The evening times., 1898-08-26
A TENDERLoIN QUEEN.
Vcsta Hastings, Who Once Startled
New York, Attempts Suicide.


= New York. Aug. 2S.-In a brief dis
patch yesterday was announced the at
tempted suicide. in Paris. of the VI
comtesses de Henriot. She was visiting
friends in the Rue Blanche. and threw
herself from a second-story window.
This was not, as might be inferred. the
romantic end of a member of the Euro
pean nobility. but the act of an Ameri-
can woman. whose notoriety a few years
ago filed New York and San Francisco.
Eesta Dore Hastings. as she formerly
called herself is now about thirty-six
years old. She was born In Charleston.
s. c.. and burst upon New York about
eleven years ago. For perhaps three
consecutive nights she marched and
sang in the chorus of an opera, and then
blossomed out suddenly in the coIors
she has worn with great effect ever
since. She took an apartment in the
Boylston flats. No. Isl West Thirty-fiftl,
Street. and lived there In glittering
splendor. The rooms were gorgeously
furnished in Oriental style. and four
discreet servants ministered to her
whims.
At first the young lady was the protege
OF well-known dry goods merchant. It
was said she had carte blanche at his
store. Certainly she gave lavish orders
in the establishment. and staid shoppers;
used to wonder at the gorgeousness of
her eQuipage and toilets. Opinions diff
fered widely as to her taste in costumes.
but none denied that she made strik-
ing. II not startling figure in creations
that b!azed with color. Her jewels were
magnificent.
The dry goods merchant went TO Eu-
rope. and Miss Hastings followed him.
Their relations. however were broken
OF, and when she returned the nephew
of prominent city official became the
chief courtier in the West Thirty-fifth
Street house.
Miss Hastings remained a prominent
figure in rhe gay life of the Tenderloin
until October. 1892. when she went abroad
for few months. She cab!ed an order
to sell out the furnishings of her apart
ments. and even at auction they realized
more than 5000.
San Francisco was next set afiutter by
the young wocnan's magnifcence. She
engaged a suite of rooms in the Palace
Hotel in April, 1893. and for a few weeks
kept the town staring. Here II was she
assumed the title by which Paris knows
her-the Vicomtesse de Henriot. Her
husband. she said, tad been a Russian
nObieman. she announced that James
Bradbury. a wealthy young man OF Los
Angeles, Rad persuaded her to forsake
her widowhood, but Bradbury promptly
denied the engagement.
Returning to New York in May, 1888.
the young woman resumed her sy1bar.t:c
existence, and her home became a Mecca
for wealthy young men. Her day never
began before 3 o'clock In the afternoon.
and her maids had positive orders not to
disturb her before that hour.
She drifted to Paris finally. and in that
city has persisted In passing as the vi
comtesse de Henriot- Recently she has
been one Of the sights Of the gay capi-
tai. and the chief attraction at ;Maxim's.
In the Blue Royal. near the Place de la
Concorde. where she has made her home.
Aster the theater. parties visiting this
resort always looked for the yicomtessse.
She always carried tiny fox terrier. and
frequently when she went to her rooms
in the early morning hours the dog was
as us,Sch under the influence Of liquor as
was dts mistress. This always amused
her greatly.
vesta Hastings was neither pretty nor
clever, nor did she possess any charm that
was noticeable. But by pure effrontery
and some mysterious fascination she
crowded into ten or twelve years more
luxury and gayety and so-cailed enjoy
.ment than many eren noted women of
her class can compass In a lifetime But
the Tenderioin would laugh at her title
and her sef-assumed coronet.