Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-14
DEATH OF MRS. CHRISTIANCY.
The Closing Scene Of an Evcntful Life.
TIE STORY OF HER LIFE BRIEFLY TOLD.


The divorced wife OF ex-senator Christisncy died
yesterday morning, In Brooklyn, y. y, OF acute
mania, induced by the excessive use OF choral
About eight weeks ago She went to Brooklyn tC
visit friend. married lady. As there were nc
rooms vacant In her friends house. apartments
were taken for her In q house near by occupied by
MIS- Dr. Duple. Mrs ChriStiancy. In order 10 avoid
notoriety, has been known lately by her maiden
name OF Miss Lille Lugenbeel. She had not been
IN BROOKLYN many days before it was evident that
sne was victim TO the habit OF tax
Ing chloraL She suffered dreadful,y from
insomnia, and soon marked evidences o; insanity
developed themselves About three weeks ago her
eyes began 10 trouble her and she was obliged 10
remain In darkened room An ocu list who was
Called In said that the pain given b. the sunlight
ana ne pronounced her insane. The fancy took
preseason OF her that she would be driven out ot
the house, and She imp.orcd tie lady with whom
she was stopping TO protect her.
II am pans hunted down." was the cry or the
poor woman AZ her request ter father and mother
Were summoned from Washington. Taey arrived
yesterday They came too late. however, to see
their daughter alive, who died raving lunaJic at
an early hour yesterday morning Mrs Chris
When Mrs Dupfe was called by her servant 10 qalet
her She did as she was requested. only a few
minutes after this Visit 1t was discovered that Mrs
Snr1stiancy had left the house. aud she WAS not
seen again by any OF the household until Wednes-
DAY night, when she came 10 the doctors house In
carriage. She was then In a very excited NJ te
and could scarcely talk coherently With some
aitncuity she stated that she had been IN New
YORK city with friends. but subsequently she con
Iradlcted herself so fatty that her story is not be
neved DR.. Dupie gave her a sedative and sum-
moned other medical aid, but ali efforts 10 save
her life were IN vain
SAD STORY OF PRETTY woMANs LIFE MAR
RAGE AND DEATH.
The story OF Mrs Chrstiancy's life. marriage
ano death Is one OF the sddest recorded in the an
nails of real life. Her maiden name was Lille
Muad Lugen6eel, ami she was born p years ago In
fash, yat~~
who Is now clerk in the Treasury. was one OF the
nrst TO learn the business Of telegraphsng and was
enip.oyed as an operator for some years Her
mother was a Miss Simpson. While she was a
young girl the family removed from Alexandra TO
place near Annapolis Junction. Howard county.
Nd. where Miss Lille taught school for a number
OF years These years were among the
happiest OF her life She was successful
as teacher and made many friends. It
Is SAID mat no defamat0ry tale concerning
Mrs Christfancy would find credence among the
people who knew her young school teacher, an
whose charms OF person were more than eaual,,d
by the graces OF her mind and heart wh.n she
came 70 washington she became quite noted for her
pioyment In the Bureau OF Engraving and Print
ing, and was SO employed when
sHB MET SENATOR ISAAC p. cHRIsrIANcY
at the house where she was boarding Mr.. Christi
ancy was then past sixty, but retained enough OF
youthful fire and romance to fall desperately ia
love with this fair-naired girl Els counting was
brief but successful. Miss Lugenbeel Who Was
tnen In her 2d year, was battered by his attentions
and dazzed by the brilliant station which she suu
posed awaited the wife OF senator They were
married In February, 1s16. The marriage Of the
BILE Senator and the fair young girl was one OF
tne social sensations OF the day The marriage VOW,
however, IL seems, devoted two lives to wretched-
ness The story OF their lives from that time until
eeedinrs IN hs , Of the ,s digDrGe pro
newspaper readers Senator Christiancv re-
tired from the Senate to accept the post OF min
lster 10 Peru. and took his young bride with him
to Lima Mrs. Christancy returned from Peru with
out her husband about four years ago. and IL soon
became Ea matter OF gossip that their relations
his attorneys I'm this city. Messrs Cuppy q Inger-
SOL, began divorce proceeding on the 18th day OF
uancy was Infidelity. =
THE PRINCIPAL ALLEGATION AGAINST HER
was that she held dshonorabe relations with a
man named Edeberto Giro, who, 1t was charged.
had met her on the steamer coming from Peru and
doiowing her 70 this city had met her candestnely
at the ST. James hotel. This charge was denied by
MIS- Christlancy, who made counter Charges of
cruelty against her husband After a long
supplemental BILL alleging deserton, the two years
OF absence necessary to esta bsh charge OF deser-
ZION having meanwhile elapsed Upon This supple
granted the Senator divorce. Thus the decree
involved no unwifely conduct, except deser1ion. on
e ehe part OF MIS- ChIlsiancy Mr. Chrstaneys
emitting from the records OF the court all the scan
dalous stories with which the case had been
AooOOus "dS particularly STdtlly 10 ulIQ-
AFTER THE DIVORCE WAS GRANTED
both Mr.. Chr1stiancy and his divorced wife dropped
from public view. Mr.. Christiancy went to his
home in Lansing, Mich, where he has since re-
NAMED. He is now seventy-o years OF age and
IS reported to be In feeble health Mrs Chr1stiancy
mother. who, within the last few months have
boarded at MIS- Flagier's, No. 3l6 Indiana avenue.
night notified Mr. and Mrs Lugenbeel of the dan
gerous illness or their daughter As early as pos
sbe they started for Brooklyn, and last night sent
telegram to Mrs Flagler announcing the death
OF their daughter A telegram from New
York states that the body Will be brought
here for interment. OF this nothing was known to
day at Mrs. Flaglers house. although il was ex-
pected that the body would be brought here Mrs
Christiancy had brother, Dr. Lugenbeel. who re-
sides In Fairfax county, Va. and a sister, who
married a gentleman In this city named Eicholtz
Her Intimate friends In this city who were aware of
during the tendency of the divorce proceedings
were not surprised when they heard OF the circuI-
stances attending her death Mr. Cuppy, who was
counsel for Mr.. ChriStiancy, when asked by STAR
reporter concerning the death, spoke very kindly OF
Mrs ChriStiancy as woman who was
THE CREATURE OF IMPULSE,
but capable OF the greatest sweetness and love-
Mrs Christiancy was first represented In court by
Mr.: John N. Oliver, and afterwards by Messrs Cook
Cole.
Mr.. oliver, her counsel. said to a STAR reporter
to-day that during the whole course OF the pro-
ceedtngS, when her sensitive nervous organization
was strung to Its utmost tension, and when she
was suffering from nervous prostration, and even
when he sometimes did not think she would i've an
hour, he never knew her to do an iDlmOdest act or
say an immodest or improper word.
During the hearing In the case Mrs ChrfStiancy
betrayed many eccentr1cttleS, which can only be
explained on the ground OF
TEMPORARY INSANITY, OR THE USE OF sTIMULANTs
One memorable incident occurred on a cold night
about two years ago, when Mrs Christiancy left
her house at midnight, attired only Ia her night
dress and stockings Thus arrayed she walked
from her home, which was then at No. 81 ID street
to the Office OF her counsel, MeSsrS Cook & Cole
corner OF 9th and ID streets She was discovered
In the street by a policeman, and kindly gentle
man, who was passing by I'm carriage had her
placed In the vehicle and driven to her home. A
dlcted TO the use OF morphine, and he suspected
6lso that she sometimes sought relief from mental
depression In liquor.
friend OF Mr.. Chr1Stiancy, who was acquainted
with his divorced wife, said to q STAR reporter
to-day:
81 never knew q woman In whom the scale OF
emotion was so long. II ranged from the ioftieSt
exultatiOn to the deepest depression She was a
creature swayed by impulse. One day she would
be buOyant with hope and the next day wretched.
IL was In one OF these extremes that she married
Mr. Christlancy, and in the other that she told him
on her wedding night that she did not love him,
TO her state OF exalted happiness The Senator
told me, even after his divorce proceedings were
begun, that In her happy moods she was one
OF the k1ndeSt and sweetest women In the world
You may not believe it. or you may think he is a
fondly foolish old man, but Senator Chr1stiancy