The herald., 1896-06-13
ACTOR sam BLACK IS GONE.
Leaving Behind Him Several
Contesting Wives
A REGULAR LADIES' MAN
The Peculiar Relations Sustained and
How He Worked II
Have Got Their Heads Together and
VIII flake It Hot for Hlw

| there are still others who have
succumbed to his fascinating face and
winning ways.
Sam B. Black Is an actor, at least he
| posed as such while in this city, although
| he was never known to work when he
could help himself. and he generally
| could. For more than a year Sam has
been fixture around the lobbies Of the
| theaters. always dressed In the height
| of fashion. with money in his trousers,
| but no visible means of support. Now
he has gone land the places that once
| knew him know him no more neither do
| the two Mrs. Blacks, whom he has left
| in the lurch.
Yesterday morning two irate women
| called on the chief of police to see about
securing assistance in apprehending the
| fugitive Sam whom each claimed as
her husband Each of the ladies is
| young, not over 30, and each has child.
The tale they unfold of Blacks infidelity
to each or fidelity to both was harrow
| ing one in its details.
The first speaker was Mrs. Black, who
| may be designated as No. l. She had met
him in Chicago about eight years ago.
when he was engaged in business. and
they were married. Shortly after they
went to Kansas City. where Black was
engaged with the agricultural imple-
ment firm of Whitman, Barnes & Co.
Later on they moved to San Francisco.
where Sam was the coast agent for the
firm. He finally lost his position and
went on the stage as means OF liveli-
hood. Mrs. Black No. has q fine boy
about 7 years old as the result Of their
union.
After he went on the stage Black left
the city with his troupe. and has since
not lived with her, although keeping
up a correspondence. She finally got
tired of this sort Of thing, and. knowing
he was in Los Angeles, came down here
just before Fiesta to see what was
wrong She found him living with an
other woman as his wife. but did not
make a scene. She simply tried to win
him back to her. 1t seems that she par
TALLY succeeded, as Black has been d.
viding his attentions between the two.
Mrs Black No. met her husband
something over year ago in San Luis
Obispo, where she, the widow of a doc
tor, having a fine home, had taken in
few dodgers. Black came there with his
company and was introduced, and 1t was
a case of love at first sight Inside OF
twenty-four hours after the meeting he
had proposed. and within a week was
accepted. They came to this city and
We're married by a minister named Nc
Fadden, who lives somewhere In the out
skirts. Since that time they have re-
sided here, and the wife has supplied him
with money. From time to time she
has mortgaged her property or sold 1t.
until now little or nothing is left, the
proceeds having been squandered by
her husband. Her diamonds are nearly
all in pawn, and she Is nearly penni-
less. To cap the climax, she expects in
about three weeks to become mother,
which adds to the gravity Of the hus-
bands offense in leaving her. BY her
former husband she had little girl,
Ethel now about years old
The last wife had a. particular lady
friend named Mrs Fretnd. to whim she
was much attached, and who has lately
been living in the same house. Mrs.
Freund always took a great interest in
Sam. and gave his wife good advice as
to how we'll she ought to treat so good
a husband Now 1t all comes back to
Mrs Black, as her friend has also left
town without leaving her address.
To his wife No. e. Black explained his
relations with No. 1 by saying she was
a former mistress of his. but for whom
he did not care q snap. To. NO. he
told how much he disliked No. and how
he would like to be rid Of her so they
might enjoy life. Thus the matter went
to the end. The women had never met
and did not know the peculiar relations
each sustained to the other.
Black finally told No. that he must
get rid of the former mistress, who was
that they go east. This was agreeable,
and Thursday afternoon he was given
S120 to go and buy the tickets. Every
thing was packed and the rtunks taken
to the Santa Fe station. Sam did not
come back up to pm. and his wife went
out to look for him. While she was
away he came in, took his bag and all
belongings and levanted. When this
was discovered Mrs. Black told her
friend, Mrs. Freund, who could not be-
lieve 1t. They went out on the street on
a search for the missing man.
Accidentally they met No. l, who had
been pointed out to Mrs. F'reund by Black
himself Mutual explanations followed,
and the cat was out of the bag. He de-
parted on the 10 pm. Southern Pacific
train for San Francisco and the east.
But the whole has not been told. Yester-
day morning Mrs. Freund also disap-
peared on the first train. and is non est.
Whether or not she has gone back to
san Diego. which was formerly her
home, or back east is not known.
This in substance is the story told by
the irate widows and they wanted
Blacks scalp. No. said he had taken
with him, besides her S120, diamond
ring, and she wanted it. Mrs. Freund,
the friend, had also borrowed SO day
previously, which she now regretted
loaning She received in yesterdays
"
he had been compelled to get out sud-
denly in order to get rid of the other
woman" and that all would be well in
the end. AS soon as he had shaken the
"other one" he would send for her. This
did not calm her ruifled feelings and she
Swore to complaint alleging felony
embeZzlement, upon which kilograms
were sent out in different directions to
arrest the festive Black and return him
forthwith.
Both ladies were seen last night and
expressed themselves freely. No. l re-
sides at the Savoy, corner of Fourth and
Hill, and said she did not care to see
Black arrested or harmed. If she found
he had done certain thing to her she
would fix him, how she did not state.
No. 2 lives at the Baxter on South
Spring street, and said she did not care
for the man, but wanted her valua ables.
She was sure Black was to meet the
woman on the way east and personally
he could go-she would not try to re-
strain him, but she had been bled of
something like $1,000 in the last year, and
it now should stop If she could only
hate him she could do something des-
perate, but she did not.
Thus the matter stands, and until news
of Blacks arrest is received, will stand.
What developments will turn up then
Will undoubtedly be worth recording
and will probably make mighty inter-
estin' readin.'"
A telegram was last night received at
police headquarters saying that Black