48
M
RS. HARRY K. THAW, who as
Evelyn Nesbit, actress and art-
ist's model, one of the most beau-
A ful New York has ever known, won
tl c gay young: Flttsburgcr and ills mil
lii ns. Is trying to break Into society.
There is nothing surprising about
Ua it. for it is the almost invariable
cm torn that the actress or Bohemian
win o marries wealth instantly aspires
to tH that is conventional and proper,
and to take a place among the social
elco t. Besides women of Mrs. Thaw's
teor.i loramonts, must be in the lime-llfc-Jii
-
lu t while the fact itself is nothing
out x'f the ordinary, one feature of it
is as onishlng.
Hex mother-in-law, Mrs. "William
Thaw, is helping her.
Thl. isa morsel that is making the
Smoky City gossips hold long and ani
mated' sessions around their afternoon
tea.
Mrs. 'William Thaw, the ally and ad
vocate of her son's beautiful wife!
This is a situation to croate comment.
It is only a few months ago since
that sail e Mrs. Thaw, Sr., was an
nouncing that .under no conditions
would st e accept the former model
and aetn ss for a daughter-in-law.
When Ha rry brought Evelyn to the
lnitcd Su ites from Europe the oppo
sition of i he mother to the marriage
kept the p apers filled with lively ma
terial for lays.
It has be en a dramatic and well-colored
story.
A .71 hnmle Hyde Feast.
Harry Th.aw, whose sister married
the Earl of Yarmouth., had long been
rated as a connoisseur on feminine
beauty. In Europe he liad known
nearly every charmer who was worth
While, and had capped his prodigal
extravagance s by giving a dinner to
twenty of the most noted beauties of
Paris at whu 'h he was the only man
present.
The queen of this celebration was
Cleo de Merolle. and there were also
present Llane le Pougy and Anna
Robinson, the latter an American. It
is said that tliis feast cost the host
the sum of $30, 033.
Naturally the woman who was to
enslave the hea rt of this expert in
feminine charmii had. to be a real
beauty. He resisted, the efforts of
match-making mothers and stuck to
his bachelordom until the real queen
appeared. When he .saw Evelyn Nes
bit, he straightway capitulated, and
Seventy Notable Victims of the Auto Death
Ca-Jamilous Record of
WHILE accurate statistics of pas
sengers carrjied are not obtainable,
it is estimated that the percent
age of persons klllai In automobile acci
dents is five times greater than the per
centage of persons ikllled In railway dis
asters. No other relocation or sport has
claimed a tithe of the sacrifice in the
form of human life demanded by the auto
mobile. Tho rich and' the prominent figure
largely in tho fatairjtles, as witness the
following lists:
Count Cahen d'Anv.ers Hit a tree near
Mezicres. France; sScull fractured; in
stantly killed; October 20, 1900.
Frederick H. Benedict Machine ran
away downhill near Central Valley, N.
Y., and turned somesault after hitting a
boulder; died -under machine. Grenvillo
Kane had broken arm; October 19. 1901.
Baron Georg von tBIelchroder Collided
with a stone cart near Cologne, while
going 60 miles an hour; machine upset and
machinery, continuing to work, pounded
victim to death; June 11, 1902.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Fair Tire
burst and machine hit a tree while going
at 60 miles an hour near Saint Aguilln,
France; both Instantly killed and chauf
feur driven Insane y shock; August 14,
3902.
Frank J. Matthews and Mrs. J. H.- Cobb
Plunged off bridge and fell 35 feet to
railway tracks at Elbcron, N. J.; Mr.
Matthews instantly killed and Mrs. Cobb
o iadly lacerated that she died; August
26, 1902.
Mrs. William M. Stewart Machine
ukidded into a pole at Alameda, CaL, and
United Btates Senator's wife was thrown
against It so forcibly that she died in a
lew minutes;. September 12, 1902.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur R. Pennell
Plunged over cliff at Buffalo; husband
killed; wife died next day, never recover
ing consciousness; their deaths left fa
mous Surdick murder mystery unsolved:
March 10, 1902.
Clarence Sherwood Automobile "hit hy
train near Kingston; both Sherwood's
legs ctit off and he died in agony; Will
iam X. T-urck, Jr., frightfully injured:
July 25, 193.
Herbert Lamphere Riding on Dr. John
SC. AJden'a Automobile la a -race &t St.
wooed with as much ardor as a man
who had not artfully escaped a. hun
dred efforts to lead him to the altar.
She was from Pittsburg, but he had
never "known her there, although she
hud often strolled by and looked at
the great Thaw mansion. Tnen she
went to New York, and after a. career
as a model, made brief appearances
with "The Girl from Dixie" and "Wild
Rose." Everybody said she was beau
tiful, hut that was all. No on was
able to find in her any dramatic skill.
Disappointed she quit the boards, and
went to Europe. It was there that
Thaw's serious relations with her be
gan, although he had known her for
some time previously. Some say that
she became his wife over there, but
this both deny.
Muklng Peace With the I'aniMy.
Then they returned to the United
States, and had a stormy experience
in New York.
On their arrival, they discovered that
Mm William Thaw, mother of Harry,
hud announced that under no condi
tions would she- accept Evelyn Nesbit
for a daughter-in-law, and that If her
son had really married Che beautiful
young model, she would promptly dis
own him.
Harry didn't want to lose his for
tune, and it is probable that the lady
who is now his wire didn't desire to
see him impoverished cither. So they
faced this dilemma. Fear of the wrath
of the mother forced them to denv
that the union had been consummated,
yet at the same time they were to
gether in New York at the Cumber
land llotel. and tho proprietor demand
ed that either Thaw write wlfe" after
his name on the register or quit the
hotel.
Thaw chose the latter alternative.
Miss Nesbit, as she insisted on heing
called, went to a hoarding-house, and
tho young millionaire made efforts to
placate his mother. He was success
ful, but not until an open rumor said
that Miss Nesbit had refused an offer
of $250,000 In cash to quit the United
States and leavo the Thaws In peace.
3lother-in-Imw an Ally.
When the mother did agree, she acted
handsomely, and the exquisite beauty
was quietly married at the home of
Rev. William L. McEwan, pastor of
the Third Presbyterian Church. Pitts
burg. Mrs. Thaw and the members of
both families being present
There were those who thought that the
bride would be content at this, and would
live quietly, glad to escape the notoriety
that her somewhat sensational experi
ences had hrought upon her. Those who
the Most Dangerous of All Rccrcatlons -
Johnsbury, VU. when machine plunged
over high bank; Lamphere's skull crushed
and Dr. Alden had left arm dislocated
and both legs broken; September 17. 1903.
Henri- F. Spauldlng Machine ran into
Erie Canal near Fort Plain, N. Y., and
Spauldlng was drowned: August 11, 1903.
C. It. Caldwell Automobile exploded and
Incinerated Mr. Caldwell while he lay un
conscious; body not found for nine days
January S. 1904.
Mrs. John H. Rathbone Machine hit
cart near Ls Thermes. France, then
swerved into a tree, hurling Mrs. Rath
bone against it with great force; she fell
back into the automobile dead; Harold
Mellor and Mrs. Ella Eschalaz hurt; Jan
uary 27, 1904.
Count Elliott Zborowskl and Baron de
Pallange Machine struck a small rock at
a turn during a race near Nice, France,
and threw both occupants against a stone
wall; top of Zborowskl's skull smashed
in and de Pallange horribly mangled:
April 1, 1903.
Mrs. Adelaide Hawley Son ran machine
into curb on -Caton avenue, Flatbush, and
mother was hurled against a tree by force
of collision and Instantly killed; July n
1903. ,
Arthur Nutt and Miss Amelia Davies
Machine hit by railway train near Sydney,
O.. and hurled 40 feet; both died within
half an hour; Miss Bertha McLean also
hurt; July 29, 1903.
Miss Florence Maas Thrown out of. au
tomobile in transverse . road. Central
Park, and died of fractured skull; Solo
mon Strock severely 'injured; March -7
1904. '
George Holcombe Machine plunged Into
a ditch In the dark near Trenton and
pinned Holcombe and Captain P. Yard
Breese against a tree; Holcombe died and
Breeso -finally recovered after an opera
tion; April 25. 1904.
Frank B. Read Train hit automobile
in which were a party of, six; Read flung
40 feet and instantly killed; Miss Mar
garet Noakes lost left leg: four other In
jured; June 12, 1904.
Mr. and 3Irsl George M. Dixon Elec
tric car hit automobile and instantly
killed husband and wife at Austin, III.;
June 26, 1&4.
Marquis D'Audlf f ret - Pasqulcr Tire
Ju ret aadLmfccfchM everturaed, goto; w
THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAX, PORTLAND, JANUARY 21, 1906.
reasoned, thus did not know the kind of
stuff that was In young Mrs. Thaw.
Sho had determined to got even with
all those who had said unkind things
about her, and she decided the best way
would be to cut out a position in Pitts
burg society that would put her above the
danger of criticism, and enable her to
serve friends and punish enemies.
Her first act was to win the assistance
of mother-in-law. This was quickly ac
complished, and before long Pittsburg had
the surprising spectacle of seeing the two
erstwhile enemies the happiest of chums.
They make a formidable combination,
leaving out of question the lavish wealth,
the elder Mrs. Thaw Is a woman of force
and most excellent judgment. Moreover,
she is full of ambition, and has the wit to
see that the new-rich element Is so strong
in Pittsburg that there is no reason why
the former chorus girl and artist's model
should find It a hopeless task to storm
the barriers. Added to this Is the beauty
and tact of Mrs. Harry Thaw, qualities
that are now admitted even by those who
do not like her.
Both are brave. Mrs. William Thaw
has not hesitated to express openly her
contempt for some of those who are try
ing to bar her daughter-in-law's entrance
to society.
Among these foes may be mentioned
Mrs. A. R. Peacock.
Inimical Priest.
Mrs. Thaw well remembers that this
lady was once a shopgirl, and that Pea
cock OWed hlH WMllth tn Vi r, IA -
negie. it was Mr. Peacock who was, lam
X
cu Peril of the Rich.
miles an hour; Marquis died of Internal
injuries; June 18, 1904.
Frank F. Carroll, G. T. Jewell and
Frank Snyder Their car hit by train on
the Merrick road, near Rockville Center.
L. I.; July 13, 1904.
Mrs. Charles Hurst Automobile hit by
train at Altamount, Mo.; Mrs. Hurst died
after suffering agonies for days; Mr.
Hurst slowly recovered; July 28. 1904.
Edwin M. Hagar Machine plunged off
a bridge near Xcnla. O. and broke own
er's neck, burying still breathing man in
mud and water; August 27, 1904.
John Kallenn Automobile plunged down
SO-foot embankment near Baldwin, Mo.,
while going at top speed; Gallcnn crushed
to death and Edward Parkhurst, Miss
Lou ilarqultz and Miss Nellie Marqultz
seriously injured; September 17 1904.
William Dean Automobile's "steering
gear jammed and hit a curb at Hastings:'
Dean was thrown out on his head and
died soon after; F. A. Chapman was se
riously hurt: October i, 1904.
Howard RIgby Testing racing automo
bile near Hicksvllle for the Vandcrbllt
6up race: steering gear buckled and ma
chine swerved Into a fence, throwing
RIgby against the railing with terrific
force; October 4, 1904.
Albert Noyes. Miss Madge Corcoran and
Mrs. Bella P. Strocbel Motor car contain
ing nine persons went through fence
over 30-foot embankment in front of ex
press train on New York Central, at One
Hundred and Sixty-first street. New York,
all others hurt badly; October 6 1904.
Carl Meussel Thrown from "car or
George Arentz, Jr.. during Vanderbllt cup
race, dying from compound fracture of
skull: Arentz recovered after a year's suf
fering. October fs, 1904.
Douglass N care Machine became un
manageable, and ran over a cliff near
Cincinnati; Neare Instantly killed under
the auto, and Mrs. Emma Ohrendorfer
Cooper, his fiancee, seriously Injured; No
vember 14, 'X.
Frank U. Bristol Tried to. cross tracks
of New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad ahead of express train; hurled
into the. air Ito feet and Instantly killed;
November 21. 1KH.
Frank H. Croker and Victor Roucl
Kacinr auto collided frith
I at Dvt BB, .; xntcbbte over
pooned in "The Curse or Too Much
Money." Mrs. Thaw, Sr., treats lightly
the opposition of this type, and also the
almost avowed ill will of the wire or Rev.
William I McEwan, who married Thaw
and Miss Nesbit.
It might have been supposed that grati
tude would have kept the reverend gentle
man loyal to the Thaws, ror Mrs. Thaw
has long been a most liberal patroness.
Once she gave him a check. It is reported,
for $300) as a birthday present. But the
newly wedded wife of tho pastor seems
not to warm up to the latest Mrs. Thaw,
and her opposition defeated plans to hold
a double reception at which Mrs. Harry
Thaw and Mrs. McEwan should be the
guests of honor.
It is even said that there Is war against
Evelyn in the Thaw family. A grand
daughter of Mrs. William Thaw recently
married, but neither of the Mesdames
Thaw nor Harry Thaw attended. It Is
said that mother and son stayed nway be
cause the younger woman had not been
Invited.
Disregarding all these difficulties. Mrs.
Thaw Is pursuing her campaign with tact
and judgment. She Is grace personified,
and what modest functions she had held
have been models of good taste and en
tertainment. That she has made some progress Is
shown by tho fact that she was a guest
at tho Eberts-McKay wedding, and that
with her mother-in-law she was enabled
to receive Mrs. Hcrmionc Schenjcy, whose
position is unassailable.
The unfortunate incident of the sausage
advertisement the first of the year was
turned and dashed into surf; Croker suf
fered double fracture of right leg; left arm
broken; three ribs broken, right thumbs
broken, right ear torn off. head bruised
and Intense nervous 8 nock; Roucl's head
crushed in and body mangled; January
22. 1905.
Charles P. Kosler Sight-seeing automo
bile hit "by Eighth-avenue trolley car at
Fifty-seventh street. New York; Kostcr
thrown on his head to the pavement and
skull fractured; fiancee a spectator; April
24, 1905.
Charles W. Roe Machine overturned In
Buffalo: Roe's skull fradturcd and Mrs.
Roe severely Injured: May 6. 1905.
Jerome G. Kurtzman. Mrs. Kurtzman
and W. A. Hartley Automobile plunged
through open draw in Chicago and three
of a party of five were drowned; June 10,
1905.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Saycr Auto
mobile hit by Eric train near Goshen.
N. Y.; husband and wife Instantly killed
and their two sons horribly Injured; June
14. 1905.
William Butler Woodbrldge Machine
ran into barbed-wire fence In the darkness
near Lynn, Mass.: Woodbrldge fell under
auto and was killed; S. H. Wolf badly
hurt; June 15, 1903.
Charles T. Estabrook Victim -pulled
wrong lever and backed machine off dock
at Marblehead, Mass.: crushed under
wrecked automobile; three others seri
ously injured: June 23. 1953.
Paul Foster Automobile hit trolley pole
on Jerome avenue. New York, and threw
seven occupants CO feet, killing Foster and
severely Injuring others. June 23, 1S05.
Count Thlczy Machine swerved- going
down hill at Les Champcs. France, and
dashed Into stone wall; victim died In two
hours: July 5, HOG.
Franklin D. Strong Machine ' plunged
over embankment at Trinidad. Colo., 'and
killed him instantly; new machine used
for the first time: July. 7, 1903..
Sirs. Margaret Downey and Mrs. C. I.
Eddy Hit "by New York Central train at
Medina, N. Y.. and Instantly killed;
chauffeur seriously hurt; July 9, 1S05.
M. T. Hancock Machine struck a bug
gy at Los Angeles, CaL. and overturned;
Hancock died without regaining "con
sciousness, and wife, son and daughter
received broken bo nee; July 2L 19.
Olive Johnson Machine struck a rut -in
Indianapolis, overturned a ad caught fire;
Miss Johnson, a beautiful girl of IS, was
burned to a crisp when potted out of the
wreckage: July a. IMS.
Mrs. WBMam A. WMtal-r7ilttu R.
twtrryt & -Tr.ltai; sfllc auxkfMiwrcq
a
1 VPjSV T-saJrj' lj
T
bit of a setback to Mrs. Thaw's as
pirations. A butcher who was an ad
mirer of beauty put her face on his 1S06
calendar against that of a polar bear,
and called the combination "Beauty and
the Beast."
It made a big hit in Pittsburg, but not
with the Thaws, for it revived memories
of the fact that the bride had once been
an artist's model, whose beauty was
photographed in order that she might
ran his machine Into a horse and wagon
in Dunllcn. N. J.: his companion. Mrs.
Westphal, was horribly Injured and died
next day. -Mrs. Stanberry committed sui
cide two months later because of revela
tions made by accident, and husband died
a nervous wreck a few days ago; July
23. 1905.
James L. Darragh Machine hit milk
wagon near Houston, Tex., while go
ing 40 miles an hour, turned complete
somersault and then dashed on; Dar
ragh's neck was broken and Miss Bet
tie Whito was hurt seriously; August
10. 1905.
Harris Undaley and Miss Evelyn
Willing Deputy Police Commissioner
was out with his fiancee in big au
tomobile near Bennington. Vt., when
hit by a train; both horribly mangled
and dead when picked up: Miss "Witl
ing's young brother and chauffeur also
badls hurt: August 14, 1905.
Vinson 'Walsh Speeding 40 miles
an hour near Newport, the machine
dashed through the wooden railing of
a bridge Into a creek; "mine" king's
son was killed and hip sister. Miss Ev
elyn. Mrs.' James L. Kernochan. Harry
Oelrlchs and Herbert Pell all Injured,
the women very seriously; August 19,
1905.
Nelll Wolfe and Miss Marie Hamlll
Steering gear Jammed and machine
ran off bridge near Camden. N. J.: Miss
Hamlll Instantly killed and Mr. Wolfe
died on the way to hospital; Septem
ber 5. 1905.
Robert L. Kid Machine turned out
near HIghstown. N. J- to avoid a cow
and upset; Kid died beneath the au
tomobile, conscious to the end; S. Hip
man Bird seriously hurt; September 19,
1905.
George Powell Machine blew up in
Chicago; Powell's right leg was blown
off, both, eyes destroyed and left leg
fractured; Harry Brown lost one eye
and had a broken leg: October 12, 1905.
Senator Geofge T. Fulford and Louis
Zerlax Machine collided with electric
car at Newton, Mass.; Zerlax died
three days later and Fulford lingered
a week, dying from paralysis of the
vital centers; October 15. 1905.
James H. A. Brooks Machine upset
at a curve near Absecom. N. J.; Brooks
killed under tonqeau; Mrs. Brooks and
Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Price badly injured;
November 1, 1905.
Mrs. Francis Burton Harrison Ma
chine overturned In Long lslawd City;
Instantly killed;. November 23. lStS.
Jofea R. iBalrd-r AtttwaelIla br?k
tiBBBk . 4fer i n i k u
eat. But in this crisis the loyal mother-in-law
acted promptly, and bought up, so
it is stated, all the edition not distributed,
at a price far greater than what the
butcher paid for them.
That episode past, the crusade is now
on. again, and during the Winter months
Mrs. Harry Thaw, backed by her hus
band and his mother, will maintain the
fight to get her dainty little foot on the
neck of Pittsburg society.
down and rolled over cliff near San
Francisco, crushing Mr. Baird; Decem
ber 13. 1905.
James E. Martin, Sr. His chauf
feur tried to pass another machine In
front, and left wheel running Into soft
mud. machine somersaulted. Instantly
killing Mr. Martin and Injuring Mr.
and Mrs. Daniel Bacpn; December 24,
1905.
MARRIED THE WRONG MEN
Two Queer Instances Where Women
Wed Their Lovers Doubles.
Tid Bits.
A strange case of matrimonial fraud has
lately occurred In Viqrina. A woman of
the lower middle class married a man
whom she took to be a Herr Weiss, her
fiance, returning after a year's absence
In America to make her his wife. Ia less
than a month he robbed her of her sav
ings and then suddenly disappeared.
A month later, she received a letter from
America regretting that the writer had
been too ill to return at the time agreed;
but stating that he was about to sail, and
that immediately "on his arrival would
fulfill the promise by Heading her to the
altar. The letter was signed "Hermann
Wels."
The poor woman was thrown into a sad
condition of perplexity and apprehension,
and her worst fears were realized when,
on her correspondent's arrival, she rec
ognized that she had been Imposed upon
by a callous Imposter whose resemblance
to the real slmon pure was marvelously
striking. It subsequently transpired that
the genuine Hermann Weiss had. while
In America, foregathered with his dou
ble, who had ascertained sufficient of the
former's history, and prospects to enable
him to carry out, with success, his base
scheme of deception and heartless rob
bery. When Claude Bonnat, a baker of Mar
seilles, was In hiding from the police, who
held a warrant for his arrest on a seri
ous charge, he managed to communicate
with an acqualtance, one Lerlot, who In
every respect was his exact double and
conjured him, on the strength of their old
friendship, to promise that should any
misfortune befall kim, he would, by Im
personating him an easy j6 no ugh task by
reitsea of the. striking resemblance cxlst
kMr between tfcera keep from the young
.WWft.IO.yW61 m WML " ffl ISM,
in ii it f r (tin i i
- 11
knowledge of her lover's shame. Lerlot
gave his promise, which sat but lightly
on his conscience as one to be kept or
broken as whim might direct.
However, when Bonnat a day or two
later fell Into the hands of justice, Lerlot
sought put the young voman, of whom
he had no previous knowledge, with the
result that his susceptible heart was so
touched that he entered Into the fulfill
ment 'of his promise with surprising zeal.
So well,. Indeed, did he enact the role of
Bonnat that he, in a short time, espoused
the Iatter's financee. The couple led a
life of complete happiness, which was in
no wise dimmed. when some years later,
on the convict's' -release, the wife first
discovered the fraud, of which she had
been the victim.
His Impudence Settled It. f
Philadelphia Record.
The friendly quarrel between two ac
quaintances as to who shall pay car far
when they happen to be riding on a trol
ley car together has come to be consid
ered bad taste, and among the knowing it
Is now taken as a sign of greenness for
one person to try to pay for another.
Nevertheless, the attempt Is often seen.
Yesterday two gushing girls who fought
over the question attracted! the attention
of all in a crowded car with their Gaston
and Alphonse-like performance. "No,
really," said one, "you must let mo pay.
You know you've paid for everything this
afternoon, so far, and you must let me
reciprocate." "But didn't you take me to
the matinee last Wednesday?" said the
other. "I really feel as though I must
do something to pay you back." When a
momentary silence fell as each girl tried
to hold her money out further than the
other, somo rude man several scats away
said, loud enough for all to hear: "Con
ductor, have you raised the price for a
ride to Jl, or Is It still 5 cents? The si
lence of the girls continued, and their
fare was paid without further wrangling.
Lives on Accident Lane.
Exchange.
Within the last three years Colonel H.
B. Maxon, ofReno; Nev., has fallen down
a mining shaft, breaking both legs: been
knocked across a Los "Angeles street by
an automobile: has been in three railroad
wrecks; participated in ah automobile
smash-up in Salt Lake City, and. seven
weeks ago was. trampled, nearly to death
by horses. He te afraid hie acckle&t la-'