The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-23
SEVEN TIMES A WIFE.
Strange Matrimonial Adventures OF
e Stnl Young Woman.


StLn Young NomaC.
From the NelS York Press.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 19-Mrs. Matilda
Huntingdon, a buxom, comely English
woman IS years of age, married for the
seventh time, though the groom, MIR.
Bloomingdsls, is only her sixth husband.
Mrs. Hunting don, began her extraordinary
matrimonial career at the age Of IA, when
abe became the wife of James Hardest, a
merchant OF Belfast, who died of heart
disease within an hour or two after the we'd
! ding, and who WAS incurred by his bride
! only seven months, when she was led to
the altar by Hardfastis half brother, one
| Neil Burnis. In 1871 Burnie deserted her
and was killed shortly after in a gambling
hell in Melbourne.
Two years after Louis de Mornie, q
| French artist, met the widow on steam
packet plying between Dover and Havre,
! and in a month they were married but De
| Mornie's wife turned up. claimed her right
of priority, and, though the widow was
about to become a mother, the painter left
her for the legitimate Mrs. De Mornie, who
made that the price Of her silence.
AN ARTIST WITH A CONSCIENCE.
The deserted woman went to Salisbury
| England, to live with her mother, herself
the surviving wife OF four husbands In
1877 De Mornie sought her out again, mar
ried her, and by the aid Of law of France
legitimatized their child, who died a few
months thereafter. With De Mornie she
lived happily for nearly five years, when
her husband went blind and killed himself
| She sgain returned to England. On the
voyage over Robert Shafter, the captain Of
| the packet on which she had crossed four
| times, confessed TO having loved her from
his first glimpse of her, and that when she
returned the second time deserted and be-
trsyed, delicacy had prevented him from
love making. Now no obstacle interviewed
and the lady yielded. marrying him year
after De Mornies death.
SHIPwRECKED NEXT.
For three years she lived on the packet of
which her husband was part owner as well
as captain. But in October. 1884, the little
steamer was wrecked, her husband drowned
with all but three of his crew, who escaped
with Mrs. Shatter on a raft. On this raft
Mrs. Skaters little daughter Elizabeth was
born. Two hours after the raft was hailed
by the mate of the Storm Queen, an En-
glish sailing vessel, which had also been
blown out of her course. Fortunately the
captains wife ives on board, and was able
to extend the sympathy RnG assistance OF
| woman TO her.
Mrs. Shafter was set ashore at Dover,
from where she went to her mother. Her
husbands life insurance money amounted
|
the sailors who had saved her life in the
going down Of the packet, and, her mother
dying soon after, she came to America with
some friends, who settled near Daven-
port, la.
A CONVICT HUSBAND.
Here Spencer Boutwell,, young man Of
means apparently, fell desperately in love
with her. She declared that she had had
| enough Of neutrality-suspicious., he was 3
| fbu1 hn Nm, hia
to kill himself she agreed to marry him.
Within year the man began to complain
| Of the life insurance money of her father
being settled on the child and to insist on its
being turned over to him. His wife re-
fused. Boutwell, began to abuse the little
girl, and at last, going to the police of Deni-
| son-they had removed 20 Texas shortly
after their msrriage-she filed a complaint
against Boutwell,, who was arrested and
committed to jail. where he lay for month.
In the meantime another and more seri~
Gus charge was brought against him by
merchant Of Gainesville, and being tried
for the latter, he was sent 10 the peniten-
tiary. His wife awaited herself of the law
which freed her from a convicted husband
aud took the name Of Hungtingdon, which
had been Bothwell's real one.
SIX HUSBANDS DIDN'T PHASE HIM.
The divorced wife removed to this city,
where she has supported herself by giving
music lessons to children of the poorer
classes, living very quiet, secluded life.
A few months ago she met Mr.. Bloom
iDgd0le, retired English banker, who
resides in ST. Charles street during
his yearly stay 10 America, going TO
Europe every spring to pass the
summer in Switzerland and Italy. He met
Mrs. Huntingdon daily for month as she
passed down the street on the way to a pupil
living near him and became fascinated by
her fresh, charming countenance and
modest manners, and at last sought an in
PRODUCTION, which was followed shortly by
proposal of marriage.
Mrs. Huntingdon honestly recited to him
her eventful life. and though rather non
plussed by the knowledge that six other
husbands had wooed and won the lady, he
finally declared that it made 10 difference
to his love, and, overcoming the widows
objections, he persuaded her to marry him
at once. The happy pair left at once for
Europe
| -Copctapoa- Che "a varu n