Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-23
~ ACTRESS IN cnuRr.
The Heart Pangs which Ballet Girl
Caused Miss Lillian Ashby.


Lillian Ashby, a young actress who
spent several months in Savannah last
year, and was popular boarder at the
Marshall House during the summer,
played prominent part IN the Jefferson
Market Police Court in New York on
Thursday. Miss Ashby was called before
the court to answer charges preferred
against her by another actress-a curly
haired and demure ballet girl in Aberle's
Theatre-who complained that Lillian
had annoyed and insulted her and threat
ened to take her life.
Miss Ashby was injured in a railroad
collision at Sandusky, Ohio, in October,
1882, when travelling with the Lingard
Company. She last appeared at the
National Theatre in Philadelphia. in
Passions Slave" For some time
after the accident in which she
was injured Miss Ashby was I'M
able to appear on the stage, and
she finally retired. Her physicians adj
vised her to come South, which she did,
and spent last summer in Savannah,
where she was a guest at the Marshall
House. The name Ashby she assumed
upon her mothers death, who left her
small income. She is brunette
and pretty, and her manners and Ian
guage are those of an educated woman.
She went from Savannah to New York
last September. The cause of her troubles
there it seems was young actor named
Harold Russell, the son of a Boston cos
tuner. Miss Ashby and Russell met in
Boston five years ago, and were engaged
to be married in 1882. Miss Ashby, when
in Philadelphia, telegraphed to Russell to
meet her in New York and wondered
when she reached Jersey City that she
had to 90 to New York unescOrted.
RnEEAl vrrQC TA1D in n
the Yellowstone" at the CosmopOli-
tan Theatre. Nellie Rutgers Livingstone,
Miss Ashby's complainant, was ballet
girl there. A few nights before Salmi
Morse committed suicide, Miss AshbY
was at the theatre to see an old friend.
She saw Russell leave the theatre with
Nellie, followed them, and heard Nellie
say, "She's watching lus." Russell put
Nellie on car and returned to the the
atre. Miss Ashby confronted him.
81 thought you didn't go home with Ia
dies she said, angrilY.
''WelI, I'll tell you,' he replied; 81
don't, but she threw herself at me.''
'Hll thank you to see me to a car"
''NO, l intend to see you home"
mo, sir; our acquaintance is at an
end"
Russell escorted Miss Ashby to a car
and left her, but she got off and followed
him to hotel, where, later, on the regis
ter, she saw an entry in his handwriting
which appeared to indicate that he was
there with a woman. Miss Ashby be-
gan to worry Nellie by endeavOring to
ascertain what were her relations with
Russell. Nellie declared he was SsnOthing
to herr and Russell made the same state
ment in regard to Nellie. Nellie was in
vited to visit Miss Ashby, and proof of
her engagement to Russell was given
by the exhibition of many lOve-letters
she had received from him. Mel
lie appeared convinced and embraced
Miss Ashby, but Russell continued
his acquaintance with Nellie. Then
Miss Ashby declared her engagement
with Russell off, and began to dun him
for 1920 which he owed her, and spoke of
5000 which she had loaned his mother,
who is now in this city. She freqUented
the Eighth stree theatre and walked in
the neighbOrhOod of Nellie's home. Meet
ing Russell there on Tuesday she said
that she would shoot Nellie, and then
modified the threat by adding IF she
were worth shooting" The threat was
carried to Nellie, who wrote an ingram
NAUTICAL note to Miss Ashby. 1t appeared
to require an answer, and Miss Ashby's
was sarcastic. Hence the summons.
When the Justice called the case Nellie
stated her grievances. Miss Ashby de-
Tended herself spiritedly, but with inter-
walls Of sob5ing and tears, and was dra-
matte, but lady-like, in her denunciation
Of Russell, who appeared as Nellie's wit
ness. Addressing Nellie, she said: eve
were engaged when he met you, and
then it ended. Pm glad to get rid of
him." Then a burst of tears and fit
of sobbing impeached the assertion.
Nellie said she was not engaged to
Russell, and Russell said that he was not
pledged to Nellie. He admitted that Miss
Ashby had modified the threat to shoot
Nellie. Justice White, in dismissing the
complaint. limited that Miss Ashby's atfec-
tion for Russell was not entirely dead.
Lillian replied, looking wrathfully at
Nellie, elf Miss Livingstone thinks she
has got prize let her have it,"