The morning call., 1891-07-04
A CHECKERED CAREER.
An English Heiress Runs a New
York Beer Garden.

There is an English woman keeping house
at German beer garden and summer hotel
at Port Richmond who two years ago had her
throat cut by her English military husband,
and who is legal heiress to a castle and
100000 in Ireland. and an estate in Wilt
shire, England, worth S400, 900. She makes
beds, prepares dinners and serves beer all
day long, yet she is an educated English
gentlewOman, and related to some of the
best blood in Ireland and England, says
New York special to the st. Louis Globe
Democrat.
Her name is Mabel Townsend. She came
to this country year ago In search of her
relative, Mr.. Jessup, a stockbroker, who
had often been very kind to her, and who
lived for the most part at the Fifth-avenue
Hotel: He was widower, and he had fire.
quentIy asked her TO come and take charge
of his house, especially when he knew how
badly she was treated by her husband.
In company with her cousin, Lady Mary
Telford, she embarked for this city. Ar
rived in New York her first thought was 10
make for the Fifth-avenue Hotel, where she
hoped to find Mr.. Jessup, who she ex-
pected would meet her with open arms; but
he was dead. Mrs. Townsend, however, is
not woman without resources. She ap-
piled for and obtained a position as head
chambermaid in downtown house, which
she lett only few weeks ago to take the
position she now holds. Mrs. Townsend's
history Is romantic one.
She comes of an old and highly esteemed
theatrical family, and is closely related to
the present proprietor of Glenarm Castle,
North of Ireland. of which, In fact, she is
sole heir by entail. Her maiden name. by
which for many years she has been known
all over England, is Mabel Bellew. For
some time she was at the Princess Theater,
London, in the company of Miss Grace
Hawthorne and tn that cba had
been PLAYING the principal roles in one of
wilson BarrettS provincial companies. Her
mind is storeheuse of theatrical anecdotes.
She has played leading lady to such great
actors as Charles Dillon. Gustavus Brooke,
Barry Sullivan, Forrest, Knowles and 9TH
ers. She played in Hamlet" before she
was II years of age.
Some years ago her mother, sister of the
present owner of the Glenarm Castle, died,
and left her 10000 She retired from the
stage and married Captain Hackett Town
send, young military officer. Captain
Townsend spent all her money and left her
with her baby girl, very often in a condition
bordering on restitution. Besides this, he
was married TO ard maintained upon the
money three other wives in different parts
of London. This Is history. 1t all came
out curing the trial two years ago and was
printed in full in the English newspapers.
At last poor Mrs. Townsend found it
necessary to resume her old profession in
order to keep the wolf from the door. A
woman OF commanding presence, very
handsome, clear-cut features, piercing black
eyes and pleasant manner, she was not
long i'll getting an engagement, and soon
had resumed her old position on the stage
Meanwhile her daughter had become quite
little celebrity on the variety stage as
Birdie Brightling, one of the best, il not
the best, female performers on the banjo in
Europe.
Finding that, despite his rascality, his wife
was able TO hold her own, Captain Town
send set to work to take out his revenge.
After many attempts TO murder her he at
length succeeded SO far that she barely es-
capped with her life.
She bears scar across her throat which
will remain so long as she lives, aud the
beautiful voice with which she charmed so
many hearts and filed many eyes with tears
is now but broken, withered organ: the
pines are cut, the chords rent asunder
For two days and nights her friends had
missed her, and when they found her lying
III ditch into which her dastardly husband
had dragged and thrown her after his crime
was comGlitted, miracle alone had saved
her life.
She recovered sufficiently to appear
against and dennunce the scOundrel who
had tried to kill her, and with her throat
barred before the British jurymen they had
no hesitation in finding him guilty, nor had
the Judge any in sentencing him to fourteen
years at hard labor. Then her mind gave
way and she had to go to an insane asylum.
Mrs. Townsend is playwright of no
mean skill. She was the first to dramatize
Miss Brsddon's story, East Lynne" and
her version was always played by Miss
Heath, the wife of Wilson Barrett.