The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-09
A MAINE ADVENTUREss.
She Sues John w. Mackay, the California
Millionaire, for 100000.

The California papers Of the 9th of Decem-
Der. just arrived, give two column history OF
Mrs. William Henry Maginnis Smallman,
whose husband has just sued John W.
Mackay, the great bonanza millionaire, for
$500. 900. damages for alternating the affections
of his wife. We can only reproduce in the
space at our command, the principal features
Of this woman's career, as therein stated.
Amelia Miles was born in Bucksport, Me-,
about 1S4S. Her father was laboring man
and Amelia was deprived of the advantages of
an education. She vas a strikingly handsome
girl and gave promise of becoming still more
beautiful woman. When about sixteen years
of age she moved with her parents to this city
where her father procured work and stayed
until after the fire when the family moved to
New York. While residing in that city it is
stated that Miss Miles became too confidng
AMI as the result of the attentions of gentle
man was compelled to leave her home,
finally taking Storage passage for California.
At Panama. Mr.. James Hall became deeply
interested in her, and provided her with cabin
accommodations to her port of destination. At
San Francisco he took board on Howard
street and stated she was music teacher but
her laudlady discovered that she not only
didn't know one note from another but couldn't
read or write. Then San Francisco mer-
chant became infatuated with her and took her
home. His wife applied for divorce and she
offered to be witness for the wife, The
divorce was obtained, however, without
publicity and the merchant returned to her.
She fell sick and the physician who attended
her was caught in her SHARES. The merchant
then left her and she brought suit for S10,-
600 against him. This he compromised and
her attorney fell victim to her charms. In
1870 she married Henry Fritz. ono of Tom
Magaire's, the great theatrical managers
business men, and while his wife inveigled a
prominent State Senator into her tolls who
bought back six letters for $1,000 and Mrs
Fritz's board bill. In 1876 she brought suit
against Wells, Fargo & Co., to recover trunk
of clothing valued at $500, but no proof was
given that she ever had such trunk. The
same year she got divorce from Fritz, wen,
to Europe with Mr.. Livingstone and there
turned the heads of fashionable society bring
ing Partisan banker. NJ Seller, into her
tolls. The French police were too much fol
nor Aistio sameS aauu sue returned to San
Francisco in 1877, and she married Smallman,
who was purser on the steamship Oceanic
plying between San Francisco and japan,
They took up their quarters at the Palace
Hotel and there she professed to be in the
confidence of q superintendent on the Corn
stock lode who kept her posted on "dead
certainties" in investm ents. She swindled thu
housekeeper Of the MOTEL, Mrs. Tuck, out of
$1,000 of her hard earnings by this means ant
embezzled $4,000 from an English gentlema,
stopping at the house, but got off by refondinl
half OF the money. She stole lot of per.
1umery from leading apothecary and only
escaped by paying for it.
Her husband. Smallman, now claims tha
his wife lost $4,000 by the last stock deal, the
points Mr. Macksy giving her turning on,
adversely. 1t is further represented that Mrs
Smallman is lying in ST. Mary's Hospital in
state of insanity, the result of the advantages
taken by Mr.. Mackay and the fact she has los
all her money and is in debt.