The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-05-25
ALICE STEVENS STORY.

The Checkered Career of the Young wO-
man Who KILLED Herself a week Ago.
san Francisco Examiner: A young wO-
man who reached Butte City, Mont, last
Thursday. and registered at the St NicIl-
olas hotel as Mrs. A. SandersOn, or Oak
land, Cal, committed suicide in her room
ON the following day Dy shooting herself
in the head. One note on the bureau had
SO enclosed for two days rent Of her
apartment, and the other addressed ''To
the undertaken" read as follows:
"ln my bosom you will find SS5. My
right name is Alice Stevens. | was born
and raised in San Francisco. l left there
three weeks ago yesterday. Send tele-
gram 20 Mr.. Stevens, go Montgomery
street, san Francisco, room g.
Besides the SS5 she had with her trunk
filed with feminine apparel and adOrn-
ments.
The woman who was described in the
| telegraphic account of her death as Of me
dium size, with brown hair and gray eyes,
and Of rather attractive appearance. was a
sister OF Martin Stevens. an attorney AT
law, whose Office is at go Montgomery
street Her father, Martin V. Stevens, was
the lessee of Badgers Park, Oakland, two
or three years ago, and until within a few
weeks since kept grocery store on the
corner of Waller and Steiner streets He
is now living somewhere near the aims
house In this city.
In 1881 one of Martin Stevens friends
was Ed " ard A Willard, who Is now type
writer in the surveyor generals Office.
Willard was then ly years old and Stevens
was somewhat older. After leaving school
willard took position in the house OF ii.
p. Gregory & Co, and soon afterwards was
engaged 70 act as private secretary for the
manager OF William i. Coleman * Co Q
branch house in Los Angeles. he went 10
Los Angt les Ia March, 1881.
A few weeks Afterwards Stevens and his
sister, Alice, went to Los Angeles also, and
about the first of May Stevens, az the point
Of the pistol, compelled Willard to marry
the girl.
Stevens at that time was a stsnographer,
and Alice had been an assistant in his
office here IL was there Willard met her.
The couple did not live together after
being matrimonially united. The young
woman returned 10 San Francisco at once,
and on reaching here in the evening went
straight TO the residence Of Mrs. Willard, at
SIS Harrison street
The WillArds are rich, and their house is
large and lUxuriously furnished. She told
Mrs. Willard of the marriage TO her son,
though not mentioning the circumstances
under which il took place Despite Mrs
1 Willard's pressing invitation, the young
woman declined to remain with her until
she should hear from her son. She would
not even stay over night
When Mrs. Willard learned from her
/ son, who soon came home, that the mar
riage was forced one, she began proceed
/ ings 70 have il annulIed. She procured
| proofs, as she asserted, that Miss Stevens
/ had not been wrOnged by young Willard 20
the extent alleged Another man had pre-
| eeded him In her affections, and this other
| individual aud she were residing together,
/ the mother aveTIed, at q certain boarding
/ house 20 which Alice went the night she
/ returned from Los Angeles
At the time of the marriage Alice Ste
| yens was 2I years old. She was q little be-
low medium height, had an exquisite form
and was decidedly pretty.
No opposition was made 20 the suit for
annulment, and Il was granted in Novem-
Der, 1857, on the ground Of Willard's mi
nority.
Alice soon went 10 the bad altogether
aud periodically adopted a new surname.
She was recently known as Alice Stewart,
aud under that cOgnOmen had q house of
ilI-fsme At IA Quincy place On March %
last she was arrested for keeping a minor
there. but was discharged in the police
court, as the girl In her testimony relieved
her OF all blame.
On April 26 Alice sold out her establish
ment and went Il Oakland 70 live She
had been consOrting with gambler named
Sanders here Ills name may be taken as
an explanation nf that which abe put on
the hotel register