Evening star., 1897-03-29
LED A DOUBLE LIFE.
An Actress Brings Suit in New York
Against Frank W. Brown.

An Actress Brings Suit In New York
Against Frank w. Brown.
The New York Herald Of yesterday con-
tanned the following:
Two suits have been brought in the SUI
preme court against Frank W. Brown by
pretty young actress, who says she is his
wife, She Is known on the stage as Madge
Dean. During the long run of Hoyts "A
Trip to Chinatown" she played the part of
Willie Grow, sentimental youth. The OBJ
ject Of the first of her legal actions Is to
have her marriage to Mr.. Brown annulled
on the ground that at the time 1t was con-
tracted he had arother wife living. The
other suit is to recover $25,OOO damages Tor
his deceit in marrying her.
Mr.. Browns residence is in Washington,
D. c.. but he is said to be at the present
time in China, in the interest of synd1-
cate. He is broker and promoter, and Is
credited with being wealthy.
Miss Dean alleges in her complaints
that she was married to Mr.. Brown on Au-
gust IL, 1894. in Wilmington, Del. She says
he had fraudulently represented himself as
single, but she has since learned that he
had a wife, Mrs. Susan Daw son Brown, and
that he is the father of a girl of twenty,
who is living with her mother In the ma
tioral capital. The suit for annulment has
been placed on the calendar for trial on
April o. Howe & Hummel are Miss Dean s
attorneys.
Miss Dean declaressthat Mr.. Brown was
very good to her until she made the dis
covery that he was leading a double me-
She says she received from him diamonds
worth at least 10000 at the time of their
marriage, and during the two years they
were together he contributed about $1O,00o
to her support
Maurice Meyer, Mr.. Browns lawyer, has
served answers in the sIits containing a
very novel defense. Mr.. Brown asserts that
he was incompetent to enter into laW1ul
marriage because of a defect of intellectual
power and a want of legal competency on
account of intoxication.' At the time OF
the marriage, he says, he was suffering
from indistinctl ess of ideas and confusion
of thought He also alleges that MISS
Dean knew that he was already married,
as she was well acquainted with his law
full wife He makes general denial that
she has sustained any damages to her
peace Of mind through any fault of his
Frank Wilson Brown is well known in
this city. He was born here about thirty
wears ago. The statement that his daGgh-
ter is about twenty years Of age is, there
fore, an error, as is also the statement
that he is possessed Of such a large 1or-
tune. For a rumber of years Brown was
in the brokerage business on F street, ana
was al one time associated with Mr.. W. B.
Hibbs. He was young man of a good
deal cf ability, but his business methods
were not such as to recommend MIN 10
the conservative element of the business
world. He left Washington about a year
ago under a cloud, and it was then under
stood that he was in London representing
a business syndicate of some sort. 1t was
commonly rumored then that he was ac-
companied by n yorng woman who nad
made something of a success as an actress
He was married some years ago to an esti-
ms BILE young woman of this city, and for
time they lived most happily together.
They have one child.