The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-24
Kr. james E. Lucas
WHIT MONT HAVE BEEN.
The Husband of Marie Decca Tells an In
terestins Story.

| Inc lOlAOMlLb - q p'ii AifhA iNi'AN ~ ''--N
Thursdays proceedings in an interesting
suit in Harrisonburg. Pennsylvania, as
told by The Patriot Of that city:
The story Of what might have been
was told by Frances Leon Chrisman.
the husband of Marie Decca, the operate
star, in the law library of the courthouse
yesterday afternoon.
The sittings in the equity proceedings
are dragging along slowly. At the hear
| ing I'm the law library yesterday morning
| and afternoon the concert tour of the
| fall Of 1891 was taken up. This is the tour
taken Immediately after Chrisman became
acquainted with Madame Decca at
| Chautauqua New York, at which place
! the husband was doing newspaper work.
| Madame Decca's father. venerable
| looking cid gentleman. with a plenteous
| growth OF white whiskers. made his
| first appearance He listened with a great
| deal OF patience TO the testimony given
| by his son-in-law. To that portion Of
| Chrisman's testimony, which showed that
| his wife had declared her father to be
a great nuisance, he listened with the
| patience of a Berks county farmer wait
ing for an August shower near the end
Of a six weeks drought. In fact with
the patience Of two farmers. IL didn't
phase him. and he twisted his gold-head-
ed cane gaily, and smiled genially at
| the old gray-headed janitor at his side,
and said something about the patriarch
Job who became famous because Of
his extreme good-nature during a pros
porous season Of pesky boils.
The old ianitOr smiled and went TO sleep
again and did not wake UP until the test-
mony was brought out tnat the madame
loved good old Kentucky Bourbon dearly,
and that a great item IN the expense ac-
count on the concert tour was for the pur-
chase Of this blue grass luxury. Accord
ing 10 the testimony Of the defendant
husband the money taken I'm at the con
certs went TO pay the expenses. and that
the receipts Of the concerts were all eaten
up by extravagant living. At some cities
on the tour concerts We're given, at others
sOpgs and recitals. Thu season lasted from
early I'm September until IN the winter
some time. Some Of Che concerts. The huS-
band said. were dismal failures and his
evidence showed that the madame did not
fail 10 remind him os II In language more
forcible than elegant. The concert tour
took in cities I'm kentucky, Michigan. |
Illinois and Pennsylvania. II was tcsti- !
fed that Madame Decca had 10 borrow |
money TO mset expresses on some Of those |
tours. that they had stopped al the dest |
hotels, rode I'm Pullman cars. INDUCED In |
carriages, and as Mr.. Chrisman said. |
drank a great deal OF Whiskey. quart Of |
which he explained he had 10 procure for |
Madame Decca every day.
A feature that killed some OF the monot- |
cry Incident 10 dry testimony was the /
frequent spats between the defendant and |
Attorney Gilbert with reference to memo
randa On some of the checks produced /
in evidence written by the defendant ia /
short hand.
Mr.. Weiss. too. amused the spectators.
II. che instance the testimony showed that
a concert had been given in the Presby-
terrain church IN q small town in ohio.
IL had been brought out THAI Madam
Decca wanted most everything she laid /
her eyes on" and Lawyer Weiss wanted
10 know whether the Presbyterian church |
at that point In which ths concert had |
been given had been bought by Madame
Decca. The defendant replied that Il had
not been.
Then Lawyer Weiss wanted TO know.
after Mr. Chrismaa had said he was not
Decca's manager but her suitor whether
the checks and money paid had been given
out as sutton Or manager This question
was not answered. There were twenty
six checks offered in evidence on the bank
at Maysyille. KY. marked exhibits A, -
G. &c. The hdsband said that no con-
.ract had ever been entered into between
Madame Decca and himself and on De-
cen Der 22d he parted from her In Wash
ington. Then he came 20 this city for
several days and then went on 20 New
York. After the parting IN Washington
Madame Decca had asked him 10 try and
arrange some dates for her with Seidl
Damrosch and other artists OF New York.
She had made an engagement 20 sing In
Boston. January :. 1892
L. after the C1Ocn n /
the fall tour, Chnsman received a letter
from Madame Decca which was produced |
in evidence. The letter was found tc be-
incomplete. II stated that Tie plaintiff
had realized that the concerts had been
failures and that she was done singing
for glory. that she wanted drcAtg there
after Another letter was produced signed !
"Bw ny" This vas business letter
written N the defendant while he was
still in New York. \ third letter was
offered. To the adI' issIOn OF these letters
In evidence the attorneys FOR the pain
tiff objected inasmuch as II was con
tended .at the postscript on enc Of them
was Incomplete. Attorney Eal asked
whether the letter had been written by |
Bunny and y no Bunny was TIE
defendant explained that Decca had writ
ten the letter and that pecca vas Bun
ny" The Bunny" part II the story
created a ripple OF laughter.
In the carly part Of January 1892 Chris
nan met Mad pne Dccca at the Aberdeen |
horse New York. lie was AZ thar place |
awaiting developments. Madame Decca
asked him 10 go along to Boston. he said
that he was financially embarrassed NShe |
gave him funds and then with her aunt
won't on for a rehearsal. At this point
the htaring was adjourned until ID o'clock
this morning
Mayor Trout Refused 10 Talk.
Mayor Trout, OF Roanoke is a guest