The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-28
THOUGHT he WAS DEAD,
A poeahontas Coal Company Man
Now in Trouble.

cepIiouS W every rutu, even II poets.
Though she has been abused. deceived
deserted, Marie still loves her hn sband
Henry Il. Mather, of Cincinnati. o.
Though she declares he Is aylllian and
ready to become bigamist, though she
has brought suit for alimony past and
future, none the less she loves him with
love, her friends say, that "passeth all
understanding"
Mrs. Mather, however, < explains the
condition of her heart easily ana satisfac-
torily. Henry Mather Is the most fas.
cinating man that ever lived" she says
simply. 81 will never give him a
divorce because could not bear to know
that he belonged to another. love him
in spite of everything"
Everything in Mis-. Mathar's case
constitutes singular and Interesting
story. Her trouble began with her
h >neymoon in 1885.
Zone moment" said Mrs. Mather YES
terday, in reviewing the case, "Henry
told me that he loved me to distraction;
the next he vowed that he longed to be
rid Of me.''
At the time of his marriage to Marie
Won Ziber Packer, Henry Mather was sec
rotary of the Norfolk and Western rail
road. He was clubman, wealthy, and,
like the Packers, member of the Phila-
delphia -Four Hundred
Mrs. Mather's father was Joseph Lyons
Packer, and she is a niece of Asa Packer,
of the Lehigh Valley railroad, founder of
the Lehigh University. Her mother was
the Baroness Marie Elizabeth Catherine
Won Zieber, whose estates are mt Won
Ziebergerg, Germany. To day if she
wishes, Marie Mather, discarded vs. life and
public singer, may claim the proud title
of Baroness Won Zieber. On her mothers
death last year the light of nobility be-
came hers.
Discarded by her husband because he
was tired of her, cast out by her mother
because she refused to divorce the man
whose name she bore, Marie Mather went
on the stage. She appeared for brief
season with Fanny Rice, where many
theatre gOers will remember her excellent
impersonation of the jealous wife In
Little Miss Brooklyn.''
III could play it to the life," said Marie
Mather. with tears III her eyes, "for God
knows had learned the role from litter
experience"
Finally, iu 1890, finding herself de.
serted, Marie Mather obtained in the
supreme court of Pennsylvania limited
separation with --alimony. Mather was
charged in his wife's complaint with
such brutal offences that he did not dare
Mrs. Mather then sang in many con-
certs all over the country, and appeared
quite recently with Sousa's band. For
some months she nourished the belief
that her husband would return. Sud.
"enly her hopes were ,scrushed by AM
rouncement of his death in some Chi
cago papers, that were sent to her. For
i've years she mourned him and believed
herself his widow.
Suddenly, from somewhere, Mrs.
Mather received hint that her husband
was alive, prosperous, happy aud in Ohio.
Detectives were at once set on his trail,
of the Pocahontas Coal Company Mt Gin
cinnati When he discovered that his
wife knew his whereabouts he sent for
her, alleging THAI he desired reconcilia-
ton.
She arrived.in Cincinnati smiling and
haI py. In her first interiew with her
husband she became one of the most mis-
cradle of women
''At first he told me that he loved me-"
said she. He repeated this over and
over: You are the only woman love-
The next instant he told me that he
loved Miss Krauss, Il we'll known Cincin-
natl heiress. Then he proposed to me to
keep the fact that am his wife secret,
TO consent to be supported by him and to
live with him and thus to permit him to
marry the heiress He is a fearful man.
said Mrs. Mather, shuddering. she used
to drive me through long, dark, narrow
roads and talk to me of murder till my
blood ran cold, but still love him with
all my heart"
Mrs. Mather drew forth at this moment
n letter which she had written to her
husband just before deciding to make
her story public. This is the letter of
the woman scorned:
1857 West 39th ST., New York.
"My Dear Harry
"Only n line to tell you that would
give my life to he as near to you to-day
as was year ago Oh! how think of
you Write me:a line-iust little one.
do write to me. / love you so we'll
that pride is trampled beneath my feet.
You have and always will be niy only
love. Goodbye, my husband, and may
God soften your heart toward your unfor-
tunate MAMIE"
While her lawyers, Kramer &; Kramer,
of Cincinnati, are bringing suit to re-
cover about $4,000 due from Henry r.
Mather, his discarded wife talks lovingly
of his fascination, his superior brain and
unequalled manner.
His family is as good as mine" she
said eNultiugly. "He is .lineal descen-
dant of Cotton Mather and other Revolu-
tionary notmbes That is where he gets
his exc uisite manners!''
Cincinnati, July 24.-The stir that
Mrs. Henry r. Mather has caused in New
York by charges against her husband are
taken with II grain of salt by the friends
Of Mr. Mather in this city. Mr. Matner
Is we'll thought of as IL business man.
ne says that he has not lived with his
wife for twelve years, and thinks it is
simply an advertising dodge on her part.