St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-06
EMMA ABBOTT DEAD.
Americas FavOrite Prima
Donna Passes Quietly
From Earth.
The Sweet Singers Last
Words Were 81 Am Not
Afraid to Die
The Closing Scene at the
Diva'S Deathbed a Most
T. Pathetic One.
Biographical Sketch Of s
Heroic Life Struggle for
y Success.

SALT LAKE, Utah, Jan. Emma
Abbott, the great American prima
donna, died at the Hotel Templeton. this
city, at 7:40 this morning, of pneumonia.
She was taken i'll Wednesday night, but
persisted in going on the stage and sing
ing her part in 'Ernani," notwithstand-
ing her physicians advice not to. On
New Years day she was taken alarm
ingly Ill, and a conference of physicians
was ordered. From that time she has
grown worse until this morning, when
she died. The scene at the deathbed
was pathetic one. The great singer
was conscious almost to the last mo-
ment, despite the fact that opiateS had
been administered. Her last words on
earth were 81 am not afraid to die"
There were present at the bedside Alice
Ellerton, Miss Nellie Franklin, Miss
Vernon, Mr.. Pruette, her manager; Mr..
and Mrs MieheIena, Miss Annandale, of
the company; Manager Pratt and
wife, of the hotel, and DR.. Pinkerton,
The body was embalmed and enclosed
in handsome casket, and will go from
here to Denver, thence to Chicago and
thence TO Gloucester, Mass. where her
husband is buried. Her will provides
for that disposition of her remains.
Miss Abbott confidently expected to
die, and told her physician on New
Years day that her next song would be
sung in heaven. Since that date she
has failed rapidly, and although her
manager has autographed all over the
couDtry that she was going to get well,
she never Wayered in her belief of her
ultimate death. Two weeks ago she
telegraphed the Albany hotel at Denver
for the room in which her husband
died. A singular coincidence con-
nected with the affair is that she died
on the anniversary of her husband
death. A short burial service was held
this afternoon at the hotel by Rev. Dr..
McNiece, of the Presbyterian church.
The body left for the East at 10 o'clock
tonight.
Emma Abbott's early life was passed In
Peoria, Ill. When she was an infant her
father, music teacher of small means, re-
moved to PEORIA hoping to better his fort
unes. 1t was about this time the child, who
knew almost nothing OF the world beyond
her humble home, ana had never been in a
of becoming a great singer, and when she
was scarcely more than eight years old her
father allowed her to assist him i'll concert
given in the school house of q country place.
The two artists walked nearly ten miles, car
rying violin and guitar, 10 acquit themselves
of this duty. She was even then received by
her audiences with smiles of curious inter
est, and her ambitious efforts rewarded with
kindly applause. There was always a GER
tain purity about the childish soprano-a
sirtf n faI
never failed to touch the heart. After this
tour she returned home and continued her
desultory education in the public school.
First Concert.
During a vacation she once visited ayoung
friend i'll a neighboring town, where the
idea occurred to her busy brain and brave
little heart which could not rest for thinking
of the dear ones left behind i'll the shadow OF
poverty and eYer-impending difficulties, of
giving q concert, grand Abbott concert. all
alone by herself and her guitar. She was at
that time quaint little creature, small for
her age, thin and pale. and dressed always
like the child she really was. The result OF
this concert was $40, which the singer took
home to her mother Then for a season she
taught country school, which she walked
eighteen miles through mnd and slush TO OBJ
tain, and then on returning home and find
ing the family i'll dire straits took TO The high
way again and went singing from town to
standing in the pulpit-a little preacher OF
harmony-and resting her guitar on the
Billie. For the two years succeeding she
sang for her bread and that of the dear ones
depending upon her. for q season or two at
tached to troupe of vOcalists as their
Prima Donna AssOIuta,
but mostly singing and travelling by herself
and often suffering from cold and exposure
to wild winter storms on the prairieS. One
terribly severe night, on going to her little
concert, she actually froZe her feet but moth
ing chilled the warm currents of faith and
love that visited her sad heart. All alone,
Miss Abbott once sang her way to New York
to hear 2arepa. The lowest ebb of fortune
and courage found her at Toledo, o.. III the
winter of 1870. just then, in the midst OF
her perpleXities, Clara Louise Kellogg. then
in the first glow of her power and fame
heard her sing and decided at once to be heI
sponsor and benefactress Miss Abbott
went to New York and became the pupil OF
Errani. Then came a piece of deserved
good fortune in the position of soprano il
DR.. Chapin's church. ana among the friends
she won while there was Horace Greeley
Here she made fine reputation and many
warm friends, among whom were George G.
Lake, Mrs. George Hoffman, G. p. Hunting
ton and others. who, calling her Honest
Little Emma" gave the wheel of fortune q
brisk turn In her favor. With others of DR..
Chapin's congregation they offered to send
Before singing in England Miss Abbott Wis
tied Italy, and at Florence according to FL
Corriere Itaiiano, created a verltable Juror,
being
Recalled Thirteen Times
by the enthusiastic multitude. On her ar
rival III London she made her debut at the
Royal Italian opera, Coyent Garden, where
she was enthusiastically received. Shortly
after this Emma Abbottappeared at the Crys-
tai palace, where she sang with magnificent
effect, carrying off the honors from all COM
pettors. Mr.. Mapleson, of Her Majesty s
opera, Drury Lane. London, who had watched
with great interest the career of the young
prima donna, then engaged her for term of
Three years. She was well received through
out England and Ireland, and at the conclu-
sion of her engagement she came TO this
country. where she achieved success from
the start. Her principal roles were Mignon,
Lucia, Linda, ANNA, Gilda, Martha, Zerlina,
Leonora, Juliet, Virginia, Airline. and she
sang in a varied repertory of standard Eng
lish operas. She also produced in this eoun-
try the beautiful oneras of Paul and Viz
gina, Romeo and Juliet and king for a
Day creating the roles of Virginia, Juliet
and Nemea for the first time in English.
Nearly two yeaas ago Miss ADbott's husband,
Mr. Wetherell. died in Denver. Miss Abbott
was very wealthy, herifortune being estimated
at over 81 100000.