Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-25
BETTY ORDWAY,
A ONCE FAMOUS WOMAN DYING IN NEW
YORK.
Ger Marriage to Baltimore Millionaire, SuSse-
qusnl Divorce and Brilliant Stage Career
Wine Once Drunk From Her Slipper
al White Sulphur Springs.

Nav YORK. January 24-Betty Ordway,
the daughter of General Ordway, ana
former wife of Arthur Padeltord, the pa
dmOre millionaire, is dying Of cancer IN a
private hospital on West tOrty' 5uitu
street in this city, her friends say, ana NJ
ne hope is held out that she VIII survive
more than few weeks at best. Betty Oru-
Nv IL d woman with q history. She has
been known in recent years as Betty Geraru
but she is better known 70 the puOlc gen
erallv as Mrs. Arthur PadelfOrd. General
Albert Ordway, her father, was q Grave
soldier who served In the Army OF the 70
tomac during the war and held the once
Df Provost Marshal of Virginia during the
reconstruction period. IL was during MS
,ssidence I'M Richmond that Betty Ordway
was born That was twenty-nlhe years
ngo. In early life the little girl developed
a fonduess for the stage and IN 1917 she al-
reared as Josephine in juvenile "PIna-
lore' performance az Washington
HER FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
This was her first public appearance on
the stage. When she was Is years ola MISS
Ordyay met Arthur PadelfOrt, Of Balt-
more. She was beautiful, accomplished
spd romantic He was handsome, wealthy
and susceDtible. The result OF the meeting
was that they were married az the capilal
with all the pOmp and splendor oenttlng
fmoIr
INFO the public eve al this time as the con-
festant of the rights OF the trustees OF his
estate His property had been so devised
to him by his father that 10 was put IN
trust with the prOvisO that he could build
81 town house I'm Baltimore and another az
Newport and draw a certain amount OF
money until he was so years old. But
voung Padelford wanted 70 build and equip
a steam Yacht as well, and he had set-to
with his trustees about the matter, which
resulted in the court sustaining the IatlerS
objections.
HER MARRIAGE TO PADELFORD.
II was shortly after this that the was mar
ried 10 General Ordway's daughter AT
first the couple appeared 70 love eacn other
rapturOusly, but in the heYday OF the nom
evmOon Padelford took his wife 70 Europe
and thus began the end of their happiness
RE leased a palace in Vienna and they lived
there together amid all the luxury that
wealth could produce until suddenly one
dav Mrs Padelford left the Austrian capt.
tai and returned TO Baltimore alone. IL
was said at the time that she tried 70 get
her husband % return with her, out JnaJ
he had refused. Mrs. Padeltord went on
TO Washington, but she was not received
into society there.
RETURNED TO THE STAGE.
Having Dy this time become TIE mother
Of baby girl, and all efforts on her part
falling 70 bring her husband Oack 70 ner
side. Mrs. PadelfOrd determined to go on
the stage. General Ordway protested IN
vain. Mrs PadelfOrd said she was forced
10 support herself and child, and, with a
recklessness that was remarkable, she
plunged into stage career that was oOtn
exciting and prodtable-fOr time. She
became the Drims donna in COnrieo's OPP
era Company, and made her professional
debut ia Chicago as Felisa in The Kings
Fool"
The criticisms Of her performances were
so fiattefing that az the close Of her engage
ment Mrs. Padelford undertook 70 star.
ShJ opened in Los Angeles, Cal, with ire
mend0us fanfarOnade, played a couple OF
weeks in San Francisco and then went 70
Portland. Ore, where she left her dl2-
rnonds and her career as star behind her.
Since then she has sung in the Dun Opera
Company and in Dixey's "Seven Ages.
SUED FOR DIVORCE.
In 1883 Arthur PadelfOrd sued his wife
for an absolute divorce, and the evidence
being very strong against the respondent
he was granted decree.
After this Mrs. PadelfOrd became more
conspicuous than ever. The whole country
heard OF her one summer when she was
staying aJ White Sulphur Springs. After
one of the morning COtllhOnS' peculiar 70
this West Virginia resort, she was escorted
from the ballroom by Washington mill
ionaire since dece. %, and well-known
Young lawyer Of Charlottesville, Va. They
were discussing the merits Of particular
brand Of champagne, when the younger or
her companions, who had only just return
ed from Europe, told of the peculiar custom
prevailing among tue German peasants OF
drinking wine from a bride'e slipper, and
remarked incidentally that he would not
drink wine from q slipper az any price.
WINE DRUNK FROM HER SLIPPERS.
Upon hearing this the Washington mil
Honaire said that he would, and offered to
back his statement with money The re-
suit was that a bet was made ard Mrs.
PadelfOrd was selected as stakeholder.
EQUAL 10 the occasion she pulled OF Der
satin slipper, filed 10 with champagne and
handed il 70 the knight Grant from Wash
ingtOn, who drained the cup. Mrs. Padel-
ford continued 10 use her marriage name
on the stage until three years ago when,
happening 20 be playing ia Baltimore,
PadelfOrd opened negotiations with her
which resulted in her dropping the name
for 10000 From that time Mrs. PaOel-
ford has been known in the theatrical
world as Bettina Gerard. In 1859 she mar
ried John j. Rafael, a tenor singer in the
Conreid Opera Company, whose real name
is johnson. Mrs. Padelford' little daughter
&c with hor