The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-06
Actress Ada RiChmOnd'S
Story DiSCredited.
Was Not Married to John
StetsOn in This City.
Latest Sensation Developed by the
Death of Mrs. StetsOn.

IL the late John Stetson were alive he
would probably he tickled to death over
the amount of free advertising the papers
are giving him today because of the claim
promulgated By Adah Richmond. New
York actress, that she was his second
wife, and consequently his estate cannot
be divided among the heirs of skate
Stokes" the Late theatrical managers
wife, who will be buried in New York
this afternoon.
Mr.. Stetson left an estate variously esti-
mated at from 300, 900 to e, 900. 600 to his
wife, Katherine :. Stetson,. without re-
serve. few days after his death Mrs.
Stetson died intestate and now comes
Miss Richmond with her claim.
AS she tells IL she was married in Provi
dence In 1871 by minister named, she
thinks, Ransom. She says she was but
IA years old at the time, and that Mr..
Stetson, who was then partner of Isaac
Rich and part manager of the Howard
Athenaeum, where Miss Richmond was
playing, was 40 years old. After the
marriage she claims. Mr.. Stetson and her
self returned to Boston and entertained
friends, including Gus Williams and Har-
rigan and Hart.
She further claims that they lived to-
gether in Boston as man and wife and
two children were born to them, but they
died shortly afterward. AT the time of the
"marriage" she says Mr.. Stetson gave her
$40, 900 and some property in Moburn,
which she later sold. Attached to the
deed for the property Mr.. .Stetson's name
appears as her husband, she claims. and
the. deed is properly recorded IN Woburn.
She also states that they lived together
four unhappy years, and he was so in
sanely jealous that she was forced TO leave
him. She winds up by stating that she
does not want his property for herself,
but for Mr.. Stetsons'. father, whom, she
says was never rightly treated by his son.
she has the marriage certificate, she
states, to prove her assertion and she
also says Mr.. stetson, senior, knew all
about the marriage. This last statement,
according 10 the Boston Journal, was
refuted by Mr.. Stetsol, senior. The .re-
cords at the city registrars Office in the
Providence city hall have been carefully
searched for the past 30 years, but no
record is to be found of such marriage,
nor is such a minister known. The
Providence directories also fail TO disclose
a clergyman by the name of "Ransom."
The records were carefully kept during
the time indicated, and the city registrar
Ia OF the opinion that such a marriage
might have taken place in Pawtucket, or
Johnston and Miss Richmond not know
the difference. Lawyer Abe bummell,
John Stetson, Sr., Colonel Austin OF the
Palace TheGtcr, Boston, Manager Rich
and number Of other people have been
seen, but they do not know anything
about the reported marriage. They do
know that Mr.. Stetson's will was an iron
clad one, drawn up by Lawyer Charles
T.. Pattee OF Boston, who IL sick with
pneumonia, but so far as known IL has
not been probated. There seems to be
some difference OF knowledge. also, az TO
the name OF MIR. Stetson's first wife. Some
say IL was Lane, Others Fuisom and his
father says II was Melvina Woodsom.
TAKEN TO NEW YORK FOR BURIAL.
BosToN, May q. = The body OF Mrs. Kate
Stokes Stetson was taken TO New York
for interment on the train which left here
at O'Clock this Morning. No services
were held here.
The funeral will occur from the Little
Church Around the Corner in New YORK,
this afternoon, and the body will after.
wards be placed In receiving tomb at
Woodlswn.