New-York tribune., 1906-12-28
HUNGRY AND IN RAGS.
Mother Says Child Is Son of the Late
O.. III. Pullman.

Edmund Ernest Pullman, FIVE years old, who 40
cordng to his mother. is the legitimate son OF the
late George H Pullman. a nephew OF the inventor
OF the Pullman palace car and heir to $4,000 left
by his father. was taken TO the Children's Court
yesterday by agents OF the childrens society They
told Justice Olnsted that they had found the boy
half frozen and wrapped in rags on the top floor
OF tenement house at No. 4S7 West 18th street IN
company with his mother and two younger chill
dren. They said there was no fire or food in the
scantily furnished room. ana that the children were
in danger OF freezing. One an infant in arms
The agents asked Justice Olmsted commit the
two older children to the OF the childrens So
ctety, but Mrs. Pullman Bresin. she now
calls herself. objected. saying that she was able
to provide for the children and did not want the
ciety to take them away from her. After hearing
the woman's story Justice Olmsted allowed her
to retain the custody OF the two younger children.
but remanded the boy to the of the sooiety
pending further investigation of the case.
The story that the woman unfOlded TO the court
a remarkable She said that she was the
daughter of DR.. Sumner A. Mason former cor
Of this city. who died in March. 1885, that her
mother had been assistant 10 Miss Clara Bar
ton, at that time president OF the Red Cross. and
massacred by Armenians the same year her
husband died. and buried in Constantinoplei that
her brother. Ernest was attached to the Red Cross
hnguist for many years. and that she herself
had been appointed amanuensis to Miss Clara Bar
ton, and. while holding that Office. met George H
were married. she ssId in 1884, by a minister named
Robert Pierson. in private house at 18th street
and Fifth avenue. and her son. Edmond Ernest
Pullman, the issue Of that marriage She
claimed that she got a divorce from Pullman
shortly before he died. which before the birth
OF the boy. and that about three years ago she
married Cornelius P. Breslin. a bricklayer, by
whom she has two children. She said her husband
was at present OF work. but that IL she received
a little time she would provide a better home for
her hat sha fC rrafr a. 10
ALB West S1st street. and that her brother. Ernest
Mason. who lives in Harlem and is employed By
the Metropolitan Street Railway Company was
willing TO help her.
To a Tribune reporter, who found Mrs. Breslin
at No. A5 West S1st street. she repeated much the
same story. She was very angry at the society for
stealing her child from her she called it.
THE Gerry Society have been after my children
for some time she said. 'and have been lodging
them. Last night they found and forced their
way into my apartments at 10 o'clock at night and
took Eddy away They threatened to call patrol
wagon for me. and 1 defed them to do I wanted
them to call ambulance to take Eddy to a hos
pitaI as he IS sick, but they refused Yes. Eddy
is the son of George Fl. Pullman. I met him in
Washington while he financial secretary to
the Red Cross and was an assistant to
Miss Barton. We married in 1891, and lived
together of and until 1902. when obtained a
divorce on statutory grounds. I started a divorce
suit against him In 1925 hut withdrew It. as he
promised to reform, and went back to live to-
gether. My husband was very good to me and
very liberal. He frequently gave me 800 week
for spending money. I travelled all over Europe
with him, and we stopped at the best hotels In
London. Paris. Vienna and Geneva When were
IN New York usually stopped at the Waldorf. -.
It is q long step from the Waldorf the small.
dirty room the top floor Of the tenement. with
its inky black railways UP which she had to stum-
BILE to her roorn but Mrs Breslin did not seem to
realize the change she went reminiscently
Shortly after obtained my divorce my husband
d,ed-two or three months before Eddy born
His father had given him $4,000 In Pullman stocks
and as my Eddy is his legitimate and heir the
$4,000 will be his by right Of inheritance when he
becomes OF age, though expect he will have TO
fight for it"
Mrs Breslin went on to say that her father had
been we'll known physician, a coroner and presi-
dent of the Harlem Republican Club. She said
she had been we'll educated and that she could
speak French. Italian and Spanish, well as
English. But" she added, II poor and made
the mistake of marrying rich man. 1t was the
old story-his people wouldn't receive me-"
Mrs Bresiins account Of her marriage 70 and
divorce from George II. Pullman is not borne out
by reference TO the biographical departments which
all newspapers keep. Thess show that Novem-
her a. 1885, George II. Pullman was served with
a summons and complaint for absolute divorce,
and that on December l of that year Justice DAILY
OF the Supreme Court. awarded her $50 week ali
mony and $3.50 couaseI fees, Pullman failing ap-
pear.
that her husband had deserted her on January /,
1885, and had contributed 10 her support since.
She stated that they married March 25,
1884, by Robert Pierson. a minister OF the Gospel.
in a private house at 18th street and Fifth avenue,
and that the minister gave her & marriage certif-
cate which she turned to her husband and
never saw again. She named Clara Elliot. Of
Washington, correspondent.
On February Is, 1892 the came up again IN
the Supreme Court before Justice Beekman, but
no one appeared in Mrs. Pullman's behalf TO press
her claim for alimOny and counsel fees pending
her suit for divorce. Alexander Thain. who ap-
peared In behalf of Pullman. declared that his
client had never married her; that her letters,
which he produced were sufficient TO prevent any
one appearing in her behalf, and that the suit
n blackmaillng scheme. One Of the letters which
was read at that time referred to Charley and
Marguerite" and the writer ended by threatening
to commit suicide.
Justice Beekman. after reading the letters. which
were dated one in June, 1887. and another In the
spring Of 1898, dismissed the motion.
No record be found of the divorce which
Mrs Bresin claims she obtained In 1902 shortly
At the outbreak of the Spanish war Pullman
enlisted as a private and went to Cuba She fol-
lowed as nurse but was sent pack by the United
States authorities
Superintendent Jenkins OF the childrens So
ciety said they had been watching the case for
two weeks, during which time the woman moved
several times Mr.. Jenkins also stated that while
the children's society had jurisdiction over
money matters, such trust funds and in
hertances concerning the children intrusted its
story that her would inherit $4,000 when ha
reached mis- majority that his interests could
he looked after by the proper authority or
guardian.
WEDDING.