The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-13
Seymour L. Rau, a Young Soci-
ETY. Man, Leaves Tacoma.
FALL FROM GRACE DUE FOLLY
He Married an Adventures and Lost
Business and Social Prestige.
Heavy Rainstorms in Montana Ruin
the Roads, Destroy Railroad Bridges
and Delay Traffic--Two Men Drowned
While Fording . Swollen Stream.

l.. Rau. society and insurance man, who
married Mrs. Dearborn, an adventures,
while at Seattle year ago under the name
OF Rowe, and was subsequently divorced.
has left the city. 1t is intimated that sew
eral young men banded together to drive
Rau out of the city by Systematically per-
scouting him and making it generally un-
pleasant for him to live here.
His attorney says Rau has gone to Phil
adeiphia to raise money to pay off
private debts. His going precipi-
tated rumors that he had absconded.
He owes the Traders bank $500
on note, and the bank believing
he was disposing of his pr roperty, threat
ened to arrest him to secure the debt.
conference followed, it being shown that
Rau's intentions were apparently honor
able. The bank first became suspicious by
Rau cashing a check which he had re-
ceived for Office furniture sold TO a second
hand store. Because of placing insurance
on undesirable Everett buildings the in
surance companies had cancelled Rau's
agencies. The Washington Republican
Club considered but did not accept his
resignation as secretary.
ION February % last the people of Tacoma
were astounded to learn of the mock marriage
of Seymour L. Rau, on of the most prominent
of Tacomas young society and business men, to
Louise Z. Dearborn, a beauty who has figured
i'll certarn class of society here for two years.
Mr. Rau was secretary of the Washington Repub
lican Club, and director and prominent mem
Der OF the Tacoma Athletic Club, and conducted
a general insurance business Mrs. Dearborn
had very attractive figure, pretty face, ana
dressed tastefully. Her hair was fluffy, her
teeth white and even, her complexion
frpsh faaf M IN "a
aquiline, and her eyes blue She
was frequenter of the Tacoma theater.
and her male admirers called her charming"
and the cleopatra OF Tacoma" Her home is
in Minnesota, where her 6-year-old child is liv,
ing with its grandmother. Mrs. Dearborn in
an affidavit said she was 25 years of age. Until
year ago her form was almost perfection, but
OF late she has been growing stout She Is now
at San Francisco. Her husband is an inmate of
Deer Lodge, Mont, state prison. Mrs. Dear
born appeared in Tacoma about three years ago,
and went to a leading hotel in this city. Her
lady-like demeanor caused her to be treated
with great respect, and she was even received
visitor in the family of a we'll
known citizen. But this intimacy suddenly
ended when the family learned that the charm
ing young woman was employed In the lucra-
tive but debasing occupation of "box rustler"
at Harry Morgan's Theater Comique. Here she
soon attracted the attention OF verdant youths
were soon classed a wealthy capitalist and
city official who occupied high station. Rumor
wagged her tongue freely, and ii was said that
many evils in municipal affairs were allowed to
exist because. of the influence of her employer,
transmitted through this charming medium to
her gallant.
In June. 1891, Mrs Dearbon aud lady friend
went to Seattle, and she was there married by
Justice Neagle under the nam of Louise McBee-
ty to Mr.. Rau, who gave the name of Conrad /.
Rave. In her application for a divorce from
Rave or Rau she said
1t was joke all through. was told that as
we took wrong names it would amount to moth
ing, and SO stood up. Mr.. Rau never claimed
me as his wife nor attempted to provide home,
and we have not cohabited as husband and
wife or lived together as such. Since then as
before our relations have only been of acauant-
ances; we have occasionally met, and only met
as such.
She claimed not to have any money or prop
erty, and denies that Rau supported her. She
further alleged that there was no issue of the
pretended marriage, nor rights of property of
either plaintiff or defendant that could be affect
ed thereby In his reply Rau admitted the state
ments OF Mrs. Rave, or Mrs. Rau, and asked
that the matter he brought to head without
the usual twenty days to expire before answer
| ing the complaint. He also claimed the mar
riage to have been joke The decree
| OF divorce was granted and the original
| name OF both parties restored, aud
| Mrs. Dearborn left at once for San
| Francisco, Mr.. Rau remaining here. He had
been one of gay party of young men who have
had entree to society. Abo ut fifteen months ago
| Mrs. Dearborn was forsaken by her admirer and
she lived quietly in one OF the lodging houses in
! the upper part of town. being seen down town
| only occasionally, and then only with female
companion. A year ago, however, she again
| blossomed out at pubic entertainments under
the auspices OF gay and fascinating young man,
| who like young Rau was an athlete and society
young man. Mrs Dearborn visited her husband at
Deer Lodge. Mont, state prison last October
/ She sought his pardon and succeeded in having
! his sentence coInmuted and in April he was set
free. few years ago Dearborn was sentenced
| to seventeen years imprisonment for forgery
! and disposing of outfit OF a civil engineer
| He was a civil engineer by profession, and il
is said. was employed in laying out the Seattle
| Lake Shore & Eastern route. Fifteen hundred
| dollars was spent by Mrs. Dearborn in having
! Dearborn's sentence commuted. The shock 10
society and the unsuspecting caused by the
Rau-Dearborn scandal was very great.