The daily gazette., 1880-08-19
The Dead Juliet"

MISS NELSON'S PEcUNIARY SUCCESS
HER REPORTED MARRIAGE TO MR.
COMPTON.
The New York Times Of yesterday has
the following:
Her early successes were not remark
able, for she had no flashes such as take
houses by storm, until after she learned
10 create them by skilful manipulation
OF means; but she had soft, low, melo-
dious voice and beauty of person that
went very far to redeem a little awk-
wardness.
Her career In London was fairly sue
cessful. Her great sources of income
and her principal artistic successes were
American. She visited this county six
times, appearing here for the first time
in the fall of 1872, and although 1t is not
known what amounts she carried away
each time, it is known that S37 900 was
the smallest sum she ever netted in o
single season, while one of her series of
performances gave her net result of
nearly $50 900.
M iss Nelson must have cleared in this
country, during her SIX trips, about
500 1000. She did not take all this
amount out of the country, however {.
In 1872 and 1873, when real estate VIZ at
Its highe st, End real estate speculation
was rampant, she was persuaded to in
vest about $40, 900 in uptown property.
This wfs sjpst before the panic. The col
lapse came, real estate went down, AID
in the depression that folio wed Miss
Nelson became alarmed, and closed out
in the summer OF 1877, at a loss, 1t is un-
derstood, including lawyers fees, of
about $4,000.
Even with this loss her fortune mrst
still be reckoned at about 5000, 200, ire
spective of jewelry and wardrobe; and
tG will be an Interesting quo stion to
whom 1t will pass. She had no blood
relatives so far as known in this coun-
try, and there are, consequently, no
known heirs of consanguinity.
Miss Nelson was married. ten or twelve
years ago to a Mr.. Philip Lee, an Eng
lishman. The union was an unhappy one (;
and in 1877 she obtained divorce from
Mr.. Lee in one of The Courts of this city.
Naturally, with her beauty and fame, she
ha'. had many suitors for her hand since
then, and among them wss an officer
who stands high In the British naval ser.
vice, and is a member of the household
If the Prince of Wales. This gentleman,
somewhat Miss Nelson's senior, was ip-
fatuated with the actress, and made over
lures of marriage to heri The affair came
o the ears OF the Prince, who intimated
to the Admiral that If he married Miss
Nelson, she would never be received at
Court, and 1t would probably ruin his ca
reer The gentleman informed his royal
master that he should marry the lady, IL
she would have him, whether IL exiled
him or no., aud the Priuce must take his
own course about recognizing them after
wards. Mrs Nelson declined the honor,
however, giving her reason in these
words, peculiarly those of woman :-"If
/ respected the man less, L would marry
him /; 70 1t is cannet he would bore me
to death In year." Another suitor was
more successful; 1t is known that in Au-
gust last, just before she sailed for Ameri.
ca, Miss Nelson was privately married,
in London, to Mr.. Ed ward Compton, the
actor who supported her in leading paris
last year. 1t thus appears that the ques-
lion of the disposition of her fortune is a
complicated and delicate one. 1t has
been stated that the American divorce
would not probably stand law in Eng
land. Should this turn out to be so,
should no heirs Of blood present them
selves, anti should it be "certained that
Mr.. Lee has not since married, the qnes-
ton may lead to long litigation be-
tween Mr. Lee and Mr.. Compton, who
will Of course, ~sert his claims, and Miss
Nelson's hard-earn d fortune will prob
ably be half consumed by greedy lawyers.
Miss Nelson was kind and dgenerous-one
to whom the suffe. ng and unfortunate
never appealed in vain. Her hand went
to her pocket instlnctively when q tale
of distress and poverty was told her