The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-31
PERUCINI BEAT HER.
Lillian Russell Writes Of Her MatTi-
mOlial Ventures.

ried Life Was a Failure From the
Sta rt-Married Eighty-twO Days
! Some Scenes Behind the Scenes.
Lillian Russell, the prima donna, who
was married last January to John Chat
terton, vino sang in her company under
/ the name of Signor Perugini has written
I to the public an explanation of why she
and her husband are at outs. II is an in
/ teresting addition to the written history
| of popular actress life, and is as fol-
/ lows:
+ To the Public:-I blame no one but myself.
{ have been 50 pressed by my friends for an
explanation OF my present position that IN
Justice to myself feel it to be my dbty to let
the public know some Of the reasons which
have led me to separate from Slgnor Peru
gini.
There seems to be an impression that mere
Whim or caprice has been the cause OF my
taking this step, Let me briefly review my
career before correcting this impression.
I. / have been before the New York public for
fourteen years. always striving 10 please and
to entertain them. / have been ambitious
aud successful IN my art, but, like all other
women, nave mad dreams OF happy nome
and the unseIGSh congratulations and encour-
agement of a true husband.
REVIEWS HER MARRIAGES.
Though my lyric successes have been many,
my marriages have been signal failures.
married my first husband when 1 was 10
years old He was my senior by many years.
was ambitious and grew beyond him rap
| idly The incongruity OF this union can best
| be illustrated by the difference in our present
professional positions.
My second marriage at the outset promised
well. We had everything in common. One
object in life was that he should write operas
and l should sing them We spent three
| years of decided happiness together and
happy future, as we thought, awaited US.
The end came abruptly. He went to Eng
/ land on professional engagement, and he
was arrested IN London for bgamy. When /
/ heard OF this and realized that our marriage
was illegal, !. as in duty bound. separated
] from him and secured divorce.
| lived eight years single, working in nv
/ profession. consequently giving my best eff
/ forts to the public. During my engagement
/ this season at the casino met Signor Peru
/ gini. whom l thought was an ideal man. His
whole nature and taste seemed to be so arts
! tic and refined. He appeared to have so
/ much spirituality, and by his grace OF man
/ ner. his entreates and the influence OF his
/ friends consented to marry him. My con
/ sent, however. was reluctantly given ana the
night before the ceremony was performed l
! sat and thought gravely over the subject,
| fearing that was about to make a mistake.
WAS GROSSLY DECEIVED.
As the sequel showed, 1 was grossly de-
/ ceived.
No later than at breakfast on the morning
/ after our marriage my husband began to
/ show disposition to rule me, and to dictate
/ who should be my friends who should enter
J my AAOlilVs NAAClO L oLAOulN ~ anu WHAT L
lie threatened at the very outset to dis
| charge my servants, especially my faithful
| maid. who had been with me for more than
! seven years. ! would have met him more
than half way in all these matters had he
proven himself husband worthy Of the
| name.
| think when o woman. either a prima
| donna or otherwise, marries a man whom she
| can respect as man. who Is the breadwinner
and her superior in intelligence, she should
oh ri md luv va aim
| never questioning his methods of business.
But / also think that when the woman is the
! breadwinner. the superior in both intelligence
and disposition, she should also be at least
/ respected, not nagged at and worried as ia
| reasons for all she does A happy home and
a devoted husband are more than all the sue
| cesSes that the world can know.
Again l say that l blame no one but my
self. l should have known more OF the man
| / accepted as an ideal
| Quarrel after quarrel occurred between US
| and it was during one of these trying scenes
| that Signor Peru@int admitted TO me that he
had never loved me, but that he had married
me for artistic position purely.
| This proved to be true. as 1 have ascer
| tanned from few OF his most intimate friends
to whom he boosted when our engagement
was made public that l joined the company
| to marry her. l played strong cara. and
have won. We will be married, and l am sure
OF position for life.
This was the boast made by Signor Peru
glnl In the presence OF several well known
gentlemen, both at the Metropolitan opera
house and the Players Club
HE INsULTED HER FRIENDS.
But to go back. Notwithstanding these
quarrels I determined to live with him
sister and maintain at least the appearance
Of happiness before the world
But when SignOr Perugini insulted my
friends and used personal violence on me al
the Hotel Stenton, in Philadelphia, felt thai
the end had come. L could not stand it any
longer
My home is my only resting place. 1 coult
not allow him 10 live with me.
l could not sing and be tormented. 1 have
to tell these painful facts TO assure the worlC
that it was my desire TO he a devoted wife t
a man who showed that he had no RICH t
marry any woman. LILLIAN RUSSELL.
SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
Continuing the story, the New Yorl
Herald says; 1t viii be observed that
Miss Russell fights shy of details in the
above public letter, and barring the direct
charges of insincerity and cruelty, does
not give very lucid explanation of Peru
ginis offences
Eyes, l purposely avoided details as
much as possible" she assured me yester
day. Il do not wish to injure this un
fortunate man. But" and her eyes
sparkled dangerously, "if he should dare
to attack mel the public prints, SHOULD
presume to answer what charitably as
sign as the only reason for our separation
l will come forward with details that will
dSlOulSu pGOpAc.
But don't misunderstood me-" con
tinued the excited prima donna. Il have
no wish to conceal many of the details o.
our trouble which purposely pass over II
my letter. Until he attacks me shall lie
my explanation remain as il stands. BuI
1 am not the only one who knows the ter
ribly unpleasant facts. Go to Digby Bell
Marie Dressler, Max Freeman and all the
leading members of my company.
THEY generously consented at nv re
quest to say nothing of my troubles, bu
now gladly absolve them from secrecy
The public should know in some measur,
how have suffered, but not from me unit
he speaks"
Miss Russell evidently knew what sh,
was talking about when she authorized
me to notify the leading members of he
company that her desire for secrecy wa
al an end.
Teddy Piper, the prima donna's per
sonal representative, simply bubbled owe
with information bottled up for week
under the imperative orders of the song
stress. Max Freeman, stage manager o
the company, was a perfect mine OF in
formation waiting to be worked
Marie Dressler, the leading comedienn
of the company, whose recent marriage t,
Treasurer Hopper, of the Casino. make
her exceedingly sensitive on the right
and privileges of bridehood. was literal,
emf i,er 10, bo. TOD