The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-03
INFATUATED WITH THE SEA.
An Eccentric, Lady Who Lived on
the Ocean steamer Lucania.

Chicago, ILL.,, Jan. A.-Mrs. Elijah Car
son, a most remarkable woman, died Fri
day night at Anamosa, Ia.
Mrs. Carson had crossed the ocean two
hundred and fifty times and possessed the
extraordinary record of never having miss
ed trip on the Lucania since that SPLEEN
did vessel was launched.
For thirty years she has been travelling
across the Atlantic, until her face had be-
come a familiar one, not only to the Off
GERS of all 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 prom
inent families of the country, who had
long been accustomed to meeting her on
he~ trips across the ocean. Nine. Patti
the prima donna, had the strongest liking
for Mrs. Carson.
Mrs. Carson was the wife of Elijah Car
son of Belfast Her name was Newell be-
fore her marriage, and her brother, Will
lam B. Newell, was million
aire of Nashville, Tenn. Shorty after
the death of her husband, in 1864, Mrs.
Carson accompanied by her daughter,
Elizabeth, went 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
dollars in cash and property.
This formed an ample fund to permit
the indulgence of her eccentric desire to
be continually on the water. 1t was in
the year 1866 that Mrs. Carson 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 a few weeks, saw that her
child was in safe hands, and from that
time on until the day she was seized with
her last illness, a month seldom passed,
but that she took a voyage across the
Atlantic.
In the year 1888 her daughter was mar
red to julius Rohrbach, a travelling man
of Chicago. Mrs. Carson then felt that
she had no more family ties which would
restrain her from keeping continually on
the sea. Since 1885, her entire time has
been spent i'm her voyages.
Mrs. Carson had the strongest affec-
ton for Capt. Mckay and all the officers
of the Lucania, and remembered them in
her will. 1t is said Capt. Mckay was be-
queathed $50 600, 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 the
ocean. While she was stopping at the
hotel here on a visit to her daughter,
MIR. Rohrback went before a court and
asked for the appointment of a guardian,
making the statements that Mrs Carson
had already spent s25OOO0 In her sea voy-
ages and that unless a stop was put 10
IL 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 IL her son-in-law dared
to Interfere with her liberty she would cut
him off without a cent.
This so alarmed Mr.. Rohrbach and his
wife that the proceedings were dropped
and Mrs. Carson was permitted to resume
her iourneying. 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 81 900 to her daughter, $4,000 each
TO her banker at Belfast and her agent In
New York city, and the remainder OF her
fortune TO the officers and crew OF the Lu-
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 fall
ing rapidly. She was taken TO hotel,
where she remained two days. when her
daughter, Mrs. Rohrbach OF Anamosa, Ia.
arrived and took her west.
Mr. and Mrs. Rohrbach arrived this even
ing from Iowa with Mrs Carson's body.
They were on their way TO Nashville,
Tenn. where the interment will take place
Friday afternoon.
Mrs. Carson was "A years Of age.