The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-27
HER RICHES FLEE.
Fanny Davenport's Estate NowValued
at Only $4,000.


New York, Oct. 27.-When Fanny Dav-
export made her will in 1892 she con-
sldered herself to be rich-one of the
Wealthiest American actresses of the
day. In deciding the bulk of her for
tune to her husband, Melbourne Mac
Doweu, she considered that she left
him at least $500, 900, and, IL all went
well with her investments, that he
might receive even much more. That
was in 1892.
When Miss Davenport died recently
those who knew her best said that he-
wealth was greater than generally sup
posed; that Fanny Davenport was
business woman as well as an actress;
that she attended to her own affairs
and kept her own counsel, letting no one
know all that she had accumulated In a
long and prosperous career; that the
minimum of her fortune was $3.50 600, it's
maximum $500, 000 and that in leaving
$4,000 to her relatives she had cut them
OFF with comparative shilling and that
Mr.. Mcdowell by the will became pos
seSsed practically of $500, 900; that the
young actor was made wealthy for life.
1t was this that lent belief in the re-
port that the relatives, to whom the ac-
tresS was greatly devoted, would contest
the will and dispute Mr.. MacDoWells
receiving such an enormous sum. AS
further evidence of her wealth a letter
that she left was pointed tO-nOt hold
ing in law, but binding in affection
distributing additional remembrances
to relatives in the way of jewels estima-
which 1T was said to have expended
$4,000, and many valuable personal eff
fects. That was in 1898.
How rich she considered herself to be
was shown in this addition of perhaps
$120,000 to previous requests. But she
was not cutting deep into Mr.. Mac
Dowelrs fortune, for all the balance, all
the great bulk of her estate, was to go
to her observation-disclosures, lands, bonds.
There were those who believed that
when the Danbury county house was
searched, safe deposit companies viSi-
ted, her lawyers interrogated, land reg
listers searched, it would be found that
even the S6000 mark would be passed
in the final accounting of the accumu-
lations Of some Is years standing of
one of the most popular women on the
American stage. wait till the estate
is examined they said.
The estate has been examined. A
careful search has been made for deeds,
bonds, property of any kind. It has
been counted up in money and estima-
ted where it was in property and here is
the result:
The relatives will receive about $4,000
OOO
That is believed to be all that is left
Of Miss Davenport's estate.
The authority for the statements in
regard to the discovered state of af-
fairs is undoubted. And the same au-
thority said that when Miss Davenport
=
herself as rich as or richer than the
public estimated her wealth.
1T is true that she was very rich,
but values in some of her investments
have shrunk greatly since she made her
WILL" said this gentleman. Then, again,
she had met with some serious losses in
her theatrical ventures, as to which she
kept her own counsel. Thirty thousand
dollars was eaten up in no time by one
play that she produced. She was eX-
tremely liberal to her family. She lived
well, but not agantly-still she
spent money. Some Of her seasons, pre-
sumably successful, were really disas-
trous.
Her Chicago property, reported as
immensely valuable, on examination
proves to be uninproved real estate of
great value perhaps when the boom
was on in that particular section Of the
city, but of little or no value now-per-
haps $4,000 or $4,000 above incum-
brances. Her jewelry, believed to be
worth $4,000, has been collected by the
executors; what they find she had at
her death is perhaps worth $50, 900. Her
plays are of problematical value-not
very mUch-perhaps, though, they were
of value to her. The Duxbury property
is perhaps worth half the amount she
estimated it at. Some of the bonds she
held are practically worth little or moth
ing. And so on"