Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-18
SHE BROKE HIS HEART.
Distressing Tale Of Marriage, Elope.
ment, Divorce, and Death In Paris.

The New York Her'alds special cable dispatch
from Paris has the following: Poor Homansr'
That was the heartfelt utterance Of every one
among the crowd Of mourners which filed the
American church recently when the full choir
of men and boys chanted the solemn service
for the burial of the dead. OF the immediate
family there were present only VIM. Romans,
the eldest son, and Mrs. Nivert, the sister-in-
law, with her children. From his long resi-
dence in France, and his important position as
European manager Of the New York Life In
surance company, Mr.. Romans had been hon
ored with numerous decorations, which were
displayed upon cushion.
Eight years ago Mr.. Romans married his sec
ond wife. She was from New Orleans, and was
then in the full splendor of her southern
beauty. To-day she is about thirty live years
old, and is still a handsome woman. She be-
came second mother to his three children,
two sons and a daughter, and she also had
daughter OF her own by former marriage.
1t is the subsequent perfidy of this heartless
creature that brought the mournful gathering
10 the little American church yesterday. Some
time after the couple came to Paris scandalous
reports concerning the wife's conduct were cur
rent, but Homans turned q deaf ear to them
Some three months ago the bubble burst. the
crash came, the blind mans eyes were opened,
his home was wrecked, and his noble heart was
broken.
1t happened at AK les Bains. There was an
Italian noble in the case. Some say he was
prince. Mr.. Romans was his friend, had re-
celved him at his table, and had trusted him.
One day toward the end of September
AN ACCIDENT REVEALED THE WHOLE TRUTH.
Mrs. Romans had gone back to Paris, pro-
fessedly to arrange her hotel for the winter
season. The prince had gone to Geneva. so he
said. but he had covered his tracks badly. An
indlscreet concierge revealed to the astounded
husband that so far from being in Switzerland
his Italian highness was in Paris. and that dur
ing their stay in AK les Bains he had secretly
occupied room opposite to that of Mrs. Ho-
mans. The conclusion was easily drawn.
Mr. Romans took the express to Paris,
ana when there was no longer room for doubt
he acted as a man has to act in this country in
such cases, and Mrs. Romans spent the night
IN the Saint Lazare prison. Mr.. Romans spent
1t pacing the floor of his chamber and then he
came to another decision. He determined that
his wife. however great her guilt should not
be confined in prison to be herded with
crowd OF fallen women. On the following day
at his request she was released on bail, he hav-
ing reserved all his rights for criminal and civil
action against her.
HAVING TAKEN STEPS TO SECURE DIVORCE
Mr.. Romans, quite broken down, left Paris Sc
cretly and went to Brussels. He wanted to be
alone. His wife made frantic efforts to secure
a reconciliation and a meeting. One night, at
the Hotel Bellevue, at Brussels. MIR. Romans
was aroused from his slumbers by a knocking
at his door. He arose and opened the door,
and instantly Mrs. Romans pushed into the
room. The shock to Mr.. Romans was tremen-
dous. He gasped for breath and his face be-
came livid. Heart trouble is hereditary in the
family, and for few seconds it was a question
whether he would live or die. His wife
promptly took advantage of the situation She
rang for assistance, had hot water brought and
mustard poultices and worked over him for an
hour, till the danger was passed and the at
PENDANTS withdrew leaving the two together
1t was O'Clock in the morning and he was al
ready compromised by the fact that his wife
had remained with him for over an hour
SHE DECLARED BY ALL THAT WAS HOLY
that If he drove her from the apartment she
would commit suicide in the street. He al
lowed her to remain, surrendering to her his
bedroom and he himself sitting up in the sa-
Ion for the balance of the night.
Next morning he insisted on her returning to
Paris, but the harm was done. Immediately
on her arrival Mrs. Romans called in the iuge
Construction in charge of the case and in
formed him that reconciliation had been
effected. She also spread the story about
Paris. In vain Romans telegraphed denial
of the statement. Hurrying back to Paris he
explained the real facts OF the case to the juge
Construction, who listened patiently, but said
an investigation must be made into the Brus-
sells affair before divorce could be granted
Investigation in Brussels meant diplomatic in
reference, an indefinite amount of official red
tape, and, worst of all, considerable DELAY,
Now, before any decision has been reached,
Romans Is dead. He died of congestion of the
brain. SO the doctors say, but sorrow and shame