The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-09
sPENDTHRIFT MRS. sMALLEY.
Once Society Leader, but Buried as
a Paaper.
New York Star


once a Society Leader, but Buried as
Paaper.
New York Start
A pathetic story of a misspent life
came to light yesterday in the Coroner's
office. The records of the Office show
that on March IS, 1879, woman, whose
name appears as Adele Smalley, died in
low lodging house at No. l61 Leonard
street, from hard drinking and exposure,
resulting in fatal attack of pneumonia.
Coroner Croaker and six jurymen so de-
clared on the testimony of DR.. Mac hin
ME, who made the post-mortem examine
tion, and of Robert Spriggs, the owner of
the den. The verdict, having been dul re-
corded and filed, was consigned to The
o5,:rs:51ll c5nrs51ll CT d dusty pigeon-hole among
similar cases. Spriggs testimony was to
the effect that the woman had been an
inmate of his house for a couple OF days,
a charity patient; that she came there
mental, moral and physical wreck.
Yesterday a middle-aged woman IN
quired at the Bureau of Vital Statistics
for information about Adele Smalley, and
subsequently, armed with the necessary
data, visited the Coroners Office and
learned the whole story of Adele's degra-
dation and death. With tears in her
eyes the inquirer, who proved to be
Ade'e's sister, told the story of her life of
sin and misery. Of good family, well ed
ucated, Adele was the belle of an extern
sive social circle. When quite young she
married f. J. Winnie, for many years
head salesman of the firm of 1veson, Fin
ney, Brakeman, Taylor & Co., book pub
fishers in Grand street. The couple en-
barked in married life under bright
auspices, occupying fine brown stone
front house on East Seventy-ninth street.
Their means were ample, and nothing
seemed wanting for their happiness.
Soon the wife developed extravagant
habits, that seriously embarrassed her
husband and created coldness and es-
traneement. After eight years of mar
ried life Mr.. Winnie found himself a
bankrupt, his wife having spent over$60,-
600 in that time. No longer able to sup
port her he was thrown aside by his wife
and divorce and the death of the husband
from a broken heart followed in quick
succession. The divorced wife's charms
soon fascinated United States Navy
officer, to whom in less than year she
was married, and with him lived hap
PLY for awhile. The demon in her was
subdued for a time, but it arose again
when her husband was ordered off for a
long voyage, from which he was not ex-
pected home for some years. In his alb
sence she went to board with strangers,
and fell into the company ofevil associates
who knew too well how to pander to her
reawakened passion for fast living.
When at length the ship bearing her
husband returned from foreign lands she
had disappeared.
All trace of the woman seemed hope
lessly lost, and the sailor mourned for his
wife as dead. She was, indeed, worse
than dead. From the glittering saloon to
the low hovel, and then to the street she
had been driven, step by step, until she
landed in miserable cellar in Leonard
street, with brutal negro for her COM
panion. In his sullen moods, when drink
had maddened the brute, he beat and
kicked her, and often drove her into the
street. In one of these quarrels the negro
drove her from his door into the arms of
policeman who, it is charged, beat and
abused her and finally locked her in a
cell, whence she was sent to the Island
for ten days.
On leaving the Island she sought ref
uge with spriggs, the lodging-house
keeper, whose house was only a few feet
from that of the negro. Two days she
lay sick, moaning unintelligibe words
about home and long lost friends, and
then she died, alone and wretched. She
found rest at last in pauper's grave.
Her sister, happily married and pros
porous, had not forgotten her, and re-
Gently an aunt died intestate, leaving ar
estate of $4,000 to be divided between
the sister, brother and Adele The sis
ter made inquiries for Adele, and yester
day learned the sad details of her mis-
spent life. Arrangements will be made
to have the body of the unhappy woman
reclaimed from Potter's Field and de
Gently buried elsewhere.
The negro denies that he ever strucl
Adele, but insists that she was beatel
and maltreated by a policeman, who's
name he gives. Suspicious are enter
tanned that her wounds thus received hac
more to do with her death than appeared
at the inquest An investigation vii
probably be made.