The Portland daily press., 1897-11-17
CLAIMS A $4,000 ESTATE.
A Former Manager Says He Is the
Long Lost Husband.

- -
Old Theatre Goers VIII Remember Sappho
She Was a Great Favorite Here in
IS76-It is Her Father Who is the
Claimant-Truth Stranger Than Fic-
ton.
The theatre-goers of Portland of quar-
ter of a century ago, who were steady
patrons of the old Portland Museum,
which opened under the management of
Shaw & Ellis, will we'll remember Mr..
Ellis and his attractive daughter, Flor
ence, more generally known as Sappho.
For several years Mr.. Ellis remained in
Portland and its vicinity and he and his
daughter made many friends. In the Bos-
ton Post lately appeared this story, tele-
graphed from New York, which will in
terest a large number of readers of the
PRESS. The story is quite as romantic
as anys tale of fiction:
H. Wayne Ellis, the playwright, ap-
peared in the Surrogate's court, Brook
Ign, as claimant to the $40, 600 estate of
Rachel Ellis, who died. August "a. He
asserts he. is the. long lost husband of the
dead woman. Terrence p. Mahon of
Philadelphia, another claimant. says he
and he alone, is the rightful. husband.
Ellis was an actor in the English prov
inces. The wife, too, acted. They had
two daughter, put on the stage as soon as
they were able to toddle.
Early in the sixties the family crossed
the Atlantic. Ellis and the youngest
former home. Mrs. Ellis heard nothing
OF her husband, and finally received what
purported to be certificate of the burial
of Henry Wayne Ellis.
Considering herself widow she went
to Boston and began business as dress
maker In 1874 she returned to this city,
continuing her business.
Her daughter, while playing in Central
Park, was killed by stray bullet. Mrs.
Ellis appeared inconsolable-then a new
love came into her life and she became
the wife of Terrence P. Mahon, wealthy
Philadelphia contractor
They lived happily until three years
ago. Then a stranger came into the
household. Mrs. Mahon introduced him
as Mr.. Williams, Fan old friend. Mahon
instituted divorce proceedings, naming
Mr.. Williams correspondent. Mrs. Mnhon
brought counter suit on the ground of
cruel treatment. Her interests were
looked after by Mr.. Williams III
Ellis had not died in England,ehut had
returned to this country with his daugh-
| ter.
Lecoq' "The Little Duke was about
to be produced at Booth g Theatre in 1879.
Florence Ellis in the title role made a
hit. All the men about town ran after
her. She turned deaf ear to them all.
But one day Gotham was astounded to
hear of the elopement of Florence Ellis
with George M. Brockway.
Florence thus retired from the stage at
the zenith of her career. With her hus-
band she lived quietly, becoming the
mother of three boys. Brockway died
in Denver.
In the meantime n. Wayne Ellis had
taken unto him another wife and was
living with her in Halsey street. Brooklyn.
When Mrs. Mahon brought the counter
suit against her husband, she moved
from her pleasant home in this city to q
tenement in Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn,
and there lived alone and in comparative
squalor. Death came to her when she
was alone. A bank book with $1,000 de-
posit was discovered, and the public ad-
ministrator took charge of the estate. He
soon discovered she had house in this
city and personal property besides, the
whole valued at about $4,000.
When this news was published Ellis
vowed by ali things that he was alive and
that he was the Ellis who had disap-
peared so many years before. When
Mahon laid eyes upon his. rival he was
thunderstruek for Ellis and Williams
were one and the same, and he (Mahon)
had named his wifes first husband as
correspondent in his divocre suit.