.
Then l began to advertise; and one day
In response to an advertisement there APP
peared a Mrs. Morton. She professed to
tell me who l was. She declared that |
was the illegitimate daughter of Lord
Wooten Of England, and that my mother
was a French woman. Mrs. Morton said
that she was a sister of my mother. She
produced a marvellous proof. Now, the
only possession left me when they took' me
away was a little spoon of antique pattern,
which had hung about my neck, and on
which | had cut my teeth. This Morton
woman produced a spoon that was its
counterpart. Yet afterward that same
strange influence overcame her. She would
not speak to me, but she did tell me that l
might learn something from the Hon.
Richard Wooten, who lived in Trinidad,
Col. l wrote to him. The answer came
from his widow, for he was dead. She
told me nothing. But later, and quite by
accident, l discovered that in the days
when Bonita Fernandez was in her glory in
Havana there was an English attache of
the Consulate there named Shirley Wooten.
Yet fate played me more tricks. Last
January L advertised again, and l re-
ceived a letter written in Philadelphia by a
negro woman, a visitor and travelling mis-
sionary named Burton. She said in her
letter that ten years ago she had given
spiritual consolation to a Cuban woman in
Baltimore. The Cuban said that she had
something on her mind which she wished
to tell. When Mrs. Burton pressed her,
she said that she had taken part many years
ago in the abduction of a child in Cuba,
the daughter of nice persons; that she had
given the child to negroes in Florida. Her
COHbClence SnOle neT, lot Sne kIeW tndl tne
child was living in destitution when she
might be living in riches. That Mrs. Bur-
ton wrote to me again in answer to my
frantic letters. She had been to Baltimore.
And, she wrote, I was followed and my
life was in danger implored her TO come
to see me. She came last wee The same
strange influence was at work. Her an
swers were e~vasive, and l could come to
only one conclusion; the negress had been
sent to deceive me by the persons who are
so mysteriously conspiring to bring about
my ruin and to keep me from my own. And
so once more l advertised in to-day's
newspapers.
Three times mysterious attempts have
been made to poison me, and again and
again / nave received anonymous letters.
And I fear now hat l shall never learn my
name and family"
The advertisement which took THE Sun
reporter over to Brooklyn yesterday to
listen to this Story OF the Fair Cuba read
as follows:
CUBAN WOMAN. who ten years ago asked
colored lady In Baltimore to help find child
of fine family she helped kidnap and bring TO
America 81 years ago. will find lady she
helped ,wronged az n child by addressing
BONITA FERNANDEZ, care Descartes. PSI
Clifton place. Brooklyn. New York.