Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-08
yEAUDEMONT-DE PELGROM:
A Tale of Three Cities and Tw
wives.

From the Chicago Republican. 5th.l
| Louis de Pelgrom was born in Brus-
sizes, the capital of Belgium, about thirty
years ago. His father was barrister of
repute in that ancient city. and acquired
a competence in his profession. His
mother was from one of the best fam
lilies of the bourgeoiSe. The social
status of the family was eminently
respectable. The elder de Pelgrom
died some years age, and the mother,
with her son Louis, left their pleasant
home and came to America hoping
thereby to increase their heritage by ju-
dicious investments in this prosperous
country.
| They came to Chicago, and the Veuve
de Pelgrom purchased home in this
city with such portion of her means as
she could conveniently spare. But the
son Louis proved prodigal and spend
thrift. He soon ran through his own
share of the paternal estate and made
heavy drafts upon the exchequer of his
mother, whose means soon began to be
straitened He inclined toward wan
dering, vagrant life, and Joined COM
pany of travelling actors, with whom he
visited many of the principal cities of
the United States About three years
ago, while the company was in Wash
| ington, he made the acquaintance of an
interesting lady, of French birth, whom
he soon after married. The union was
not happy. Matter of domestic discord
sufficient to produce a separation was
found within week, and the French
actor and American company drifted
away from the City of Magnificent Dis
tances to the cities of the South and
West. The deserted wife came to Chi
cago after brief period had elapsed,
and has since made this city her home
In April, 1869, the company in which
De Pelgrom belonged appeared at one
of the Memphis theaters to play brief
engagement. Here De Pelgrom became
acquainted with a little Irish actress
named Maggie Cox. She won him by
her charms of person and vivacity of
manner, and he pleased her not only by
his natural gifts, but after the manner of
Claude Melnotte " who had a palace
by the Lake of Como" De Pelgrom told
the girl of vast estates in Brussels That
finished the business, and there resulted
the ordinary left-handed wedlock of the
stage, which continued until the death
of De Pelgrom. He was killed by
random shot in a bar-room fight, under
circumstances given somewhat in detail
in official documents which are hereunto
appended. He seems to have lived
several days after the accident and
was married in eXtremis to the actress
Maggie Cox, by a Catholic priest.
And now comes the singular part OF
the story. No sooner was the dead
Roscius under the sod than the new
widow began to cast about for means to
get all the property in Brussels, which
she supposed to be no myth, but real
entity. She therefore at once commu-
nicated with DIR. Henrotin, the Belgian
Consul in this city. That gentleman at
once communited with parties in the
birthplace of De Pelgrom, and learned
that none of the property of the dead
barrister remained there. If there had
been left any fragments of the estate,
she could not have come into possession
of it, no divorce from the first Mrs. De
Pelgrom having been obtained, and her
own marriage, consequently, being null
and void. The alleged death of the son
soon became known to his mother, and
real wife of the deceased. Alter very
brief period the wife ayailed herself OF
her supposed liberty, and married a
respectable gentleman in business in
this city. She now keeps fashionable
clearinghouse on Wabash avenue-but
is not happy, for reasons that will pres
emily appear.
The venerable widow De Pelgrom had
reasons for supposing that her son was
still alive. His capacity for telling the
truth was exceedingly limited, and she
thought he mighthave invented the story
of his death for the purpose of carrying
out sinister designs. Her maternal love
yearned toward him, and she determined
TO ascertain the truth. She took her
story to Mons. Niboyet, the French Con-
sui in this city, who wrote several letters
to the Sheriff Of Shelby county, Tennes-
see. the county in which Memphis is
situated, without effect. He finally wrote |
to the Governor of Tennessee, who in /
the letter was referred to the Sheriff of
Shelby county, who sent it 10 the Coroner |
Of Memphis.
That official forwarded to Mons. Nj
boyet an account of the death of De
Pelgrom. In spite of this It is under
stood that the Weave de PelgrOm be-
lieves that her son is still alive. The
first wife, being pleasantly domestieated,
and her boarders being pretty well /
suited with the matutinal hash at her
fashionable place, looks upon every
effort to restore her former spouse to
life as being as criminal as the ghoul-
like labors Of the abhorred resurrection.