The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-09-04
Miss Nelson's Second Marriage.
brooklyn Eagle. I

Brooklyn Eagle.
Further inquiry into the circumstances Of
Miss Nelson's death seems to establish some
points which will furnish the gossips with
material to talk about for some time to
come 1t appears that her death was not as
sudden as was at Iirst supposed, and that she
suffered twelve hours of most terrible agony
before death came to her relief Thep post NOR
TEN examination showed that she died of
dropsy of the heart, accelerated by indiges-
ton, and hat the specific cause of death
was iced milk, which some unnamed medi-
cal writer in one of the French papers de-
clares to be among the most indigestlble of
substances. This may or may not be the
case. 1t is, one may suppose, largely a
question of system and condition. Milk,
under ordinary circumstances, is know to be
at once the most easily assimilated and nu-
tritive of foods, and to learn suddenly that
when iced, it is deadly poison, will be rather
surprise to most people. Indeed
so opposed to ordinary expert
ence were the symptoms observed in
Miss Nelson's case, that it was limited that
something more hostile to the gastric pro-
cesses thanme milk had been administered.
1t is, Therefore, satisfactory to know that a
thorough examination was had, and that the
facts were ascertained Miss Nelson, it
must be remembered, was not an as abstem-
ious as most American ladies, and. though it
was never charged against her that she
she drank to excess, it is by no means i'm
probable that the life of excitement she led
rendered to encourage rather than to prevent
indulgence The fate of another beautiful
English actress, Mrs Rousby, who may pro-
perly be regarded as the first professional
hoo, &C. h. Ill
the slave of appetite, is at all events sugges-
tive.
Miss Nelson's death naturally brings
into prominence certain details of her pri-
vate history that were not before known.
1t was announced by her, at the time of her
last appearance in this country, that she
was about to retire from the stage, marry a
wealthy Englishman, who by the way was
said to be an Admiral, and settle down to
the enjoyment of her handsome fortune. To
this end, it will be remembered, she sold
off some of her stage wardrobe before going
to California. The veteran mariner now
appears to have been suddenly Tilted,
though he took the body of his lady-love at
the Morgue, and will probably attend to its
interment in Brompton Cemetery, where
Tom Taylor was recently laid. 1t is an
nounced that Miss Nelson Lad made other
and entirely different matrimonial arrange
ments, and that either just before or just after
coming to the United States last iall she be-
slowed herself in marriage upon the good
looking young English actor, Mr.. Edward
Compton, who occupied the position of lead
ing man in her company. Whether the Ad-
miral was aware of this circumstance does
not appear. Nobody in this country sus-
pected that matters between the star and
her chief support had reached such crisis,
though her partiality for him was openly
expressed and widely commented on. Miss
Nelson had many admirers, even her man.
ayers being often included among them. 1t
became stock jest among the profession
that each of Miss Nelson's Romeos was the
handsomest she ever played with; and be-
tween four or five in this country there is
yet little difference of opinion as to which
really is the handsomest the contestants
agreeing only upon one point, namely, that
Mr. Compton is not He is certainlya very
nice looking young man. of fine presence,
good voice and intelligence, and had the
question been left to plebiscite for deter
mination, it is likely that he would have
been elected. Miss Nelson, however, did
not wait to hear what her audiences thought,
but was content with her own judgment.
There seems to be little doubt, however,
as 10 the disposition of her fortune, which
must be very considerable. Miss Nelson
claimed to have procured, in this country,
divorce from her first husband, Mr.. Phillip
Lee, but feared that, for some reason not
assigned, it would not Re regarded as valid
in England. She was, therefore, about to
sever her connection for good and all by
obtaining an English decree against Lee.
If we are not mistaken, the result of Miss
Nelson's connection with the Birch divorce
case left it optional with her husband
whether he would apply for divorce or
not. and he chose the former alternative.
However, divorce or two, more or less,
makes little difference on the stage 1t may
have some bearing on the question of inheri-
lance. there being three claimants of the
estate, mainly, the two husbands de facto,
and perhaps the old mariner, who expects
to be the second. What its exact amount is
the correspondents have not yet begun to
but it must be large, although |
the lady lived generously. She was an ex-
cellent business woman, and looked after
the money closely.