The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-19

recovering short time ago. He has
been more or less prominent for years
but within the last six months has been
before the public in a series OF business
and domestic troubles. which left him
in a weakened state OF health. ana.
while his death has not been expected
IL was generally known that he was In
a serious condition.
The big failure of the firm of Abbey,
Schoeffel & Grau, caused by the ex-
pensiye tours of Lillian Russell. which
cost the firm nearly s150,00o. and other
dramatic enterprises which consumed
the immense profits of the grand ltai-
ian opera seasons I'm this country, Is
well remembered. The reorganization.
made with the stipulation that the nrm
to undertake grand opera ventures ex-
clusiyely. was the cause Of general re-
joicing throughout the country. but IL
only preceded by few weeks the break
nm of the Abbey home Florence Gerard
Abbey. formerly u well-known. actress,
suing her husband for separate main
tenance upon the grounds of excessive
cruelty fst
W" His domestic Troubles
Abbey's domestic troubles mad not
been known. For long time Mr. and
Mrs Abbey were deeply attached to
each other. She usually accompanied
him while he was with his grand opera
organization. and during the seasons
AT the Auditorium. Up to two years
ago they were always together in one
| of the boxes. The legal proceedings
| consequently were a great surprise.
| reconciliation was predicted, but latel
| when Mrs. Abbey changed her plea ano
| asked for an absolute divorce and tht
| privilege of adopting her maiden name
/ this was conceded to he out or th'
| question. Abbey made answer TO tn
| hill. and accused his wife of intolerabi'
jealousy. and cited many instances q
show he was deserving of the decree
| His child by his first wife, a daughte
aged IA, was brought into the case as
witness for the father after she ha'
made affidavit I'm her stepmothers Ia
| vor. Mrs Abbey is now in Londo
seeking a play in which to star. He
tour will probably begin In fe'
weeks She will be known as Florenc
| Gerard. Henry Z. Abbey was west
ern man. He started In the theatrics
business as a member.ofe an orchestr
In a country town. He soon becam
leader and then manager of a theate
The time was most propitious. none
was easy and the theatrical field was
gold mine for brainy men.
III Remarkably Energetic
, Abbey became a road manager. mad
money and went to New York. He wa
D remarkably energetic and had marke
executive ability. New York gave hi
a test and adopted him. His rise fro'
: this point was rapid. He was lessee {
! Abbey's theatre. one of the handsome
: houses in New York-now the knici
! erbocker under Al Haman's manag
ment. He was associated with Schoe
fei & Grau OF Boston and New for
and toured Henry Irving. Bernhard
. Coauelin and Hading. Beerbohm TT
= and other foreign artists. as well
. Lillian Russell and other American 4
= vorites. He made hundreds OF tho
= sands OF dollars, but about four or n
!, wears ago began to lose his hnanci
= grip. and. beginning with Lillian Ru
"a sell. lost money heavily In everythh
10 but his grand opera ventures. he o
came misanthropical under misfortu
and was so moody and irritable that
was a hard man to please. The lyl
r and dramatic stage owes much. no.
le ever. TO the memory OF the celebrat
= | a.