National Republican., 1883-07-05
LOTTA'S LATEST LOVE.
The Story Of Miss CrabtrOSs Mysterious Mat
rimOnial Move in This City.
Some Reasons for Believing That the
Lively Lady is Back from Europe.
Singular and Inexplicable Proceedings Of The
Alleged Husband.
--latest and Most Reliable Information
Facts, Theories, and Fancies.

The veil has not yet been lifted from the
faco Of the mystery onveloping the supposed
marriage of "Lotta" to the theatrical manager,
o. Z. Huss, and the public is left in an agony
Of doubt as to whether the wedding has really
taken place or not. The only two persons in
this vicinity who might satisfy the natural
popular curiosity in regard to tho affair are
Harry Rapley, one of the owners of the Ma
tional theater, and a young lady on L
street, who, it is said, has boen engaged to
Mr.. Huss until quite recently. Mr.. Rap
ley took flight to the country Tuesday,
and the young lady, who yesterday married
another man, has closed her lips to the inter
viewer. Mr.. Huss having given way to q
"more ADLER man." his Il street flame prob
ably felt delicaoy about discussing the
romance or connecting herself with it in any
way. In any event, she would not talk fur
ther than to authorize her little brother to
notify visiting reporters that she didn't
know anything about the matter, or, if she
did know, she didn't propose to tell them, "
and with that they had to rest content
Although at last accounts Lotta was sup
posed to be in Europe there are many reasons
for believing that sho was in Washington in
the flesh Monday evening long enough to be
united In the bonds of wedlock to a man she
has loved to distraction since he saved her
from death by drowning in Lake George
many months ago.
A gentleman believed to be Mr.. Huss came
to town about O month ago, and opened nego-
tiations with Mr.. Rapley for a lease Of the
National theater. Ho had not tho appear
ance of business man or threatrical man
ager, but he talked business, and offered an
advance of $4,0 900 n year rental upon the sum
paid by Mr.. Albaugh, the present lessee, who
is understood to pay $4,000 year for the
theater. The $4,000 advance offered was
enough to command respectful hearing and
as he claimed to have unlimited backing he
assumed the proportions of an important per-
sonage In the eyes of the owner of the thea
ter. He did not pretend to have much money
himself and after two or three interviews
with Harry Rapley he allowed the secret to
be dragged out OF HIM that he represented
"Lotta," who desired to obtain control of the
leading Washington theater. He has been In
town much of the time since his first ar
rival, making an occasional flying trip
TO New York or Philadelphia. When
here he made frequent visits to the theater
looking it through critically, and getting ac-
quainted with the people connected with it.
On account of tendency to take everybody
he came across into his confidence, the at
taches Of the theater, and others who met
him, classified him under the general head oi
crank" He made great many inquiries
rs to the salaries OF the employees
and announced that when he took pos
session ho would give them n substan-
tial advance. The janitor was assured that
he would receive double wages, and Sam
Kinsley, the manager, learned through a
friendly channel that he was going to have
$500 more next season than he received last
year 6 cannot tell for day or two just
what / will do" he said repeatedly, and on
Saturday last he startled one of his con-
fidantes of q day that he was going to see
Lolita that evening and would know the
first of the week whether he would
close with Mr.. Rapley for tho theater, or let
the matter drop. The gentleman to whom
he made this disclosure was greatly aston
ished, as he had been led to believe that
Lotta was in Europe, and he was forced to
the conclusion that the manager elect was
crank sure enough. So well satisfied was he
on the latter point that the announcement
made very little impression on his mind al
the time, and he would have forgotten the
circumstance but for the publication ofthe fact
that marriage license had boon issued tc
Charlotte Crabtree and o. Il, Huss. 1t then
occurred to him that the supposed "crank .
might not be o "crank after all. Strange tc
say, nobody about the theater knew the man:
name, but they take it for granted that 1t il
Huss. He is described as a curly-haired Eng
lshman, of medium size, apparently we'll ed
he was not exactly balanced in all respects.
One story, which comes straight enough to
entitle 1t to consideration, at least, Is to thii
effect:
Huss and Lolita were actually married, as
has been stated and they are now enjoying
a quiet honeymoon within q few hours oil
Washington. The bridegroom is d talented
but eccentric Englishman, graduate Of nava
schools Of England and America, and bright
fellow generally. He gave up the sea after
trial, and, having some money of his own
started out as theatrical manager in O
small way-just where | do not know.
couple of years ago he met Lotta at Lake
and one day he saved her from a watery
grave at great personal risk. His pluck and
good looks won the little lady's heart. Hel
gratitude very soon ripened into ardent love
The fame of passion did not fire the English.
mans heart at that time, for the reason thai
he was in love with Washington girl
who until very lately was, clerk
engaged 70 be married, II looked as though
tho fair Lottas love would have to burn itsel
out, but one day the pension Office clork dis
covered she loved another better than she did
Huss, and she told him so. 1t docs not trans
pire that the discarded swain was broken
hearted by the tidings On the contrary
there is every reason for believing he took II
maiden from her engagement, On his subse
quent visits to this city no called on her sew
eral times, and their relations up to this time
are of a friendly character. according to the
admission Of the lady herself only few hour.
ago. l do not know whether Huss told Lofts
of the broken engagement before her depart
ure for Europe, but am disposed to think
that letter containing the intelligence and
matrimonial proposition followed her across
the water, and that ON its receipt she took pas
sage home, without letting anybody know
her intentions"
In Telegram to the New York World cor
respondent from the homo office last evening
the statement is made that Lottas friends
discredit the report of her marriage and pro
duce letters which show her to have been in
England less than two weeks ago There Il
nothing in that inconsistent with the state
ment above given, however as she nigh
have followed those letters right ovor arriy
ing on these shores nearly as soon as they.
Another view is that the whole thing is
hoax. Still another theory Is that the tax I'M
out of the license was the freak of "crank.
These various facts and theories, and re
ports may be taken for what our readers con
slider them worth. THE REPUBLICAN, doe
not know whether Lotta Is married or not
and will not hazard an opinion.
-
Commencement az Williams,
WILLIAMsTowN, MASS, July 4.-Com
mencement exercises began with tho morn