The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-08

CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE life story of
Mrs. Lydia SpauldInE, the woman who
has brought suit against the Pullman
Palace Car Company and the Atchison,
Topeka G. Santa Fe railway for the re-
covery of 100000 damages, is a roman
tic one.
Struggling with poverty MS the wife
OF an aged, unsuccessful physician. the
mother OF q handsome boy, united by
social ties with men and women who
became kings and queens in the twin
worlds Of finance and fashion, the mis-
tress of the most palatial private hotel
and boarding house in San Francisco,
suddenly bereft OF husband and son,
the possessor OF hard earned fortune,
sustaining the loss OF health, weak in
mind and body, ladened with accumu-
latIng years, torn from her railway
apartment, rudely thrust into a dingy
cell, TO be surrounded with the most
loathgome vagrants In the town OF
Leadville, robbed, nS She says, OF S9'VVO
In Jewels and money, these are some OF
the successive phases, miseries, pleas.
uTeag HUutttNuISV llOiEACpo AS0hdANS "a
Mrs. SpauldIng's history.
The woman who seeks to force the big
corporation to pay her for the indlgni-
ties thus thrust upon her In the Colo
RADIO town, and for which she alleges
they were responsible, was born IN
Virginia. Az n girl she possessed con-
siderable beauty and became the vile
OF DIR. Spauldlng, who was many years
her senior. With him she went to vlr-
gInia City, Nevada, in the days before
the great outburst OF wealth which
made San Francisco one OF the most re-
markable cities in the world. In Ne
vada she became acquainted with the
Mackeys, Floods and Fairs, at n time
when the future mIIlIonaires were poor
and toillng citizens OF Virginia City.
The Floods. Mackeys and Fairs pros
pered and won millions while Mrs
Spaulding saw the prospects Of her hus-
band and herself grow gloomler. a
son was born to them and not long af-
terward they removed to San Fran
cisco.
ATransformatiop Scene.
In the city by the Golden Gate soon
were settled the bonanxa kings, and
while they lived in homes OF splendor
Mrs. spaulding was using her utmost
endeavors to help her husband in his
profession He failed and she, turning
to her former friends, found assistance.
They aided her In leasing the Ralston
mansion, whose owner had taken his
own life, surrounded as he was by every
luxury wealth could bring, In man
ner so romantic and yet so startling
that Il became a part OF the history Of
tho Pacific coast. This mansion. sump-
tuously furnished. Mrs. Spauldlng
opened as private boarding house.
Here lived Mr.. and Mrs. Fair, Mr.. and
Mrs. Flood, MFR. and Mrs. Mackey and
many others OF almost fabulous for
tunes.
The Ralston club, with its stately tur-
rets and broad windows looking out
upon the bay, was one OF the most
elaborate edifices in the city. With
polished floors, Strewn with costly rugs,
with rich mosnics, walls resplendent
with mirrors and hung with paintings
chosen by q eonnoisSeur, pariors dtvi-
quaint little hooks, the place was al
most like home in Fniryland.
Here Mrs, SpauldinE prOspered and
happiness seemed hers until her hus-
band, suddenly taken III, fell llfeless at
her feet. Adding to her sorrow, her
boy died in equally sudden manner.
Mrs Fair became more than ever her
friend and built for her beautiful
hotel OF 100 rooms, the Bellavista, and
in this establishment the unhappy
woman became rich. Then her health
deserted her, and. dlsposing OF her city
interests. she retired few years ago
to her country home. not leaving 1t
save to take an occasional trip to Eu-
rope. whittier she was on her way last
June. when. arriving Mt Leadville. Col,
she was taken from the apartment in
q Pullman palace car and placed in the
city prison, where, she claims. she was
detained forty-elBht hours without n
charge being made against her, When
released. having passed two days
among thieves, vagrlnts and the riff
ram OF q western mining town. she
found she had been robbed. She claims
her detention and attendant indlgnities
werc caused by employees OF the Pull
man company, whom she alleges took
her money and Jewels
The defendants deny that Mrs.
Spaulding's detention was caused by
them, and cluim thnt II was brought
about by the civil authorities OF Lead
Vile, who took steps to prevent the
woman, who is said to have been act
ing In violent manner. from inflct-
ing injury upon herself or possibly talk
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