The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-07-06
is SHE VHICHHR'S WIFE?
The Story of Isabella Covert
Who Claims to Have Mar
Tied the Sugar Magnate.

The discovery of Mr.. F'raz o. Matthies-
sen. executor of the will of his partner,
William A. Weichers, that woman
named Isabella Jennings claimed to be
Mr.. Weicher's wife has revived a story
which at one time was the sensation OF
the day. Mr. William WefcherS was
member of the firm of Matthiessen g
Weichers, one of the leading sugar refin-
ing firuas of the country, whose vast
worksare at the footof Washington street,
this city. He was wealthy and generally
understood TO be widower.
In February, 1885. the community was
stirred by the announcement that Isa-
bella Jennings had begun suit for
limited divorce against Mr.. Weichers in
the New York courts. What was the
most sensational feature OF this an
nouncement was the plaintiff herself.
She was then about forty years of age,
and retained traces OF evident beauty.
THE ExCENTRIC PLAINTIFF.
She was vulgarly known as "The
Duchess" and had been conducting her.
self in a highly excentric manner, which
was source of wonder and amusement
to those who heard Of her peculiar do
ings. She lived in a style but little short
Of extravaganza luxury, and the source of
her income was also a matter of much
speculation. AS early as 1860 her tall,
1.-THE figure and handsome face with its
dark, flashing eyes was familiar to the
men about town on the streets and at the
fashionable resorts. She had long been
considered queer by those who
knew her, but in June, 1885,
her eccentricities threw all her
former vagaries in the shade She took
apartments for herself and maid in the
Rossmore Hotel, and astonished the
guests of the hotel by appearing in the
smoking-room at all hours OF the day and
night, and attentiyely listening to the
conversation, no matter how shady or
dark a hue it assumed Another peeu-
liarity she had was q mania for changing
her name upon the registry, where she
figured in a brief time as Mrs. ID. w.
Saudi" Jessie Hayes, cosmopolite,n
Mrs. Isabella Jennings, at home,'' or
tat large She also appeared in several
places on the registry us Mrs. Tom Gould,
Thirty-first street, which she wrote in a
bold, masculine hand. Her actions be-
came such that, after being frequently
demonstrated with by the proprietor of
the hotel she was finally invited to va
cate her room. She then went to the
Hotel Brighton, next door to the Ross
more, whence she would frequently
start cut on midnight drives in
coupes and carriages. On these occasions
after driving all over the city she
would bring up at Tom Gould's disrepu-
table dive, which was then on West Thirty
first street, near Broadway. There she
would order champagne by the basket, aud
after drinking quantity would declare
her affection for the obese Thomas in
maudlin language.
A GORGEOUS PAGE.
She next conceived the idea that she
must have page, and grOtesqne, cor
puIent negro, muen below the medium
height, was secured for that purpose.
She procured a gorgeous uniform FOR this
monstrnsity, the most prominent feature
of which was big white hat with a wide
black band. Mrs. Jennings soon tired of
this and the negro was discharged
About that time she began to complain
to Captain Williams, who then COM
manded the Thirtieth street station, that
men were trying to climb into her win
dows at night, but a slight examination
quickly convinced the police captain that
the men existed only in the woman's
imagination.
From the Brighton Mrs. Jennings went
to the Gedney House, at Broadway and
Fortieth street, where she came into
prominence by inserting an ADVERTISE
ment in the paper requesting ali who
wrote TO her while she was at the Ross
more or Brighton to send their names
and addresses to Postmaster Pearson.
She conceived an idea that her mail had
been tempered with, but an investigation
by the post Office authorities proved the
suspicion groundless.
Then she appeared as the plaintiff in
the divorce suit against Mr.. Weichers. In
her affidavit she claims that she became
acquainted with Mr.. Weichers in 1872.
She was then Isabella Covert Five wears
later Mr.. Weichers gave her plain gold
ring on which was engraved wv. to
Bellao and then entered into an oral agree
ment TO live together as man and wife.
HOUSEKEEPING.
They set up an establishment at No. 1853
West Thirty-third street. where they re-
/ al laf Mt@
Weichers went to Europe. and after he
had been gone a month the lady followed
him to Liverpool, where he met her. At
London, whittier they proceeded from
Liverpool. Weichers, she alleges. pre-
sented her to his acquaintances as his
wife. They were there known as Mr. and
Mrs. Jennings, and Mr.. Weichers al
lowed the fair plaintiff $500 month for
pin money.
They remained in England awhile and
then went on the continent Mar.
Weichers visited his mother at Kiel. in
Schliswig Holstein. Prussia, while the
PLAINTIFF went to Paris. After awhile she
claimed she joined Mr.. Weichers at KieI
and together they made tour of the
continent. At the close of this tour the
fair Isabella came to this country alone
but was soon Joined by Mr.. Weichers. and
still as Mr.. and Mrs. Jennings they went
to live at the Colorado Hotel, Philadel-
phia. While there they made trips to
Atlantic City, Hamilton, Ontario and
Niagara Falls accompanied by a maid and
valet who knew them only as Mr.. and
Mrs. Jennings. They frequently came to
New York and stopped at we'll known
hotels. Finally they became tired of
their wandering and settled down in
apartments on Twenty-third street, New
York
WHY THERE WAS NO CEREMONY.
Isabella says she consented to do away
with a marriage ceremony at Mr. WEIGH
ers' request. because he said that he
promised his wife on her death bed that
he would never remarry. She claimed to
have been tender and faithful wire, al
though at times he treated her most
cruelty.
Mr. Weichers' friends claimed at the
| time that the suit was a Matchmaking
| scheme, that the woman mad contracted
| a bona fide marriage since parting with
| Mr.. Weichers and that she was crazy
| any how, and that her friends had con-
| templated putting her into a lunatic
| asylum AT any rate the suit was never
pushed. Mr.. III. w. Leonard, Isa-
bella's counsel, says that the reason for
| that was that representative of Mr..
| Weichers made representations to him
| in view of which the suit was allowed to
| rest. It is easy to infer from MIR Leon
| ards language that those REPRESENTATIONS
we're perfectly satisfactory to the plain