Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-25
MAUD MILLER,s STORY.
The Poets Daughter Tells a Tale of
Suffering and Poverty.

FROM the Philadelphia Press
NEW YORK, Jan. 2l.-Maud Miller. the
daughter of Joaquin Miller. who has had
rather hard experience of stage life in
the West, arrived today, and is now living
IN y small room on Sixth avenue, which
she was able to rent. She looks very much
fatigued by her troubles, but is not des-
pondent, she is tall and stately young
lady, with handsome eyes and a clear
complexion.
She sand that the reports of her destitu-
ton IN Chicago and of her fathers and
islands neglect were true, and then
continued: Father knows better than
to say never was a ballet dancer. He
knows he drove me to it, He went abroad
and left mother and three OF us children
IN san Francisco. / was Just IA years old
then. he says we received $50 a month,
but the money came very irregularly at
nrst and afterwards not al all, and | was
compelled TO do something to keep us
from starving. / was employed IN the
ballet at the Baldwin Theatre in san
Francisco. Mother was i'll at the time, and
we were all suffering. From there went
TO Portland, Ore, with Rose Eytnge,
where, through my sympathy for desti-
tute little girl named Alice Mcdonald, |
was accused Of abducting the child.
AAbbhN4 Odbitu " AdbutIs ~ uO bub6cAuCbb-
ly placed me in the Loretto Convent, in
Canada. | remained there five years and
father paid 500 year for my instruction.
One day he wrote me a long letter stating
that he had done all that a father could be
expected to do, and cruelty informed me
that | must look out tor myself in the flu
ture. He says that he sent me TO Paris
after that with a wealthy friend, but he
doesn't say that he gave me only $40
in NJ
IN the employ OF a friend OF mis-
second wife. My own mother bad died
from her efforts to support his children
and from a broken heart caused by his
negligence. The lady was good to me, but
other circumstances arose and | cabled
father ] was coming home. No one met
me when | arrived here. 1t occurred to
me that Mrs. Steele Mackaye, whom l
had known in san Francisco, lived here,
and went to her. / was treated kindly,
but could not remain on charity at her
house. l tried in every way to find en-
pIoyment. l wrote TO father but received
no reply
Miss Miller then spoke of her relations
with young Mr. Mackaye. "He pretend
ed to be ia love with me-" she continued.
HE took me TO see his rather at the Mad
ison Square Theatre, but the father could
not give me place. l want TO correct MIR.
Mackaye's assertion that my marriage
with his son was clandestine one. He
knew that we were 10 be married, and
told his son that after the ceremony was
performed he would establish us in a
good home and see that we were both
provided for. We were married on Feb.
last, in the Catholic church in Forty
second street, by Rev Father Brady, In
the presence OF Harold Mackaye, Edgar
Raymond, Maggie O'COnnor and Joe
OConnor. My husband left me directly
after the Ceremony, on important bust
ness, he said. He left me destitute and
with but little clothing. and | was COM
PEELED to appeal to my friends. Mrs
OConnor took me to her home, where
lived for three weeks, never hearing in
the meanwhile of my husband, my father
or the Mackayes, although they all
knew of my circumstances. At the
END OF three weeks my husband called
TO take me to pleasant hOme,' as he
called It. We went to his grandmother's
estate, Eagles wood, at Perth Amboy, n.
y. My life there was miserable. l was
poorly fed and the accommodations were
Wretched. l could have borne this had it
not been that l was tainted 20 times a
day With my dependence on them. | told
my husband Of the treatment, but it did
no good, as he was the one who instigated
II all He tainted me at every oppOrtu-
nifty.
I'VE never lived together. After his
treatment of me l could not bear the sight
OF him. He never gave me a penny and
never had kind word tor me. l cannot
express my aversion for HIM. He is the
most despicable of men. He Is so small
that | would not take the trouble to drop
him into the East river. l remained at
EaglesWO0d until l was driven nearly
crazy. 1t was only month, but IN that
time l pawned my trinkets, everything,
in fact, even to my wedding ring.
sought work every where. Once | tried
canvassing in this city, but | submitted
to experiences that 1 could not bear, and
| therefore gave it up. ] asked father for
$40, but received no reply.
Il finally secured weeks engagement
with Arthur Rehan's '7-20-S' company and
afterward with McCormick's 40 com
pany. ! got it myself, and father did not
help me to it, as he states. The company
disbanded in Memphis. My trunks were
seized for unpaid board bills, but | finally
got to Chicago, but in pitiable plight. /
was without a penny. 1t was very I'M
kind Of Mir. Elder to retract the statement
in regard to my circumstances. His first
statement was true, every word Of it, but
/ think he must be afraid Of father. He
secured me my rare to this city and enough
money to buy shoes, of which / was sadly
in need
Miss Miller was shown her husbands
letter to the papers, and said: Chow
mean! how contemplated Of that man to
write such falsehOOds Of me. He never
gave me penny. He says it was never
necessary to apply to strangers. Does he
imagine that. if | could get assistance
from him, / would have Inundated N.Y.
self by going TO strangers? Arthur
Mackaye never had home of his own.
The only money ever knew him to earn
was s. a week in his fathers box office
at the Lyceum Theatre. He has always
been dependent upon his parents. l
would rather starye than 90 near him."