The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-22
From the New York world.l

that the expenses OF his modest funeral. even,
completely exhausted his pitiful estate. Be-
reft of her husband, the widow Hunt
found herself penniless in the world, with
two Young daughters and a son look
Inc 10 her for support; and in this
accumulation of grief, helplessness andinordi-
nate responsibility, knew OF naught else practi-
cable than O removal with her three charges
to the City ofNew Orleans, where lived some
distant. relatives of her late husband, and
where der son., at least, might be able to enter
into some employment as OIL. ald 10 tne MAIN
a while. the Hunts removed, and. according
to reports, lived there in very narrow !circum.
stances tor two or three years. Drudgery
and obscurity might have continued TO BE-
their lot but for the more uncommon and Rr
less happy destiny OF one OF the daughnrs,
Miss Laura, who to personal beauty OF q very
striking type added mental characteristics IN
chronic revolt against her trying domestic
station In lite. At sixteen years OF age. THIS
Girl was as conscious other physical and intel
fectual fitness to shine In the highest sphere OF
social existence as OF the adverse Worioly CIR
cumstances booming her to toll and nardsnlps
In the lowest, and, from The time 81 Inc re!
moeal of the family to Louisiana, sue seems
to have bent all her keenest faculties upon a
scheme for,breaking the bonds Of adversely ov
the sheer strength Of her wit and beauty, and
raising her relatives and herself to something
like ambitious living. 1t CHANGED that the III
poverished family, in the course OF their petty
trading, became acquainted with \ rich whole,
sale grocer named Strong, who, although ola
enough to have been the grandfather OF Laura,
suffered the attractions OF the young ladyfo
enthral his widower's heart with sentimental
rapidity. and was tempted by her amlaole de-
meanort 10 cser her his hand in marriage. II
there Is nothing In the published record oIthls
part efMIss Hunts life TO show that she. felt
any particular affection for the suitor, there IS
also nothing to Justify the idea that her &C
ceptance OF mis- ardent suit was any more faint
ed with unwomanly motives Than are ae
matches of convenience arranged In the NEST
polite society every year. 1t Is ouI 1ust 10
give her the credit, in this maters o1tne sup
position detractins the least from her charas-
ter tor delicacy and average Integrity. pc
that as 1t might have been, however, MIR.
Slross,s offer was accepted, the marriage look
place, and the bridegroom's money lifted Inc
bride and her family, temporarily, to oomfor-
table circumstances. Summoning common
Christian charity to the qualification OF indi-
vidual Judgment again, II 10 possible TO oe,
lieve that, If this matrimonial union naa
proved even passably harmonious, the nature
of the young wife might have been preserved
from any signal perversiop, and her su6se-
ouent career undistinguished by more i!ollies
and offences than ordinary selfwilled women
find indulgence for every day; but, unhsppl,,
", soon after the wedding the husband
was revealed as little better Than a drunAen,
cups, treated his wife with outright brutality.
At first Laura was contenied 10 know that
her friends understood The condition OIL al
fairs. and sympathized with her as strongly
as they denounced her husoano; out, oeiDa
finally exssperatcl into the brarado OF a pre-
tended Irritation by some particularly lnsuit1
ing act of her husbands, the latters behavior
TO her became 80 outrageous that she ut once
left him and made appfca. ion for divorce.
The suit never came to trial, because strong
died OF mania.a-potu while 1t was yet penolngi
but, from the moment OF having resort 70 tnat
remedy, Laura seemed to cast ASIDE an tnat
there was of her better nature. and become
careless alike OF the judgments Oh HoS Sfo
man. Because her sister had married.,
relative of her late husband, she persuaied
her mother and other relatives TO dlsown the
offender for lie. All who had ~ the most
trifino degree Vmade allowances" for the de-
ceased grocer, she abused and deted Wltnonl'
stint: while her spirit Of appreciation Tor those
who had Internationally chapnploned her
cause was extravagantly eVinced oy ner MAJ,
riape with one of them, o gentleman named
Graysop. in the first month OF her widowhood.
By this act she forfeited the regard OF all ner
worthy friends, and scarcely was the scanpal
over " It's flood when she lett her second
husband for some wild reason never eX-
planned, to mourn that he had ever known
her, and, it is said, to- commit suicide. re
come now q thorough female outlaw anu W.
yenturer, and possessed, APT arentiy, OF a reck-
less determination to prey upon al! whom sue
could ensnare into her net, she induced, OF
rather commanded, her: rather
mother and brother to 60 with her to Callior-.
mia. where, as she thought, the helo or her
proposed depredattons might pc less cEcum-
scribed by the restraints OF social clVlllzatlon;
o,n o1norlr 1uhpth1r hpr 1llTu
husband, Colonel Fair, was met anu married.
by her In the South beforethe California dsPar-
tnre. or was amongst those. first greeting her
at "lhe mines;n but 1t was certainly as MIS-
Pair that the innocent and Vtvacious Laura
Hunt of former tlmes opened o hoLel-Lne
Fair House, In 1854 or 1856, IN Virginia
CITY, Nevada. The story OF chs maTrlase IS
Chienalu says that the briet. period nau ls
scene in Donnlsrille, California; where, alter
many infeNcitiee, the husband blew his Drains
ont. and the vile departed with his eneess for
San Francisco. According to lh!s accoun1, II
must have been late In LISA, or early IN 1903,
that the roman undertook the career VI au
actress on the stage Of the Metropolltan
Theatre In the City ofthe Golden Gate. WRat-
ever the exact date Of II, this new venture G1o
not attain sufficient success 10 last long: n
the character Of Lady Teazle, however, MIS-.
Fair was effective enough to please, at least,
one Of her auditors, y brilllsnt laWSeG ana e4-
undue. named Critlenden, who, forgetting nl5
vile and family, secured an inlroducuoh W
the fair man-killer, and, from thencelorth, Tor
some months, allowed hsrto prey upon MIN 10
the extent Of many thousands OF dollars. me
Colorado paper before mentioned says tnat
She was thus enabled to ~''setllen a tine house
and akoroporLlonate fortune upon her mother
before going herself TO Virginia City TO open
hotel. In the last named town., &C
cordins to another authority, when,
alter a long career in the society
and shared ~yillanles Of a band OF gam
blers and sharpers. she was keeping the "falr
Honser or "HOlel,n her southern sympatnles
In the war induced her TO shoot a fourth nus
band dead for evincinS his UNION s1mpasy.
thiesn by mailing the national flag 10 the slan
OF the House !. Mr.. Grittenden, VINO was IA
Virginia City at that time attending 10 s0uie
mining claims of hlsown, defended herln ne.
ensuing trial for murder, aud that with soch
eloouence aud legal effect that she was &C.
omitted. Unhappy was the day for the aoie
advocate when he allowed the influence OF
former imprudent acquaintance and present
aectional sympathy to lead him into the new
relation with this dangerous woman OF one
who had saved her life. She LETT the court
room only to reclaim her prey, and rob nm
anew OF honor and fortune: IL was during
the second enslayement OF Criaeenaen, says q
Correspondent OF the New Bedford Mercury
that Mrs Fair. as she was still called, PAID
a fvinn visit 10 this city, 1885, and,
sending for. 3 lawyer whom she had
Known In New Orleans, placed NJ IN, T. n Mss
hands property to the amount OF $1O,VvV, 70 De
invested ior her. las it is Supposed stii! 10 6e1
in Government bonds. Upon her return Mtei
this to San Francisco she soon marr3eT :
wealthy man named Snyder, from Wnom, attteas