The Origin of Her Name.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 100, 28 April 1888, Page 8 (Supplement)

The Origin of Her Name.

A BIG HOUSE AT BEOADSTAIKS,

The life of this woman appears to be an inexhaustible mine of romance. Whether inquiries be pursued in London, Edinburgh, or Dublin, incidents are revealed in her career of a, character that would strain the faith of the most credulous were not circumstances equally surprising placed by accumulating evidence beyond the reach of doubt.

Information which has been collected by a " Star " reporter goes to show that HER ASSUMPTION OF THE NAME OF GORDON JJAILLIK was not dictated simply by a desire to change the homely Annio Bruce into a more imposing appellation. Indeed her present name was not the first double-barrelled cognomen she had sported. In November, 1884, she lived at 59, York-terrace, Regenb'spark, under the name of Mrs Ayrd Whyte. Her tenancy was not of long duration, and it ended unpleasantly, though probably nob unexpectedly, by three men taking possession on behalf of the iirm who had supplied the furniture. '' Mrs Maitland" was another alias of this female Proteus, though in this instance this name—under which she lived at 56, Welbeck-street, where she gave lessons in elocution and advertised for aspirants to the stage—was probably rather suggested by attendant circumstances than was the product of mere invention. Subsequently, she lived at a Madame Trejardo's in Harleystreet. When she left she gave a bill for £40 in payment. It was not met. Two other addresses at which she might have been found for a short period in 1885 were 5, Duchess-street, Portland-place, and 4, Bryanston-street. At the latter house she i was the tenant of TWO UNSUSPICIOUS MAIDEN LADIES, whofound theirtenantequally as unprofitable as had Madame Trejardo. But this remarkable woman's first assumption of the name of Gordon Baillie had taken place prior to this. In 1883 she became acquainted witli an old lady calling herself La Comtesse de Bronte. She resided in considerable comfort at Foley-street, Langhain-street, and afterwards at 83, Mortimer-street, W. Bhe whs possessed of a large quantity of rich jewellery,and was in receipt of an allowance from the Countess of Aberdeen. In this old lady the adventures developed a sudden and intense interest. She espoused the cause of the Nihilists and induced the Comtesse to accept the [presidency of a somewhat shadowy NIHILIST SOCIKTY. How this worked out to the advantage of the fair enthusiast ia not known, though it may be surmised. And it is here we get the; probable origin of the name under which she is at present living. The family name of the Earl of Aberdeen is Gordon— the Comtesse had a dog named Gordon - and his mother's name was Eiiillie. If there is no co?inect<ion to bo traced between these faobubmustbeadmibted to be a very curious coi ncidenco that Mrs Why to should adopt two family names of the Aberdeen family at the time she was intimately associated with an old dependent of theirs. This connection was severed in a manner bordering on the tragic. Mrs Baillie had purchased some pictures of the Comtesse for £70, paid by cheque, which was duly dishonoured. She afterwards called on the Comtesse to offer uoine explanation, and finally the two, with a gentleman of Mrs Baillie's acquaintance, went out to dine. Next morning the Comtesse was ill, and after a week's sickness she was KOUND DEAD OX THE TLOOK of her room. As a doctor was able to certify that sho had died from an apoplectic fit an inquest was nob held. Another of Mrs Gordon Baillie's numerous landladies was a Frenchwoman named Mott, living in Southampton-street, Strand. For her account she received some pawn -tickets representing property —so Mrs G. B. said —of great value. But when Madame Mott tried to realise she discoverd they were special contract tickets, the period for which had already expired. Mrs Baillie was once the guest of an authoross named White residing in South Kensington. They met in a 'bus, and so interested did Mrs White become in her new acquaintance that she invited her home to stay. Mrs Baillie left after a three days' sojourn, taking with her inadvertently some of Mrs White's MSS. Poems which have since found publication over another name than that of Mrs White. WHIMS AT BARTON HALL Barton-under-Necdwood, Burton-on-Trent, Mrs Gordon Baillie kept up a good establishment. She appears to have a liking for livestock, for there were a chestnut horse named Sultan, a man called Janet, and a pony Taffy, six dogs, a goat, four pigs, three turkeys, 28 ducks, and 180 fowls. Bho used to advertise as a lady of title for young ladies fond of hunting and'a country life to come and live with her. One essential element in tbo terms was the pa}'ment of £100 in advance—and bhoir stay was quite of a temporary character. In November 1885, she conveyed the whole of her property at Barton Hall to Mr Frost. A correspondent has supplied us with some interesting details of Mrs Gordon Baillie's SOJOUHN AT liROADSTAIKS. Marine House, in that town was taken in MrsGordouljaillie's name about four months eidco, and five children were sent there with all the accessories of a first-class establishment. Governess, housekeeper, and five servants gave a style to the place, and the tradespeople were as competoly deceived as they had been in Sandown (Isle of Wight), Brighton, Herne Bay, and other seaside reports. Before long troubles began. The landlord of Marine House made himself disagreeable, but sufficient was forthcoming to secure the premises to Lady Day. Then the gas was cub off; the tradesmen became clamorous, and the servants, who declare they never previously had known of any difficulties, began to leave one by one. On Thursday, March 1, the housekeeper, finding that her friends were goue and that Mrs Gordon Baillie had left Eastbourneterrace, leaving no clue to her whereabouts, Also made tracks and was followed to the station by a howling and indignant section of the populace. The. previous Sunday Mrs Gordon Baillie, who had stayed at the Albany Hotel during Saturday night, left by the last train at dusk, taking with her the nurse and baby. Having, as she said, left her cheque-book behind,shejpromised to send a remittance on the Mpnday, bub up to Friday evening it had not arrived. Mr Frost also wrote to bo down on Friday, March 2, and set every thing right, but up to seven p.m. he had made no sign. This was serious, as there was no money in the house. The governess waß removed- by her friends, a woman servant being left m charge of the children till the following morning, and rotice was given to the relieving officer that the children might need his attention. Eventually, however, Mr Frosb fetched them away.

MRS BAILLIE HAS THREE PRETTY DAUGHTERSThe eldest, named Richard Duckworth America (said to be an heiress under the late Sir R. D. King's will), is about 13, and the two younger are named Snow and Paddy. Her two boys are aged respectively seven years and a few months.