The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-01
That Fast Young Woman from Par.
kerAburK.

A Parkersburg West Virginia) letter ,c
the Chicago Times, after describing the
exploits Of Mrs. Lizzie Blacklord, The
heroine Of the Russian diamond scandal
while on q visit 10 q schoolmstc in thai
town in 1854, goes on to say:
Her mother, Mrs. Ely, was cent lor 10
take her home to Philadelphia. Reaching
Oakland, q station on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, Miss Ely feigaed sickness,
and telegraphed for gentleman who had
been paying her his addresses-s Mr. Beal
Blacktord, connected with one of the first
families OF the town, and at that time oc.
cupying the position Of ticket agent In the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
Ito come on and marry her." Black.
ford repaired to Oakland with a Mr.. Jack
Cuthberth, army contractor for the pur.
chase Of mules and horses-a jovial
companion aud boon chum OF Black
ford.
Cuthbert poured the oil of kindness and
sympathy over the troubled waters Of
Mira Ely's sorrow; hoped Mrs. Ely would
soon recover and be herself agai1, while
Blacktord hied away to the priests, and
Miss Ely became Mrs. Blackford. Re.
turning 10 this city, she and her husband
Immediately took lodgings with q Mrs.
Saunders. and afterwards with a Mrs. Lit.
tleboy. But scarce was the honeymoon
done, and the battle Of life in earnest be.
gun, when Mr.. Blacktord discovered that
his wife was q thoroughbred. He had
then taken position in the Northwestern
Bank as teller, now known as the Parkers.
burg National. She Joined Trinity (Rev.
MIR. Hyland's) Episcopal Church, and
shortly after her only child was baptized
there. Suspicious eyes glanced askance
at her, and her old habits Of dissipation
Clung TO her. She could not subdue her
love for strong drink. Frequent Jars,
chickering's and quarrels ensued, and one
Sunday morning, her husband not sp-
pearing at breakfast, she replied that be
was out late the night before. The ser.
want was unable to awaken him, and call.
ed her. She went TO his bedside and
found him stiff and cold in death. The
fact was announced, physicians were sum.
moned, who pronounced that he had been
dead some hours. One Of his sisters want.
ed an investigation, but she was over.
ruled, and Mrs. Blsckford had no trouble
In procuring the cash for fifteen thou.
sand dollar policy Of insurance that she
held upon his life in the New York
Mutual.
But, strange to relate, Mr.. Beverly
Smith, the cashier Of the same bank, and
Mr. Steele Smith, his son, the book. keep.
er, and intimate with Mrs. Blackford,
were each found dead In their beds within
q year. From this city she repaired to
Philadelphia, left her boy with her
mother, laid in wait for rich young men
and old bachelors, and made all pay the
fiddler who danced at her court. Some
years ago she caused to be published a
tale, which went the rounds OF the press
that while she was travelling on the cars
an old man tottering with years, entered
She gave him seat, revived his droop-
ing spirits, and so administered to his re.
pose and comfort that the old gentleman
mistook her for Florence Nightingale
an angel OF mercy In disguise, and dying
shortly afterwards, bequeathed her hall q
million dollars. The fishinesS OF this
story did not appear for some time, and Il
may suggest that there Is a similar flavor
about the diamond tale. The article
however, was extensively copied, and
gave the author notorietY, which had
scarcely died out when her marriage
with Mr.. Feenix at Paris was publish,
ed in q Western paper, with a long &C
count OF the imposing ceremonies and the
msgnifcence oi her jewels. Now she Il
once again before the tootlights OF public
opinion, In colors bolder and moro glarine
than ever before, as the most successful
adventures Of our day.,