The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-10-13
HEIR TO A MILLION
A Pennsylvania Convict The
Owner of a Great Estate.
A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.
The Strange Story of Blwin st. Rayn,
Formerly an Actor Now in Prison

He Rescued a Beautiful Girl and Her
Father from Rufnans in New Orleans
EIoped with the Maiden, the Father
Not Consonting to the UnIon--A sepRra-
tion Ensues, and st. Rayn Becomes
Rover--Arrested and Convicted, Though
Innocent--Left n Fortune by the Repent
ant Father of His wife.
NEW YoRK, Oct 13.-The good luck OF
Edwin St. Rayn, formerly an actor OF
this city, is just now much talked OF
among theatrical folks.
st. Rayn is said TO he the heir to for.
tune of over S1,0OO,OOO, and a firm of
New York lawyers, acting for the estate
which he has inherited, have located
him after a long search.
H is an inmate of the Western Peni
tentiary in Allegheny City, Pa. He al
leges that he is an innocent man and did
not commit the crime for which he is
serving a sentence of one year and half
Several professionals who were seen
had no difficulty in recalling st. Rayn
They said that five or six years ago he
was a fair actor in travelling companies
starting out of New York. Bob Hilliard
said that he had known St. Rayn, and
Fred Bond also recollected an actor
whom he believed to be identical with
the alleged heir to q great estate.
The story is romantic one and has
been investigated by a reporter Of a
Pittsburg newspaper, who vouches for
its accuracy. He also interviewed St.
Rayn in the Western Penitentiary and
was furnished by the prisoner with facts,
| dates and documents corroborating it in
| it's entirety.
Some months ago Louis De Amboise, a
wealthy Cuban planter, died in Havana,
| leaving his fortune of over million dol
| lars to one Edwin st. Rayn, an American
actor.
the trustees of the estate have since
been searching for the legatee and
believe that at last he has been dis
covered.
ST. Rayn says that he is native OF
New York City, and that his real name
is j. Edwin Rayn. Six years ago the
company of which he was amember was
playing in New Orleans.
One night after the performance, St
Rayn was going home to his lodging
when he cameu pom three roughs whC
had attacked an elderly gentleman and
| a,young lady who accompanied him.
1t was in a dark and unfrequented
street, and the assailants were rapidly
overcoming the pedestrians.
Fortunately St. Rayn carried a heavy
walking-stick and he rushed to the res
cue. His blows caused the roughs Il
rush off hut not before one of them haC
severely stabbed the actor with pocket
knife. The gentleman proved to be Loui
De Amboise, and the lady was his onl!
daughter, Edith.
They loaded st. Rayn with protesta
tions of their gratitude, and insisted
upon conveying him to their hotel,
where his injury was attended to. Miss
Edith promptly fell in love with tn
actor, but her father said nay.
He desired the girl to marry Horace
Leigh, her cousin, whom she ,disliked
When St. Rayn had recovered he elopeC
with Miss De Amboise and they wer;
married.
st. Rayn lived in Cuba for year o.
two and then went OF with theatrica
company He says that in his absenc
Horace Leigh convinced Mrs. St. RayI
that her husband was unfaithful to hi
marriage VOWS, and she secured a di
vorce
st. Rayn travelled all over this coun
try and finally turned up in Westmore
land County, Pa, two years ago. Their
he was charged with committing a
offence of which he asserts he was en-
tirely innocent, claiming to have beel
the victim of a conspiracy.
While in prison De Amboise and Mrs
St. Rayn both died in Cuba. In his wi
De Amboise states that he did st. Ray
a great wrong in helping to separate hi
wife from him, and he desires to max
all the reparation in his power Il
therefore left the estate to the adventul
Gus actor, whose whereabouts have jus
been ascertained.
1t is said that st. Rayn has secure
counsel, who are making efforts to hav
him set free ON habeas corpus proceed
ings.
st. Rayn's strange story is corrobC
rated by some people at Jeanette, Pa, I
whom he related the circumstances som
time before the death of his wealth
father-in-law
Upon his release St. Rayn promises I
produce papers which will prove his ideI