The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-02-18

0S I,ta Vvffe-A FTne-IoOIEIng Fellow and
VVeEI-Educated-Re Relates How Me he
came Acquainted w1Ghs COurted and
Married the Lady who Now D1sOWns
1A' rBan Francisco cbronIcle.1
| Yesterday morning Chronicle reporter
was detailed to find Erhard Eapf, the
reported husband of Lolita, the actress.
After q long search the one sought for
was found at one of the city front
docks loading lumber from a pile on the
dock to the deck of q scoW-schooner
With all the grace and ease Of an old
| 'lonoshofeman. Thereporter approached,
and in his politest manner asked, us
this Mr.. Erhard ZapfP' "That is my
name, sir" responded the gentleman IN
the wooden shirt and overalls. The said
to-be-hUsband of the California favorlte
is a queer mixture of the gentleman
and 'longshore rough. One minute his
hearers will be startled by listening to
one of the most eloquent and profound
dissertations on the theological and
political questions, only to have the i'm
preston of nobleman in disguise re-
moved by a relapse into the characteristic
dialect of the ordinary 'longshoreman
or stevedore. Whatever his past history
may be or he may have been, Zapfs
education and rearing have evidently
been of much higher grade than is
usually accorded to the sons of ordinary
fishermen or Plongshoremen. Zapf is a
man of fine physical form, and his
whole appearance at times betOkens that
he is the hero of many conquest in
which the heart of some susceptible
oirI was the sufferer. He is a man of
about five feet seven inches in height,
well built, and with a well-shaped head
on a pair of broad shoulders, betokening
considerable bodily strength. A heavy
crop of dark, ;wavy hair peeps from I'M
der a hat of the most approved city
front SLOUGH, while a couple of coarse
wooden shirts Carelessly thrown open at
the throat reveal skin as white and
soft and clear as that of an infant.
Zapf invited the reporter on board
his floating home, and narrated to him
the following brief biographical sketch
of himself: "My name is Erhard Zapf.
I was born in Cincinnati in January, in
1912, and am consequently nearly thirty
eight years of age. l came to California
shortly after attaining my majority,
and earned living by various ways for
several years. Some time before 1870 L
first met Lolita, who was playing an en-
.
Melodeon, at the corner of Kearney and
CLAW streets. Our acquaintance soon
ripened into intimacy, and it was with
MANY protestations of mutual regard
that we parted in the early part of 1871,
| to 90 to Oregon, and she to continue
! her career as an actress throughout the
country. Shortly after reaching Port
land. Oregon, | was summoned to Gin
Ia 1aITl he
of nv father. My mother had died
some wears previous. On reaching Gin
cinnati found Lolita, who was about to
begin an engagement in that city My
fathers estate amounted to nearly
$4,000, and after obtaining possession of
this l renewed my acquaintance whit
the little actress who had caused me
such heartache at parting in Cali1or-
MIA. The acquaintance ripened into at
lection, with the final result that we
went the way of all the earth, and were
married in July of 1872. Some three
children have since been the result of
the union, named respectively Erhard,
Lolita and Johnny. The first few years
of our life were pleasantly spent either
in travelling about, l going as manager
or member of the company, or in our
drifted apart, however, until latterly
almost all communication has ceased be-
tween us. Ny financial wants have
always been supplied by Lolita when l
have called on her, which has been but
seldom. Some two years ago, when she
visited this coast, met her on the most
friendly terms. l constantly drove and
walked with her, and was recognized by
ill lob of ma now
merely because / don't wear plug hat
and broadcloth suit Here-Zapf de-
liyered a long discourse on the difference
between a gentleman in a white shirt
and neat suit and enc wearing the garb
of Iaboring man. At that time Lolita
wished me to go East with her, but L
refused to do so because she nor her
mother would consent to the latter lady
remaining with her husband while [
travelled alone with my wife. From
that time | heard nothing of her until
her late engagement at the Baldwin
Theater. Immediately on learning that
she was in the city sent her note,
stating nv desire to see her. Some days
after two ladies came down D. street
| to nv boarding house and inquired if
was in. On going to the door l met my
wife, in company with another lady
who played in Musette and Zip during
my wife's engagement. We had con-
siderable of a conversation at the time,
during which she offered me any amount
OF money | needed. | refused at the
time to accept any, being in good cir
cumstances from the proceeds OF q
voyage l had just made. Afterward L
wanted to see her, and left note at the
| theater, and also at her house. Recely-
| ing no answer, / consulted lawyer,
determined to force her to provide out
| of her abundance for our children. and,
| if she gave me any trouble, TO present
claim on my own account"
! Lolita treats the entire matter as a
| frst-class Joke, as do all her intimate
and dramatic acquaintances. To re-
! porter of the Philadelphia Times, who
| called on her Tor an explanation few
| days ago, Lolita stated that it was only
one of many similar attempts either at
! blackm2il or to carry her heart by
| storm. It would seem that Lolita has
! had her full share Of persecution from
| imposters and blackmailers, and many
are the tales told by her of husbands,
lovers, brothers and other relatives who
have sprung up in her path, though it
would seem that but few of them have
made serious inroads on either her purse
or her affections. This last attempt,
however, is said to be one of the most
serious and boldest attacks yet made,
and a considerable number Of both her
friends and acquaintance are looking
forUard fO the rasuIf of ZaDf's axartiouo