The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-08-31
LOST FFTY-TWO YEARS.

Il AJS1 r1r i H W. 1Gn1\Ss
Abandoned in carpet bag fifty.two
years ago, when he was hut nine days
old, Alfred Summers Molyneux, Of
No. 665 Grove street, Jersey City, hal
determined to devote the remaining
years of his life if necessary to clearing
up the mystery of his birth.
Molyneux is the name he got from
his adopted parents, Henry and Betsy
Molyneux, who took him into their
home to replace son who was born
the day he was found, September I'D,
1858, and died the next day. Both
his adopted parents are now dead.
While they lived Molyneux respected
their wishes and did not attempt to
solve the mystery of his birth. TWAS
not until he was % years old that he
even knew that he was not their own
SOD.
He was then told how the carpet
bag, filled with air holes, in which he
was left to his fate, had been found
aboard train on the Amboy division
of the Pennsylvania railroad.
A man and q woman had boarded
the train at Princeton Junction. They
occupied separate cars. The man car
ried the carpet bag. He left the train
before it reached Perth Amboy ferry,
and the bag was found beneath the
seat he had filled. There were no
cries from the bag, a sleeping potion
having been given the child.
There were some 600 or more pas
sengers who took the ferry to New
York city. Among them was Mrs.
King, of Jersey City, who took the
baby to her home. The following day
DR.. Lutkins, her physician, told her Of
the loss of the Molyneuxs, and his
fears that Mrs. Molyneux would not
survive unless she had q child to re
place her dead baby.
Mblyneux believed that one of his
parents was English, and that he was
born at Washington. He also has
reason to believe that he was heir to
considerable wealth.
When he started upon the search
for his relatives he learned that when
he was between 6 and Z years old, or
just at the close of the civil war tall,
dark stranger, who looked very much
as he looks now, made inquiries in
Jersey City for an abandoned baby.
He called upon DIR. Lutkins, and the
doctor, who had promised Mr.. and
Mrs. Molyneux that he would never
disclose the history of their adopted
son, misled him and sent him away
without enlightening him. The man
said he must find the child or the
record of his death in order to settle
up big estate in Washington.
When he was seventeen years old
Molyneuy WAS taken befare n iustice
of peace named Allen, and Mrs. Molly
neux had him sign some papers, telling
him to be sure to sign his full name,
"Alfred Sommers Molyneux." He
did not know what the papers con.
tanned.
When he was twenty three years old
Frederick Payne, brother of Mrs.
Molyneux, asked him one day to sign
two papers, which he said we're appIi.
cations for a position at Washington
for a friend. After he had signed
Molyneux became suspicious and asked
to see the papers. Payne ordere! him
from the office.
Molyneux attempted to compel
Payne, through proceedings in the
court of chancery, to disclose the
nature of the papers he signed, but
because he could not swear that he had
suffered property loss the effort failed.
For over twenty years Molyneux
has been employed by the Lackawana
railroad, and he now holds q RESPONSE
bic position at the shops at Hoboken.
He married Anna Eichs in 1885
Philadelphia Telegraph.