The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-30
sRRAGLIo TO ALTAR.
Beautiful Singer Who Was Once the
Sultan's Bride.
From the Pittsburo Dispatch


Boston, March 13-The marriage of
beautiful Laura SchirRer, as she was called
here, to Henry Mapleson in Paris yesterday,
has aroused great interest in this city. her
former home. The last heard from Miss
Schirmer. the one time operate star of Bos-
ton, was two years ago, when a romantic
story came from the Orient. Boston was
then shocked by the sensational tale in
which the name of Miss Laura Schirmer
was freely used.
The story was that she had abandoned the
stage, thrown up the brightest OF prospect s
and, of her own accord, had entered the
harem of the Sultan at Constantinople to
live a life of luxury. The story was as ro-
mantle and sensational as the skill and
Imagination of the writer could make it.
Miss Schirmer's friends had not heard from
her for long time and the report naturally
excited them and caused the greatest
anxiety. They did not believe that the re-
port was true, though they knew that her
m lrried life had not been happy one, and
they would not have been surprised if she
had separated from her husband or had
trouble with him. That she had voluntarily
entered the harem they could not believe,
nor did they credit the report Of her death
from poisoning.
A SEARCH FOR THE MISSING GIRL
They felt, however, that it was necessary
to do something more than present their be-
lief In the singers innocence against the
story, and they at once set out to prove the
faisity of the report. After discussing a
number of plans which they thought might
lead to the discovery of the missing girl,
some Of Miss Schirmer's friends went TO
prominent and wealthy theatrical manager
in this city. By his aid and that of CORE
spondents in France, it was found that she
had disappeared mysteriously. The search
then began in earnest.
Henry Haynle at Paris was the first to OBJ
tain a clew to her whereabouts, and after
travelling many hundred miles he found
direct trace of her, and by rapidly following
it up he met her on Nov. IL, and at once the
following was received in Boston:
PARIS, Nov. II, 18ss-Miss S. is found She
is well aud at liberty to receive her friends
She can be engaged IL any American manager
desires, and does not object to travel
1t was claimed that Miss Schirmer'f
death, together with that of ID Others, was
announced in the official bulletins from the
harem. 1t was found that the whole story
had its origin in paragraph published in
Milan.
THE AMERICAN SINGER NOT POISONED.
There had been no wholesale poisoning in
Constantinople and no official publication
OSSAA
The horrible story Of the hurryihg away of
the bodies Of the victims of the sultaD's lust
and wrath to shallow graves, from which
they were dug up by the dogs of Constanti-
nople, had no reality.
Miss Schirmer was alive and captive in
no sense. She had good reason for living
quietly abroad, but she had never tried to
hide herself from the world. Her friends
claimed that since the tenor, Byron, came
into her life and married her, her career
has been bhghted and her let a most ua-
happy one. Sne was mad in love with him
and he has ill repaid her affection and de-
votion. IL is claimed that but for her hus-
band her success abroad would have been
all that the promise Of her American Geout
Indicated.
When Arthur Sullivan wanted leading
singer for "The Mikado" all the musical
centers of Europe were telegraphed for Miss
Schirmer, but she could not be found. Life
with Byron, her husband, became unbearS
able, and, when he was sent home to Italy,
there appeared forthwith in the Italian
papers the fanciful story Of the wholesale
poisoning Of Laura and thirteen others of
the grand Turks women.
THE FAMILY A GOOD OHM.
She is a lady of high German lineage.
Her father, Ludwig, who died few years
ago was an artist of honorable name in this
Guy, ara her mOtner, q lazy OF uODle Ter
man birth, lived here for some time. Twelve
years ago Miss Schirmer was introduced
most conspicuously to the Boston stage as
an opera singer. Before her 18th year she
had made vivid impression as a concert
singer She was known as the beautiful
Laura Schirmer, and she had the best musi-
cal training that Boston afforded.
Miss Schirmer had winning face, a most
fascinating manner. and her voice, light
soprano, was of exquisite quality. She
made so marked a success on the concert
stage that before her Goth year she over
came the objections of her fami y, so far as
to make beginning of study for the OPP
cratic stage, and then followed her pictur-
esque career.
Laura Schirmer's mother, who lives in
the Highland district of Boston, had not
heard Of the marriage until called upon
this morning. She received the news with
the utmost surprise. The career of the
young woman has not been pleasant one
to her parents, and this latest news caused
great distress.