The evening world., 1894-03-06
NOW BELASCO SUES BYRNE.
He Says the Playwright Alienated
His Wiie'S Aztec.
tionS, Too.
JOINS mrs. BYRNE AND LEDERER.
The Lady Has a Long List Of Available Co
respondents to Provo Her Hus-
bands Fiokleness.

Two more chapters were added yesterday tC
the story Of marital duplicity with which the
Rialto has been shaken out of its accustomed
torpor, and up to the prescntd date at least three
divorce suits and q suit for damages are the
outcome OF the guilty flight of Mrs. George
Lederer, the wife of the we'll known theatrical
manager, and her written confession of init
macy with Charles Alfred Byrne, her hus-
band most intimate friend.
As told in The World on Sunday Mrs. Byrne
has sought legal counsel with the avowed pur-
pose Of freeing herself from her unfaithful
husband. That Iederer will sue his wife is
also beyond 0 doubt.
Yesterday Mrs. Byrne, Lederer and Fred
B~elasco, the brother Of the we'll known play
wright. visited the Office Of Abe Hummel. Mrs.
Byrne, in her suit for divorce, will name
among other Co respondents. Mrs. Lederer and
Grace Wallace. 4 member Of the "Princcss
Nicotine chorus, who Is Fred Belasco' s
wife. She has In her possession a large
quantity of discriminating correspondence
which. when made public, will create an
even greater sensation on the Rialto. How
many more legal complications are going to
arise out Of her case no one can ever guess, but
1t is said that the number of available CO.
respondents-all of whom are married womcn-
will greatly exceed the original number OF
four. At any rate. the nature of a part of Mrs.
Byrne's evidence Is such that Belasco
yesterday, through Lawyer Hummel, began
a suit against Byrne for $50, o damage fol-
alternating his wire's affections. Another suit
against Mrs. Belasco on the SAM evidence will
, be o matter of the near future.
Mrs, BelaSCO, who Is now in Philadplphia
with the Lillian Russell Opera Company. was
formerly Mrs. S. p. Rounds, of Omaha, Ncb.
years ago and Fred Belasco married her last
year. The marriage has been the cause OF
much trouble in the Belasco family. and it was
only in December last that Fred and Dave the
Casino over her.
A story that was told on the Rialto yesterday
caused q good zeal of laughter. According to
Just before the production of Princess Nico-
tine at the Casino, when he found her on Il
north: bound, Broadway car when she should
have been rehearsing. He followed her to the
stable OF Tom Canary, Lcderer's partner, and
when he demanded an explanation she con-
fessed that she was going TO take n drive with
Byrne, who was to meet her there. LedereI
was there at the time.
Belasco got so excited that he slapped his
wtfe's face, and when Ryrne came in at that
moment Belasco would have thraShed the
librettist, but for the interference of Lcderer.
lthetti, III liz nun CpIlt NtlO VI bNTllt I
honesty, reasoned with Belasco to such good
purpose that the latter not only npologiZed To
Byrne. but told him that he could take his wife
out riding as often rs he pleased. Byrnc made
good use OF the privilege.
Byrne returned to the city yesterd,y from
New Haven where he had gone saturday and
where he met Mr., Lederer. He did not seen
at all embarrassed by the unpleasant notoriet,
which he had received Of late ana still insist
that Mrs. Ledcrer' 5 confession to the ~contrar,
notwithstanding, he Is an innocent man.
= 1t Is not unlikely that the Masonic fraternity,