Evening star., 1883-09-29
MRS. PAIGE,s raaREATENED BOOK.
HE story Of the Oshkosh Millionaire
And q Brooklyn Widow Revived.

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From the New York Timess
The dispatch from Milwaukee announcing that
Mrs. Simon B, Paige, OF Davenport, Iowa, was
about to publish q sensational history of her
life probably attracted more attention in
Brooklyn than the book will obtain anywhere.
Mrs. Paige was formerlya resident Of the city
at the other end Of the bridge. She was best
known there as Mrs. Mary E. Pagan. An at
tractive widow of %, the mother Of two chill
dren, girl of about 10 and q boy of z, she
found in Brooklyn host Of ardent admirers.
She was employed in a fashion establishment in
this city when she made the bold stroke which
relieved her OF admirers and made her Mrs.
Simon B. Paige
This was about three years ago. Simon B.
Paige was millionaire resident Of Oshkosh,
Wis.,, and one OF the largest lumber dealers in
the northwest. He was member of the firm
of Paige, Eixon Co. and Paige Brothers. of
Davenport Iowa; of 8. B. & j. A. Paige of
Fond du Lac. Wis, and of the Paige-sexsmith
Lumber company, of Superior, Wis. At the
time referred to fire partially destroyed the
Beckwith House. Mrs. Paige was in the hotel
at the time, and her husband, who was wit
ness OF the cOnfiagratiOn, offered reward of
5000 to any one who would rescue his wife
from the flames which threatened to burn her
to death. brave fireman effected her rescue;
but she was so badly burned and frightened
IiidC Siio uicu sOOu MLeEWdIu fdlSc re-
fused to pay the reward, and suit was brought
to recover the amount, and Mr.. Paige had to
pay. His defense was that the fireman had res
cued her in the course of his duty and was not,
therefore, entitled to any reward. Before he
had refused to pay and when he was posing as
hero, Mrs. Pagan wrote to Paige, asking him
to accept her as governess for his motherless
children. with whom she expressed the greatest
sympathy. Mr.. Paige had never heard OF the
woman before, but wrote her thanking her for
her sympathy and informing her that he had no
children. This did not battle her, however, for
ever. for she wrote again. This time she claimed
acquaintance on the ground that she had met
him IN oshkosh 10 years before when she was
on her wedding trip. She invited him to call
on her when he was in the city. This led to a
correspondence and to his visiting her. After
he had visited her three times he became en-
gagged to her. His friends opposed and tried to
prevent his marriage on the ground that the
womans conduct was that of an adventures.
They were married in Brooklyn on the 9th Of
last January, Mr. Paige informing his relatives
at the time that if he was disappointed in her
they would never know it, for he would kill
himself. He was SO years old, twice as old as
she.
Their married life was not pleasant On Sum
day. March ii, two months and two days after
the marriage, Mrs Paige returned from church
to the Davenport Hotel, in Davenport, Iowa.
where they were living, and found her husband
lying on the bed dead, with q bullet in his
brain. Soon after his death the various lumber
firms with which he had been connected failed.
Mr.. Paige's property, estimated at several mill
lion dollars had been wiped out, or disap-
peared, and Mrs. Paige accused the relatives
and partners of her deceased husband of having
deprived her of her dover rights in her hus-
bands property. The quarrel is still in progress,
though Mrs. Paige is reported to have obtained
fair amount from the estate. 1t is very openly
asserted by people In Brooklyn, who knew the
woman, that her book will never be printed.