The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-30
Mrs. j. H. Thompson, Jr.,
is Free Once More.
ACTION KEPT A SECRET.
Is Well Known al Newport and at
Narragansett Pier.
HOUSE BESlEGED BY SHERIFFS.

New York, Sept. SO.-It became gen.
orally known only late yesterday that
Mrs. Edith Briggs Smith Thompson OBJ
tanned divorce from her husband, Jo-
seph III. Thompson. Jr.. in the supreme
court i'm Brooklyn on May l6
The case was tried before a referee,
and much secrecy was observed in the
entire proceedings.
Mr.. Thompson is a dealer in machin-
cry at No. 1O7 Liberty street. Neither
Mrs. Thompson nor her lawyers could
be seen yesterday. When Mr.. Thomp-
son and his lawyer were asked about
the case they refused to speak about
ii.
Mrs. Thompson may be recalled by
many summer visitors to Narragansett
Pier and Newport. She is the daugh-
ter of Jerry" Briggs, who for many
years was the proprietor of the old
Elmwood House, at Narragansett Pier,
which stood where the Gladstone now
| is. Her comeliness as a girl attracted
| the attention of hundreds of visitors.
| She is now only 2S years old, and Is
remarkably handsome.
Her first husband was Charles talbot
| Smith, son of Col. Howard smith, a
| Newport millionaire and owner or nuch
real estate in that place and elsewhere
| II is said that the father opposed the
| marriage and disinherited his son be-
cause of his having made Miss Briggs
! his wife. Young Mr.. Smith left ms
| fathers house and tried TO MAKE
| n living for himself and wife
4 He was popular and bright, but
not long after his marriage he pc
came i'll and entered hospital at New,
| mort. where he died. A son survived
| MIN. ,eo,
Mrs. Smith went to Europe in 1885,
I'm company with Mrs. De La Mar, th'
wife of Capt. DE La Mar. Mrs. DE Lac
Mar and her husband, who are wei
known to New Workers and visitors a
| Newport, have since separated. she Il
noted for her beauty.
Mrs. Smith. as she then was, returne
| TO New York in the spring or 1877. Sii
was met at the steamships pier -
John III. Hanan, a wealthy shoe manu-
facturer of this city. who lives at ii
Eighth avenue Brooklyn. He is mar
ried. In the following August she ap
neared at one of the leading hotels a
Narragansett Pier. She tod irlenu
that she was there for a brief stay only
Mr. Hanan arrived on the folloWln
|
reported they had been married.
was afterward found that the rumo
was incorrect.
She remained a widow until Januar
IL of this year, when she was marie
i'm Grace chapel, in East lith street,
Joseph III. Thompson. His nome wa
at that time at 444 Nostrand avenu
RrookIyn. on January Il. few DAY
! after the marriage. residents OF New
| port were interested in hearing that u
l pretty Conkling cottage, fronting
2 Touro park, had been surrounded
+ sheriffs officers for "a hours.
Mrs. Thompson was in the cottas
and had securely locked the dool
e against a posse anxious to serve WI
\ in a suit brought against her by Jof
0 II Hanan, who sought TO recover ce
s tain property which he alleged she Ia
4 obtained from him.
0 When a reporter went to the cotta'
TO see Mrs. Thompson he was follow,
z by one of the deputy sherifts, WI
boped to gain entrance to the hou
n when the door was opened and TN
d serve the writ.