San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-01-25
From st. Louis.
Sr. LOUIS, January, Is 1883

From st. Louis.
| Sr. LOUIS, January, Is 1883.
Enron FREE PnEss Tho Planter
Hotel of st. Louis, tho Oldest and bes
known hotel throughout the southern states
took fire last Sunday morning, and before
tho fire department could check the flames
tho ontiro northwest quarter Of tho vast
structure was destroyed. The scene OF
wild confusion and dismay which prevailed
among tho guests for time was fearful.
Up 10 the present writing three lives are
known TO have been lost, and one of the
Indy employees ios In very critical condi-
ton.
The unfortunate and scandalous abduction
Of Miss Zorelda Garrison by four ruffians
whilo sho wns going TO school upon one of
eur public highways, in broad day light, ID
still causing great excitement IN the CITY
Never was the big city 30 thoroughly
aroused and excited az it was during the
Eve days of hor painful and mysterious
disappearance. Her sudden re-appearance
however from her hiding place (where it 1t
is said she was foroibly detained for large
ransom from her wealthy relatives), has
forced everybody to the disagreeable con-
clusion that she WIS willing captive. This
scandalous affair is tho topic Of conversation
in every house, and has created much sym
patty for her many relstives.
The English professional beauty, Mrs.
LAngtry, 10 playing weeks engagement at
the Olympic theatre Of this city ;; Of course
AZ - L. Ia han all
ever Mrs. Lapgtry goes Freddie's sure TO CO.
"Ths Lily's" reception before the foothghts
10 not particularly enthusiastic, and the au-
diencs not as numerous nor az fechSrche as
WAS anticipated, and indeed why anybody
should pay enormous prices 70 see the Lady
is inooMprehensible to your correspondent
except it be that mawkish, sentiment OF
fashionable society to affect an admiration
for anything and anybody Of foreign char
acter. The Lilly" is certainly not phenom-
enally beautiful, and it must be conceded
that she is no actress, but she draws i'm
and this Is doubtless owing to the
persistent attacks made upon her character
by the newspapers. vulgar notoriety will
pack st. Louis or Chicago theatre with the
elite of society, far better than the histrlonIc
fame and talents of Farron, Bowers,
Siddons, and other queens OF the stage, OF
spotless private character. The coarse OBJ
scene attacks of our papers on Mrs. Langtry
are however, without excuse or palliatIon
and are discreditable to the American press
and degrading to manhood. MIR. Freddie
Gebhardt may be fop and fool, but his
ridiculous swinging round the circle" with
the Langtry troupe Is utterly harmless and
blameless so far as the evidence of
his conduct is concerned, and from all ap-
pearanoes he is simply parting with his
money fast rs possible, and this certainly
does not justify the scurrilous attacks made
upon him and Mrs Langtry by eastern and
western papers These attacks eliminated
in "soene' in the rotunda of the Southern
hotel last night. Mr.. Gebhardt advanced
ubon A. b. Cunningham, a reporter of the
"Globe- Democrat" and denounced him as
"an Infamous liar and cowardly cur" Cum
bingham had not the manhood to resent it.
although the physical equal of Gebhardt.
The mother of Russell Brown, the youth
full fend who murdered his grandmother.
Mrs. Doris, last winter, died in the city
hospital to-day. The poor woman died
from unhappy and unfortunate causes which
charity constrains me not to mention Her
death will be severe loss to the boy MUIR
derer who relied upon his mothers testi-
mony to establish his plea of insanity. Gen.
Geo P, Doris, husband of the murdered
lady, died few weeks ago, and the above
makes the third death in this stricken home
within year. The tragedy of the Doris
mansion was detailed in the columns OF the
FREE PRESS last winter, and its awful cir
cumstances must still be remembered by
YOUR readers. CARL SMYTHE.