Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-09-20
Matilda Heron.s sorrows.

THE SAD STORY OF ONCE FAMOUS ACT
REss.-A ROMANCE IN AFFIDAVIT.
The application of Matilda Heron for
an allowance from the estate Of the de-
ceased Henry II. Byrne came up for
further hearing in the probate court OF
San Francisco, August %, when her
counsel filed the following affidavit writ
| ten by herself:
/ deny that / have considerable
quantity or any quantity Of or any real
or personal estate, either in the State Of
New York or elsewhere, sufficient for my
support, or held by Robert Stoepel for
my benefit. have not dollar in the
world, either in real or personal estate,
nor is there any relation under heaven
between Robert Stoepel and me-not
even our only living child, the possess
sion of which l have obtained through
her father proclaiming her illegitimacy.
Since the dissolving of my marriage with
Robert Stoepel he has refused to pay one
dollar toward the support of either my
self or his child. When my said illness,
caused by suffering through the over
whelming calamity of my domestic
wreck between those two men, Henry II.
Byrne and Robert Stoepel, overcame me,
Robert Stoepel refused to pay my doc
| tors bill or that of his child what,
then, can be meant by his now holding
property for my benefit l am at loss to
know.
Before leaving New York for San
Francisco, Mr.. Stoepel sent messenger
to me, offering to settle on my child
large sum of money if would sell all
right and claim to her; this when was
on the bed where had lain an almost
confirmed invalid for fifteen months, and
whence ! arose to recover, by act of ha-
beas corpus, my little daughter, who was
being kidnapped from me to be trans
ported to an obscure and remote place
in the Pyrenees. So much for the estate
now being held for my benefit. As to
the suit alleged to have been commenc-
ed by me in 1867 against Robert Stoepel,
| if such suit was or is in existence,
have no recollection or knowledge of it
whatever.
About eighteen years ago was mar
red to Henry FL. Byrne. with the agree
ment that should remain on the stage
two years, with the hope on my part that
| might achieve as great success in the
East as / had in San Francisco After
my return from Europe, where I dramat-
lied Camille" studied under the best
masters and purchased complete theat-
rical wardrobe, there was not one prom
inent manager who would open his doors
to me. 1t was failure after failure
The large amount of money / spent in
Europe, and what sank in San Fran
cisco under bad advice, had now impov-
Ferished me. To Mr.. Byrne faithfully
Depicted my disaster. The two years
passed. He came as by promise, and as
l thought to claim me. was in Phila-
delphia, in the bosom of my family. Mr..
Byrne remained three weeks in New
York without even writing me. Even
| this / forgave. At this time an engage
ment in Pittsburgh was open to me,
whittier he at length followed me, ac-
companied by two members of my fami-
ly. Inquiring why he so neglected me,
he answered he had been led astray by
some California friends. This also l for
gave. During the four days he remain
ed with me we discussed all my profess
sional calamities, wherein / told him my
sorrowful conviction that | never could
be the great artist my soul had SO long
hungered to become, and that now l
was perfectly resigned to follow him and
his fortunes. To all of this the dear
gentleman thought great deal, but very
little answered. The last morning came.
| was offered an engagement in Buffalo,
and l said Must l 60 to Buffalo or
may / go with you2" To which he an
swered, go to Buffalo,"
Then and there we parted-I to Buff
falo, he to his friends. One year passed,
when Mr.. Byrne's letters came rarely.
At last they ceased entirely. | could
not believe he had failed to write to me,
and so mentioned to my brother, Alex
ander Heron, president of Heron's line
of steamships from Philadelphia to
Charlestown and Savannah, but my
brother said "Tilly, if you had one
spark of your mothers blood in you,
you would never speak to that man
again. He has deserted you." This
was bitter blow for the young actress.
A third year had passed since our mar
riage, since which l never received
dollar from him, not even letter token.
After the first shock was over / wrote to
Mr.. Byrne calmly, and under the advice
of my brother asked for divorce. An
immediate reply came to me in which he
used these exact words: 'jPlace this in