Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-08
The Acklen-ROsser Affair.
SOME SAN FRANCISCO "REMINISCENCES OF 7
LADY.
San Francisco Chronicle, june %. :

San Francisco Chronicle, June 2s.
Among those noted for gallantry whom San
Francisco has lost. and probably lost forever
Is faymaSter Cunningham,o of the United States
navy. lie was sincere admirer OF beauty
and deVOut and unremitting wUrshIper at
its shrine. A year ago last Nav when the
chlNalrouS paymaSter was in the height of his
popularity and at the zenith of his manly
grace, he came sailing in the dining-room OF
The Palace Hotel one evening with a lady ON
his arm whose personal appearance attracted
the attention OF every one present. 4 chorus
oil admiration rose in unison from a II the Young
men, coupled with threats TO Kill odd CuU-
nlhgham Tor his alteration of The unknown
charmer, while enyiouS ladieS-Old and Young
began with characteristic and anaIytIc bitter
ness 10 pick her 10 pieces, unit one would have
thought that there was nothing left of her face
hgure, or dress, that was worth glance from
a" hosIIer. she was IN every way calculated
10 attract attention. Her face was a lovely
one, but her figure had less attraction. If she
mad lived in ancient Athens il is scarcely
probable she would have been chiSeled ouI OF
a piece OF marble by fraudulent sculptor like
IhdlaS. li1 dress seemed To be the result Of
limited mans and great feminine ingenuity
III was q many materials, pieces, kinds, co,orS
and devices and no one, even the most inaN-
ptrlenced in the mysteries of the modesto
would have suspected Worth of any connpr.
ii IN with their handiwork But her face,
on, call 1t fair, not pale,' As PaymaSIer
cunningham remarked to Admiral Pumper-
hlcke', ms intimate friend, and also warm
aaiilIer OF female beauty, in the words of the
poet:
Myself for such face had boldly died.,
On inquiry, 1t was discovered that the ladyS
name was Godfrey, that she was the wife OF a
New ork lawyer, and had come to San Fran
cisco by the lSlhmUS for rest and health Her
age light have been 81 Recent rumOrs con-
meets her name with the trouble in Washing
ton restaurant and the RoSSer-Acklen duel
She remained at the Palace Hotel three or
1oGr weeks, admired by all the men and stIdi-
ously observed and enviOuSly criticised bv all
tie lady DOarderS. There was slighr Ia ri
ness in her manner which impressed The bI1So
brokers' clerk, less susceptible to less deli
cate feminine Influences Her manner with
SuG ih Oh lhe male sex as She became acquainted
with was marked by a certain freedom that
Increased the cOnStancy of some and excited
severe comment IN others The officers of tba
RUSSIAN 1eet at That time in the bay were de
NOltuly attached TO her, and she used TO pat
the venerable POuSino on both cheeks and ad-
dress hlm teEdtrly as INV dear Admiral -
Her manner toward Baron Schippenbach a
subordinate OItcer OF the fleet. was no less
gentle and affectiOnate. Just at this time
frank Leslie and party were OH the coast and
Mrs Leslie was observing our social, moral.
and commercial condition with maryelouSly
Keen and discriminating eyes, and Collaborating
her observations with a highly torid and orna2
mental pen: Mrs. Godfrey was invited to ac-
company the party TO Yosemite. She went
ana SOWed dlScOrd where all was harmony be-
10le, her charms nearly proving fatal to two
young men OF the Suite-HamiltOn ). Wicks
JournallSt blooming young gentleman of %
and callOw youth of % the photographer of
the expedition. The first was maddenpd hy
ner cONneSS and loneliness: bu. the latter
whose gentle nature was more sensitive than
his negatives, was preferred because of his
lnO1enSlve youth. There was a quarrel a
challenge, meeting, but happily no blood
shed. ~
Returning from the Yosemite Mrs Godfrey
became the guest OF a wealthy Oakland bach
elor OF three score, who had known her huS-
band in New York. 1t is said that her de-
mean0r IN the millionaire household was not
such as TO win the confidence of his female
relauVeS, and her visit was in consequence
abbreviated. About three weeks after her
arrival In San Francisco she became a widow
her husband dying in New York But it was
not observed that the terrible atfiictiOn dimln-
lShed her gayety or infused greater Sobriety
into heI apparel. She was still to be seen in
conspicuous places, her raimentS as varied
and intense in hue as the sumac or the maple
alter the first frOstS of autumn. Onthe day of
his burial she visited one of our leading pho
tographlc galleries and hau pictures taken in
many attitudes, some OF Winch are still worn
next the heart of hearts OF young gentlemen
who do business in the Nevada Block. During
a portion OF her travels about the state Mrs.
godfrey was Ill company with, and under the
presumed guardianship of, an elderly lady
reported to be her mother. A few weeks aftf .
The loSemlte affair she disappeared from the
coast like beautiful vision, and has not since
been heard of.