A ROMANTIC STORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 608, 25 July 1863, Page 3

A ROMANTIC STORY.

The police of Portsmouth have during the past week been engaged in investigating a case as singular as it is romantic. It appears that vsome few years since a lieutenant in her Majesty's navy became enamoured of a fascinating actre=s, and eventually married her. The match, however, displeased his friend". The father of the lieutenant died a little' more than a year ago, leaving a large amount of property to be divided amongst his children. In the event of the lieutenant's death the wife would receive no benefit from the will, unless she had a child or children, who would then take their fa'her's share. Strange to relate, the lieutenant died last October, leaving no issue. His wile was at this time repid'ng with her late husband's friends in the neighborhood of London. Not long after she had become a widow, Mrs complained of being ill, and one day informed her mother-in-law that she waa enciente. At that time ,

the family believed her statement, and every arrangement wai made for her accouchement. Mrs told ber mother-in-law that she should visit her own mother, who resided at Portsmouth, which she did, much against the wish of her husband's family, who tried to induce her to return to their residence, where it was previously arranged that she should remain until ai'tei her accouchement. The widow made various excuses •when solicited to return, and so great was the anxiety _of her mother-in-law that she proceeded"''to Portsmouth, visited the widow, and ati ongly. s-uspected that Mrs 's story about being ena-.inte was not true. Last week the deceased officer's mother again visited Portsmouth, and took loggings there, determined, if possible, to learn the result of affairs. At one o'clock on Friday, the Bth instant, Mrs 's mother went to the deceased lieutenwt's mother, and informed her that her daughter had given birth to a child. " Who wa* tho doctor?" was the first question; which elicited the reply, " There was no doctor present." The case thus became more suspicious, and the mother-in-law determined to sift the affair. A doctor was called in, and he found the widow in bed, having with her a newly -born female infant. She refused all medical as- \ sistance, and would not allow the doctor to come near her, telling him, in answer to his questions, that she was quite well, and needed no medical aid. The late lieutenant's family, determined to fully investigate the matter.on Wednesday last had the lollowing bill circulated throughout Portsmouth: "L3O Reward — Whereas it is believed that a female child, bora on the 9th instant, has been taken to a house in Church-path, Landport, for the purpose of being falsely represented ai the child of a person living there, the above reward will be paid to any person who will give such information a" will lead to the discovery of the mother, or to proof of the c l ild having beenso left. Information to be given to Mr Pv,. Barber, chief superintendent, Lnndport Station." The result was that it was discovered that the lieutenant's widow, to secure the property left to her husband, had induced a young woman in poor circumstances, who was near her confinement, to reside near her, on the understanding that the newly-born babe was to be transferred directly it was born from the real to the fictitious mother. Both parties were confronted, and the young woman confessed the plot, stating that Mrs had promised to provide for the child, which, on its birth, was conveyed to her bedroom, where she was in bed ready to receive it. The widow is in receipt of a pension lrom government, and the family of her late husband have, it is stated, expressed their readiness to receive her again.