Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-13
MATILDA HERON.
Of the Land Of cold.
o,,o..n0ndonoo Of tho London Globe.I

a Romance OF the H"hN vs. N"
Correspondence of the London Globe.I
SAN FRANcIsco, March IL, 1871
Fashionable circles as well as those OF |
more plebean nature are at present mucl
exercised over bit OF romance that
has come to light in consequence. OF thu
recent death of one of the prlnclpa
characters--H Henry Herbert Byrne. Mr.
Byrne was enc of the leading lawyers
of the Pacific coast as well of the United
States, and was for many years Distrlc
Attorney of the county. be came u
this city in 1850, and rose as rapidly ~
the estimation of the people as the cit,
did in the respect of her old sisters. ~
his official capacity he had to cope WIT
such learned and eloquent men as Col
e. ID. Baker and James McDougal, ant
in every way proved himseftheir equal
While in the zenith of his success there
came friendless and unannounced to
this coast one who was destined to have
lasting influence on his life.
In the fall of 1853 Matilda Heron ar
rived in this city and commenced an
engagement at the old American Thea
ter. She was then unknown to the the
atrical world, and was received coldly
but in few days became the sensation
of the hour and the mistress of the the
atrical world. Her success was unri-
vailed, and won for her an enviable rep
utation in her profession, and San Fran
cisco, then, as now, claimed the devel-
opment of the talent that soon after be-
came appreciated over the whole Union.
Among her warmest supporters, on her
introduction to the public was MT.
Byrne, and in the course OF few
months this friendship was transformed
into a passionate attachment that was
reciprocated by Miss Heron. In the
early portion of June, 1854, Miss Heron
accepted an engagement to appear IN
Philadelphia, and Immediately COM
menced to prepare for her journey.
Mr.. Byrne pressed his suit and
the two were married secretly ON
the day preceding her departure.
1t was arranged between them that
she should proceed to Philadelphia, and
at the termination of her engagement,
forever quit the stage and return 10
California with her husband. She left,
and at the appointed time Mr.. Byrne
followed her to Philadelphia for the pur-
pose of returning to California with his
bride. They met, remained In each 9th
err s company twenty-four hours, and the
next day they parted forever. But few
knew of Mr.. Byrne's marriage, and con-
seouently but few knew of the separa-
ton that followed. He returned to Cal
ifornia to achieve brilliant success IN
his profession, and to die honored and
respected by all who knew him; she cen
tinued on the stage, became famous, and
fell from her glorious position to depend
on the charities of her brothers
and sisters of the craft Since
the death of Mr. Byrne, the veil
that covered his past life was rent in
twain, and all that | have given was
laid before the public, not to scandalize
the memory of the honored dead, but to
give the public a more extended know
ledge of what followed. When Mr..
Byrne's decease became known abroad,
a telegram was received here, stating
that Miss Heron was en- route to Cali
fornia to contest thewill of her deceased
husband, which involved property of
great value. She has not yet arrived,
and should she come, rumor says she
will be met by an indictment charging
her with bigamy, it being alleged that
she never was divorced from Mr.. Byrne,
and that since her separation she mar
ried man with whom she lived until re-
Gently. Thus the matter stands at pre-
sent, and any new facts of interest that
may transpire will be forwarded.