Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-14


she put it away. pinning to it de-
scription of the boy, including mention
of the moles.
They gave him a name-Francis-
and adopted him for their son. though
not legally, for they were poor persons
and had no property to leave him. AS
soon as he grew old enough to show
any bent he displayed a strong inclina
ton to work with tools on wood, max
ing small articles. which he managed
to sell in order to get money, which a
child always finds needful. When he
was fifteen years old he had become
quite expert at this kind Of work. He
became dissatisfied with the quiet life
he was leading. and one morning he
was missing without leaving any
word.
The way Frank had come to be left
at the Longmans was this: In the same
town lived gentleman named Fetch
err. A daughter. Phoebe, eighteen
/ years of age, fell in love with a young
man named Reynolds. who was not
acceptable to the girls parents. Phoebe
married Reynolds clandestinely. Be-
| fore the marriage was admitted he left
! for parts unknown. Then. it being dis
/ covered that Phoebe would become u
! mother. her parents concluded to keep
the whole matter secret. put away the
child as soon as born and take their
daughter abroad on plea of i'll health.
Before the child was born Mr.. Fetch
|
his trouble concerning his daughter.
When the boy came Mrs. Fletcher,
who had heard of the LOngmans and
their desire for Il child, sent one in he!
confidence with the baby to their house,
who, finding the front door unlocked,
set the basket in the hall. A few
weeks later Mrs. Fletcher sailed for
Europe with the mother. who. retain
ing her maiden name, was supposed to
be an unmarried woman.
1t was Mrs Fletcher's intention to
send Daniel and Mary Longman from
time to time money to pay for the
care of the child. and the grandmother
had promised her daughter that on
her return from Europe she would finS
way to get the boy back and bring
him up in their home. But the young
mother died abroad and Mrs. Fletcher
remained there some time after her
daughters death.
On Mrs. Fletcher'S return she was
met by a lawsuit on the part OF q
brother Of her late husband, Thomas
Fletcher. who claimed that under the
will of their father. his brother having
left no heirs. he CThomas) succeeded Il
the bulk of the estate Mrs. Fletcher
would have produced the foundlinc
but for the scandal and condemnation
Of her conduct which were sure t.
follow the'act. So she fought the cas-,
/. as owner of her husbands prOpert,
as his widow. holding the boy in re
serve in case the suit went agains
her.
During the period when the case wa
in court she was much in need O
ready money for legal expenses an
sent nothing to the Longmans for he
grandchild's use. The case was decide
against her several times. but she a
ways appealed from the decisions.
last. worn out by disappointment an
!, anxiety, she fell I'll and. realizing tina
she was about to die, informed he
lawyers of her GrandsonS existence
She died soon after anakin2>the col
| fession.
The question OF the ownership No;
= turned upon Frank LOngman, or,
give him his real name. Frank ReyI
olds.
: As the adopted son of the Lon;
= mans he was of no especial Jmpo