Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-05-29


lovllness, and just from a ladies'
seminary" came to Parkersburg to
visit schoolmate. Here 1T was
she met young Beal Blackford, a
leading society gentlemen, and a
handsome and attractive man.
Their mutual intercourse ripened
into love and Miss Ely and he were
married. The marriage took place
at Oakland, Md. The young couple
returned to Parkersburg to reside.
For a time all was pleasant and an
apparently happy future was before
the young couple. Matters went
from bad to worse until finally one
morning Beal Blackford was found
dead Ill his bed. Many conflicting
stories of his death exist, but there
are those who will never believe but
that poison was the agency, and
that it was administered by the hand
of his wife.
From here just after the war the
widow went to Philadelphia and
began to attract great attention.
For while she was employed in
the Mint. Her first unpleasant
notoriety was one summer at Long
Branch, where she cut great figure
and was much talked about. Then
she went to Philadelphia and be-
gan to be socially ostracized. She
was next prominent at the Moya
Ball, and her name was associated
with the famous man about town,
John Tobias, who afterward married
/" Daisy" Elliott. On one occasion
she said: "John, you are the most
notorious man in Philadelphia and l
am the most notorious woman, and l
think we owe it to society to get
married." At one time she serious
ly deliberated on this step. Some
time after this she began to figure
in the courts and was
spoken of as a blackmailer. She
brought suit for breach of promise,
ETC., against a now well known
Philadelphia artist, and although
sympathy was on his side she secured
a verdict for $1,000. Then she en-.
deavored to wreck the domestic
peace of her counsel, who was one of
the most eminent lawyers IN Phila-
delphia. 1t is claimed that she en-
trapped him in an unfortunate po-
sition and secured a large sum of
money from bin. Then she furnish
ed house OF Rittenhouse street
and not only became o notorious
character herself and helped ruin
many men, but was instrumental in
seriously damaging the reputation
OF q number of prominent women.
Her house was the resort Of the
most fashionable club men and some
OF the most prominent professional
men. There is a prominent city official,
of Philadelphia, now in office, who on
one occasion while at her house dis.
covered that under a delusion a love.
ly and estimable lady was about to
be entrapped into her dwelling. At
the door he stopped and saved the
reputation Of herself and family.
About this time there was another
case in which she was paid by a gen.
tleman now prominent in the Phlla-
delphia Club and who objected to
having his name publicly associated
with hers.
Her escapades were almost legion.
Finally she was threatened with
prosecution, and, leaving Philadelph-
ia, started upon her foreign career.
Her name when she first went abroad
was associated with a great racing
man and owner of one OF the finest
yachts a1oat, and a short time after.
ward she began to be notorious in
Paris. When Lloyd Phoenix, the
New York millionaire, was about to
be married, Hattie Blackford, or
Fanny Lear, as she then began to
call herself, claimed to be married to
him and caused a great scandal in
New York. The relatives of the
lady he was to marry investigated
the charge and found it utterly false
and the marriage was solemnized
After that there was hardly month
in which the cable was not burdened
with her exploits. She became ac
quainted with the Prince of Whales
and was for awhile a favorite with
his set. She was also in with the
fast royalty and aristocracy o.
France, and, 1T is said, was for time
employed automatically.
Driven from this country, she wen
to Paris. For a time she lived il
poverty and under revolving circum
stances. Then, pushing on to st
Petersburg, she began the careel
that has made her famous in it.
way. 1t was in the winter of 1871
that she met the Grand Duke Mich
olas Constantinowich, a cousin 0
tha ,,rocont Czar Ha fall rioInr4I,