Omaha daily bee., 1893-07-21
The balloon goes up tonight.
MRS. LEAvITT's TALE OF WOE.
Wife of the Theatrical Manager Seeks for
n Limited Divorce.

Limited Divorce.
Old-tme theater.goers in Omaha will re-
member pretty, vivacious Miss Hattie
Brown, better known to the dramatic world
as Hattie Forrest. She was a prime favorite
before the footlights in this city in earlier
days. AS a vocalist she was particularly
proficient.
The soft melody of her voice reached the
heart of Mike b. Leavitt, who was then
plain, everyday negro minstrel. Hattie had
$500 in cash, $500 worth of jewelry, and an
elaborate stage wardrobe. Lcavitts love
was rcciprocated. Cupid tackled burnt cork
and "blacked up for the occasion. The lit
tie pod of love acted as interlocutor, or
"middle man" while Leavitt and Hattie
played "the end" The result was happy
marriage in 1869 in this city.
Fortune smiled on Leavitt. He returned
the grin. In few years he arose IN the
theatrical world as money maker-a rust
Ter with two sound lungs and great head.
He introduced novelty in 1.-The profession"
1t was a burlesque company known as the
Rentz.Santley troupe There were very
few men in the company but always plenty
in the audience. 1t is said that the company
was never assessed for excess baggage in
travelling. The venture was Il great tinan-
cial success. Leavitt became prosperous
and pro oninent Mrs. Leavitt, nee Brown,
was the Mrs Rentz in the Nine Rentz Bur
lesque company. She stood nobly by him
and it is said materially assisted in placing
him upon the pedestal of fame, where he
has been enjoying serenity for many years.
The enterprising theatrical manager
drifted into spectacular drama. His name
loomed up on the bill boards amid blaze of
red ink ard terpsichoreau queens in Il man
ner that impressed itself vividly on the tab
lets of memory. But there is trouble in the
Leavitt household in New York City just now.
The happy, rose-tinted honeymoon, which
was inaugurated in Omaha, has been clouded
by a divorce suit. Mrs. Leavitt seeks relief
from alleged domestic woe.
"A few days ago the BEE contained dis
patch to the effect that Mrs Leavitt had in
stituted suit for divorce. Later advices
from New York City indicate that Mikes
wife proposes to put him through large
course OF sprouts.
Mrs. Leavitts Story.
In an interview in New York a few days
ago. Mrs. Leavitt said:
I'm November 1891, l began suit for
separation on account of my husbands
cruelty, but he came to me with tears in his
eyes and implored me to stop it. He said he
always loved me and no one else and that
his cruelty was n result of his having been
overworSed He vowed he would treat me
tenderly and kindly, and l forgave him. He
Immediately began to abuse me again, and
on January 5. 1892, when we were at his
brothers house in Chicago, he assaulted me
during the night, beating me all over the
back, arms aid bosom.
81 required the services of q physician.
was black and blue all over my body from his
beatings, ana on January 81 had some photo
graphs taken showing the abrasions, wounds
and discolorations"
These photographs were submitted as ex-
hlbits with Mrs. LeavitJ's affidavits She
cites many other instances OF cruelty, and
says that for the past four months her hus-
band has not lived at home, and that she
has been without means and obliged to
pawn jewelry, while her husband has an in
come of $40. 900.
"The only thing he left me was credit at
tho grocery store, and now that is ex-
hausted" she said. "He is living in prncey
style at the Sturtevant house. and so is
George Putnam, one Of the Putnam sisters
in his company"
Mrs. Leavitt asks for n limited divorce
and substantial alimony and swears that
her husband is worth at least Sl50,0 She
says he owns the house at l49
West Thirteenth street, which Is worth
$25, 900 and is unencumbcred. He
has it in furniture, oriental rugs and bric-a-
brac worth $4,000. He owns q lease of tho
Bush Street theater in San Francisco, Cal.
from which he derives $4,000 n year. He
also owns Leavitts California circuit,
which is worth g, 900 yearly; the Broadway
theater in Denver. which,is one of the finest
in the west; the Windsor theater in Chicago
the Rentz-Santey Burlesque company,
which produces a net profit of $1,000 a
season the house at 493 Lexington avenue.
which is worth S25, 900, and the Spider and
Fly" which produces $500 q week He has
bank account with Drexel Morgan & Co.,
and another in a bank in San Francisco.