The San Francisco call., 1897-01-25
SPENT A FORTUNE
IN OCEAN TRAVEL
Death of an Old Lady Who
Was infatuated With
Salt Water.
Had Crossed the Atlantic Two
Hundred and Fifty Times
in Thirty Years.
Never Missed a Trip on the Lucania
and Was Known by the AstOrs
and Vanderbilts.

CHICAGO, ILL, Jan. 4.-EHiah Car
son, a most remarkable woman, died Fri
day night at Alamosa, iowa.
Mrs. Carson had crossed the ocean $50
times and possessed the extraordinary
record of never having missed trip on
the Lucania since that splendid vessel was
launched.
For thirty years she has been travelling
across the Atlantic until her face has be-
come a familiar one, not only to the Of
6cers of the vessels of the Cunard line, but
to the custom-house officials on both sides
of the Atlantic. She is said to have been
received on intimate terms by the Astors
and Vanderbilts and other prominent
families of the country who had long been
accustomed to meeting her on her trips
across the sea, and Patti, the prima
donna, had the strongest liking for Mrs.
Carson.
Mrs. Carson was the wife of Samuel
Carson of Belfast. Her name was Newell
before her marriage, and her brother,
William B. Newell was a millionaire OF
Nashville, Tenn. Shortly after the death
of her husband, in 1854 Mrs. Carson, ac-
companied by her daughter Elizabeth,
came to America to visit her brother.
This was Mrs. Carson's first ocean trip
and was the beginning of her infatuation
for the sea- Mr.. Newell prevailed upon
her to remain in America and on his
death bequeathed to her half a million
dollars in cash and property. This formed
an ample fund to permit the indulgence
of her eccentric desire to be continually
on the water.
T@ IN p66 hot Mra CaTaOp
was first at liberty to follow her penchant.
She left her young daughter in the hands
of friends and took her second trip to
Belfast. She returned in few weeks,
saw her child was in safe hands, and from
that time until the day she was seized
with her last illness month seldom
passed but she took a voyage across the
Atlantic.
In the year 1883 her daughter was mar
ried to Julius Rohrbach, a travelling Ihan
of Chicago. Mrs. Carson then felt that
she had no more family ties which would
restrain her from keeping contin ualIy on
the sea, and since 1886 her entire time has
been spent in her voyages.
Mrs. Carson had the strongest affection
for Captain Mckay and all the officers of
the Lucania and remem bered them in her
will. It is said Captain Mckay wes be-
queathed S50,OOO and the subalterns sums
proportionate to the esteem in which she
held them. The exact terms of the will,
however, cannot be learned, as the docu-
ment was filed at Belfast.
Mrs. Carson was well known in Chicago.
About two years ago her son-in-law, Ju-
Illus Rohrbach by the advice of his wife,
made an effort to restrain Mrs. Carson
from taking any more trips across tie
ocean. While she was stopping at the ho-
tel here on visit to her daughter, Mr..
Rohrbach went before local court and
asked for the appointment of guardian,
making the statement that Mrs. Carson
had already spent $3.50, 900 in her sea voy-
ages, and that unless stop was put on it
her entire fortune would be spent.
Mrs. Carson violently fought this legal
move. In her vigorous manner she an
nounced that she would submit to no re-
straint, and that if her son-in-law dared to
interfere with her liberty she would cut
him off without cent. This so alarmed
Mr.. Rohrbach and his wife that the pro-
ceedings were dropped, and Mrs. Carson
was permitted to resume her journey
ings.
The incident, however, had made an
impression on her mind, for on her next
visit TO Belfast she made and had placed
on record a will, in which she gave but
$1,000 to her daughter, $25, 900 each to her
bankers at Belfast and her agent in New
York City, and the remainder of her for
tune to the officers and crew of the Luz
cania.
Mrs Carson made her last voyage across
the Atlantic five weeks ago. On the trip
out from Liverpool she was seized with an
attack of pneumonia, and when the
steamer reached New York she was fail
ing rapidly. She was taken to hotel,
where she remained two days, when her
daughter, Mrs. Rohrbach of Alamosa,
Iowa, arrived and took her West.
Mr.. and Mrs. Rohrbach arrived this
evening from Iowa with Mrs. Carson's
body. They were on their way to Nash
vile, Tenn, where the intermen ent will take
place. Mrs. Carson was "a years old.