The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-24
THE COURSE OF A CUR.
Statements of the Plaintiff In New York's
Breach of Promise Suit.
She Buys a Residence Once Habited by
Poor Tom Placide.

She Buys u Residence Once habited by
Poor Tom Placide.
Special Correspondence of the Evening Light.
New YORK, January I9.-By the several
roads that wind among the stunted pines and
shrub oak on the flats below Toms river, some
IS or 80 teams moved slowly in the direction
of Bon Haven, bearing about 100 men in
| terested in the auction sale Of Evelina Bliss.
There were several real estate men from New
York and Brooklyn sent down to bid on the
property, and there was gentleman repre-
| senting the interest Of the holder of mortgage
on the property. Mrs. Bliss was present,
| giving welcome TO the few women
who attended the sale, and her daughter,
Miss Mary Alice Almont Livingstone, who
recently got verdict of $4,000 in a suit
against Henry Fleming for breach of promise
| of marriage, also moved about in the throng,
pleasant and self-possessed. Bon Haven con-
sists of good two-story house worth SIS 900
or $4,000, some out buildings that do not
seem valuable, and 20 acres of ground.
The new branch of the Pennsylvania railroad,
not now in operation, passes through it, and
it is directly upon the bank of Toms river.
Opposite it are some handsomely wooded
bluffs, from 10 to 90 feet high, called
Island Heights. In summer the outlook upon
the river would be charming. and even yes
| terday it was not wholly devoid of points of
interest. Bon Haven used to belong to
Thomas Placide, the actor, and here on July
20, 1877, his troubled life reached its end.
On the morning Of that day b. c. Cook, of
Toms river, received feebly scrawled
NOTE FROM PLACIDE.
Gsp.fora yn,, raoa;v. ,b;s 7 ,,,;u L. Jo.l 81
before my maker to answer for the act of
suicide, so you see that it will be necessary
not to let Mrs. Bliss return here this day. have
been driven to the deed by most the agoniz-
ing tortures that man ever suffered, beyond
human endurance. Will you have the coroner
notified as soon as you can? 1t will be good
action on your part to get bad action hidden
| from the light. This and God bless you is
| the sincere wish OF THoS. PLACIDR."
Hastily Mr.. Cook had the team hitched up,
summoned Mr.. John Ripple, who combined
| the functions of coroner and village barber,
and with one other friend made his way to
Bon Haven, nearly five miles distant. Before
they arrived, the threatened deed had been
done. Tom Placde was found in the Car
riage shed, with bullet through his brain,
the big stage duelng pistol, from which it
had been fired still grasped in his right hand.
He had not moved after firing the fatal shot.
| The mantle with which he had covered his
head lay evenly over his face. There were no
marks fstruggle in the light sand where he
laid. He still breahed and continued to do
so for hall an hour after he was carried into
| the house.
THE CAUSE OF SUICIDE
was the agony he suffered, which was caused
by cancer in his throat, which for fort
night had almost prevented his taking food
The old carriage shed, in which he cut short
his pain, still stands. AT a little after 10
O'Clock Mr. Bethany, auchoneer, opened the
sgnee, offering as the first lot the house, out
buildings and grounds The first bid on
them was $1,000. Then by $500 bids the
price went up to $4,000, from that by $3.50
bids to $1,000 and finally SIoo and
then $50 at time up to $4,000. There
it stopped and the property was
knocked to Joseph Weitroy, who
had bid for Miss Mary Alice AL
mont Livingstone. The price is $1,000
above the mortgage which the purchase under
takes to satisfy. 1t was deemed good figure
by the neighbors. Two years ago Mr.. Bliss
offered it for sale at $4,000. Since the
rendition of the substantial verdict of SIS, 900
in favor of Miss Livingstone, she has been
quietly resting on her laurels at Toms river.
SHE WAS VISITED
at an up town hotel, where she was found
staying with some friends. She looked much
improved in health and was in excellent spirits.
Upon being questioned in regard to Cornelius
affidavit, she said: ~ would much prefer to
say nothing about it. The whole matter is so
very distasteful to me, and, in the next
place, don't think ought to give you an in
terview without my counsel being present.
However, as so much has been written about
me, do not hesitate TO pronounce Cornelius
affidavit wanton, malicious and wicked It's
truth. The published letters are equally
false. The charge is unfounded, either on the
part of Fleming or Cornelius"
MISS LIVINGSTONE
was much excited at times as she denounced
the last proceeding as mere persecution in
revenge for the very large verdict accorded.
"Then you will be fully prepared to meet
these accuSationS?"
"Most assuredly | shall if a new trial is to
take place. l have nothing to conceal and
have no apprehension respecting the result.
do, however, much regret that my name
should be dragged before the public in any
such connection. The fault, however, rests
with others, not with me"
"Iiave you any objection to giving your
grounds for defense against the accusation +"
"Yes," answered, Miss Livingstone, 81 have
at present, because 1t might interfere with my
counsePs plans. l am not prepared to state