River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-09-28
THE DIAMOND WIDOW.
The second Marriage of the Heroine
OF the Diamond Wedding, and Ed
mund Clarence Stedman's Poem.

Muuu CthTenct Stcumhu y hOtm
Nine. Francis Amelia Bartlett
Ovideo, whose diamond wedding with
Don Esteban Sancta Cruz Ovideo in
1859 caused a social sensation, was
married Tuesday morning in Trinity
church, New York, to Col. Bodo Won
Gunner, of the Mexican army. The
bride has lived in Havana Tor nearly
twenty years, having gone there after
her marriage in 1859 The last year
she has spent at the Park Avenue no
tel. In that time she has made only
one trip to Havana and on the return
passage to New York is said to have
made the acquaintance of her present
husband. Mrs. Won Gunner, who is
forty-three years of age, has still
large landed property in Cuba, left her
by her first husband. Her parents are
dead, and she has no children. Col
Won Gunner left Germany in his youth
and came to America; he served in
the confederate army, and finally en-
tered the Mexican army, where he
earned his military title.
There are many persons in this
country to whom the memory of the
former nuptials of Madame Bartlett
Oviedo, twenty-three years ago, With
its lavish splendor, will be recalled to
mind by the modest wedding yesterday.
| The incidents of that social episode,
and the hostile correspondence that
passed between the father of the bride
and E. G. Stedman, because of the
publication in the Tribune of Mr.. Sted-
mans poem, The Diamond Wedding,
were published far and wide at the
time not only by the newspapers of
the United States but also the journals
of England and the Continent. Frances
Amelia Bartlett was the daughter of
Lieut.. w. A. Bartlett of the United
States navy, who was also the first
American alcalde of San Francisco.
Miss Bartlett was very beautiful and
reigned, at eighteen years, the undis.
puted belle of New York. Tall and
dignfied, with fair complexion and
light blue eyes, her friends and rela-
tives proudly pointed out her resem-
blance to the Empress Eugene of
France. In January, 1859, when the
social season of New York was at its
height, Miss Bartlett met a
Cuban gentleman Don Esteban
was fifty five years old, swarthy as
a mulatto, with black eyes that set off
countenance Of resolute earnestness.
Wherever he went the story of his vast
possessions, his plantations of sugar
and tobacco, and his countless slaves,
preceded him. He lived in princely
style at the st. Nicholas hotel. He
gave ball at his hotel at which it was
said he directed the hair dresser to ar
range the hair of every lady in the
house at his expense. Don Esteban's
visits we're most frequent at the house
of Lieutenant Bartlett, at No 80 West
Fourteenth street. The beautiful
American had captured the heart Of
the wealthy Cuban. 1t was said that
Through the medium of an interpre.
ter he preferred adulation." The lady
consented to his suit. The course of
their love was smooth and serene until
the Cuban don was stricken down with
fever and ague at the st. Nicholas hotel.
Through a wearyipg illness she faith
fully nursed him back to health. After
his Gonzales cence the minds of the
affianced pair were abs )rbcd in the
preparations for their wedding. The
daily papers teemed with minute de-
tails OF the fabulous amounts expended
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were
disbursed by the Cuban with lavish
prodigality. The trouseau at A.
T. Stewards was said to have cost
$4,000. AS much was expended at
Genins, and at Ball d Blacks.
The wedding dress cost SC, 900, and was
brought from Paris. Tiffany's Golfers
were swelled to the extent of $50 .000
also. The climax was reached when,
on October 10, 1859, Don Esteban was
married to Miss Bartlett. The bride had
previously adopted the Roman Catholic
faith of her husband, and the ceremony
was performed by Archbishop Hughes
in St. Patrick cathedral in Mott street.
The church was packed to the doors
and the crowds overfiowed into the
streets. The description of the brides
"parure" of diamonds, and of her
pearls and emeralds, published at the
time, reads like a story from the
Arabian Nights. The Don's scarf dis
played a solitaire pin of large proper
tions. Elaborate accounts OF the young
brides jewels were published ali over
the country, but the most marked
attention was directed TO them by the
poem of Mr.. Stedman, which appeared
in the Tribune of Oct. Is, 1889 Lieut..
Blrtlett forthwith sent challenge to
the author. BIT for the intervention
of friends duel would probably have
been the immediate result of the poem
As it was, considerable bitterness was
felt by the family of the bride toward
tie poet for many years. Eventually
good feeling was established and it was
at the intercession of Mr.. Stedman
that Secretary Stanton had Lieut..
Bartlett afterward transferred to
comfortable post at Fortress Monroe.
Nine Oviede did not so soon forgive
the poet. With her husband she travel |
ed in Europe for year after her mar
rage and then they lived on his planta-
tions in Cuba. Twelve years ago Don
Esteban died, leaving his immense
estate to his wife. They had no children. |
Two years ago she requested E. G.
Benedict, the Broad street banker, to |
bring about an introduction to Mr.
Stedman. This WIS done by Mr.. Bene- |
dict, and all asperities of the past were
forgotten. The author and the heroine |
of The Diamond Wedding have re-
manned, ever since, constant friends. |