The Portland daily press., 1895-02-23
A FOOLISH WOMAN
Gives Up Husband, Child and
Home
For a-Lover Surprised by the Husband in
the Preble House-She Pleads for Her
Lovers Life.

| A domestic tragedy. involving we'll known
members of the theatrical profession. had its
elimination in a scene at tie Preble house
yesterday. where an outraged husband held
the life of the man who had stolen his wife
and the faithless wife in tears on her knees
begged for that lovers lifs from the man
she had wronged.
The story is a sad one. and is an example
OF the influence some men can obtain over
| women.
| One of the leading ladies of the Hands
Across the Sea company is Adelia Reeve
whose stage name is given as Dell Ellver-
son. A manager of the company is David
+. Dow. while the husband of the woman,
W. Seabrooke Reeves, the Boston theat,i-
cal manager, makes the third of the char
acters in the tragedy.
| Mr.. Reeves belongs in Boston, and he has
| an interest in the Hands Across the Sea
and in the Prince Pro Tenn companies, now
on the Maine circuit. Five years ago he
married Adelia E. Cove of Bridgewater,
Conn.,. by whom:he has one child.a little girl
three years old. His wife desired to 60 OIL
the stage. and recently started out with
| the Hands Across the Sea company. Ac-
| cording to Mr.. Reeves, from his wife's let
| ters he soon detect ed.a change in her feel
ings and when this week she refused to
come to Boston-to attend tho funeral Of his
mother, the doubt became certainty and
he determined to investigate for himself.
He came to Portland yesterday morning,
and going to the Preble hoUse found what
| room his wife had. No. 61,so he..seoured No.
10, which had Il connecting door, through
which good idea could be obtained of what
was progressing in the next room. He
took his station there and a waited develop-
| ments.
After the matinae, he says, his wife, ac-
companied by Dow came to her room. Some
conduct occurred there that would not be
expected from wife. ana Reeves, forcing
an entrance. attacked Dow. hurling him
to the floor. The younger man drew re
volvsr. but Reeves seizing it drew his own.
His wife on her knees begged him to kill
her rather than her lover. and instead of
shooting. the husband struck the lover,
cutting his mead badly and then threw him
from the room. He claims that be offered
to take his wife back. but she would n OF
| leave her lover, and agreed to give up the
child.
Mr.. Reeves had in his possession a state
ment purporting 10 be written by Mrs
Reeves. acknowledging her love for Dow,
and giving up her child. She plead for
mercy for Dow, and the grieying husband
| left her to Reap the harvest of her folly
He returns to Boston to-day, and will at
once apply for divorce on statutorygrounds,
| Mr. Reeves applied at the station during
| the evening to have Dow arrested and later
| Dow applied for an offer to protect him
| from Reeves. protesting to be afraid of his
| life. No warrant was issued last night.
however. An officer was sent to The Preble
| at midnight to keep the peace. Dow alleged
at The station that Reeves had not been
legally married, and that he was insanely
| Jealous of tho woman. The affair created
a good deal of commotion at the Pieble
house.