Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-10
WIFE OF MILLlONAlRES.
HISTORY THAT HAS FEW EQUALS,
EVEN m FICTION.
The Daughter Of an Ohio Farmer wooed and
Won BY millionaire Grouse "A Million
Dollars 10 Compromise.

GAINESVILLE O., Jan. S-Ihe story has
already been told of the claim made by
Mrs. Secebert Kosterlitz TO the estate
of the seven times millionaire, ID. I'd
gar Grouse. of Syracuse, y. Y, lately de-
censcd. ON the grounds that her daughter
Is his child. aud that The heirs OF the
Syracusan have offered her IWO,OOO
TO settle the matter, which she
has refused.
The identity Of the woman has been
a profound mystery to the press Inc
query has been, who Is she. whore
did She come from, and where has she
been oil this timeY'
After days of investigation Il has been
found that she is an Ohio girl. Her
mniden name was Grace Norris She
was born in Belmont county, not far
from St Clairville, in 1861. lior father
was a small Turner, n native Of England.
Grace grew up like most girls in her
station She attended the district school,
where she displayed unusual brightness.
She was apt, quick TO learn, aud was
always nc the hcad OF her class When
entertainments were given she shone as
a bright light. being gifted with rich
voice and the natural talent for reading
or recidng, and she was very beauti-
full.
She read everything she could get her
hands on and WIS remarkably well in
formed. She early exhibited desire
to travel and see the world.
She was always talking about going,
and seld some day she would be a grind
Lady. No one paid attention 70 this
trait, regarding Il as but youthful
dream of fancy, but one day, when Grace
was but l6 gentleman aud
buggy happened that way and stopped
Mt Farmer Morris house to inquire II
he were on the right road 20 ST. Clair
vile. Gince was the informant She
told him he was, but he did not hurry
away. Instead be asked II he could get
lodging for the night and place FOR
his horse. She called her father. The
sun had gone down aud there was nothing
surprising or suspicious In the request,
and the farmer gave the traveller shell
ter
1t seems that the sight Of fair Grace's
face was what Ind put the notion into
his head of not going on 70 the county
seat, and that evening he set himself
industrously to the work Of getting ac-
quainted with her He found her II de-
lightful person; 80 delightful, indeed that
as soon as he returned 10 his home In
the eastern part Of the state ne wrote
her letter. Grace answered &C. and IL
was but few weeks hereafter that her
correspondent came and claimed her.
carrying her away as his wife
He lived az Fast Liverpool Ills nams
was Horace Wilson, a young aud weul
thy merchant His family did not take
kindly 10 his choice. She had no genoa
logy while they We're uristocrnts Life
would have been miserable for her and
him, so the husband decided 60 20 to
New York city with his young wife 20
live. lie bad the money and could well
afford IL, N he did nothing In the way
OF engaging In business. They secured
q lat and there they have lived quietly
Her favOrite amusement was the the
ntcr They went almost nightly and soon
became familiar figures in the play
houses. A child was born i'm about "A
year after the arrival of the couple in
the metropolis but il lived but two or
three years. Again they became tireless
patrons of the play Five years after
they took up their residence in New
York Wilson died. His income ceased.
His property was in such shape that the
! widow was readily denied support from
IL 10y her father-in-law's people who SUR
yiyed. She must earn her own living,
what should abe do2 She had a fond
ness for the drama and had wished
sometimes that she was an actres She
knew members of the profession, and
she confessed her ambition To one Of the
lady members, who interested herself
manager 20 try her, and he nc once
signed her with his stock company. She
began TO climb the ladder rapidly and
became valuable all-ar0und artist
supporting such stars as Booth, Bar
ret and Mccullough in minor roles.
While thus occupied one night one of
the auditors in the Union Square thea
ter while she was playing, was young
Grouse of Syracuse. He was known In
New York as the man-hbout-town and the
| owner Of stable ~ fast horses.
Tie espied Grace Wilson in the cast on
the stage, and fancying her made an
arrangement to be presented to her, and
take her ont to supper after the play
After this he attended her TO and from
the theater every night His fnther and
mother came 10 New York. and he intro
| duced Grace Wilson 10 them, hut they
id not like her, and when he informed
| them he was going TO marry her they
| said IL he did he would be dislnherited
| by them. He promised them that he
would not, but not long after he was
secretly welded 10 her NJ the house Of n
/ banker friend in New York City Grace
| then left the stage, but In n fortnight
they separated, due TO the threat of tho
senior Grouse, and the fear that he would
put 1t into execution.
Before a year Ind rolled by she was a
mother, and all this time Grouse had
literally provided for her BY agreement
\ when she was able she quietly secured %
| divorce and the custody Of the child.
She did not live IN New York nj the
time, but continued to see Mr., Grouse
/ occasionally.
One day she met Londoner named
| Siegbert kostelitz, a banker, who was In
| New York on business. IL IL supposed
| this meeting was brought about through
IN understanding between Grace and her
| former husband. At all events, she
/ sailed for England in the same vessel
| with KOsterlitZ on his return, and when
| they arrived Ia England they were mnde
man and wife. The child was taken
| into the household and Mrs kosterlitg
/ continued 20 receive remittences, ayerag-
| ing $500 a month with the knowledge
OF her husband. The marriage TO Kos.
terlitz took place about four years ago
The fruit Of this union was a boy, who
| Is still living with his mother Roster
| litz died in December, 1891. and left a
large estate. valued at over a million
| dollars which is now lied up In the
courts for the most pnrt Mrs Roster
litz remained in London until the summer
of 1892. In August Of that year, accom-
panied by her mother, Mrs NJ B Norris
her son by her last husband and hci
daughter by Grouse, she arrived in thi,
city. registering az the Clarendon hote
as Mrs. NJ. Il. Morris. and her children
as Miss Kosterlitz aud Master Roster
litz.
AT the hostelry the party occupied IN,
finest suit of ROOMS and paid SlO(
week for the same. Mrs KOS
tcrlitz paid In advance and displayed