The times., 1899-11-20
DIES FROM STARVATION
PiteOus End of the Widow Of One
Of the Noted Adams Family.
Failure of Heroic Struggles to Attain
Literary Fnme-Breaks Down Tn
der Trials of DressmakinR-Lette
of Gen CHssius VI. Clay Respond
ing to Her Pathetic Appeal for Aid

NEW YORK. Nov 19.-After a pathetic
struggle, lasting many years, to gain rec
ognition with the novels and the play she
had written, abandoned by her wealthy rel
atiyes and left destitute, young Evelyn
Adams died of starvation in her apartments
in the Windermere at 400 West Fifty
seventh Street, last Thursday. The body
of the young authoress was sent to her
former home in Utica yesterday
Evelyn Adams was the widow of Adam
Brown Adams, member of the Adams
family of Massachusetts. They were mar
ried in this city about nine years ago,
against the wishes of the young mans
mother, Mrs. Susan Adams, of Common
wealth Avenue, Boston. Mr. Adams one
year after his marriage died of consump-
tiOn. His young wife nursed him. She COM
planned TO her friends that in spite of her
subsequent privations and of many appeals,
her mother-in-law refused to aid her. Hers
was bravely pathetic life filled with va
ried experiences, plucky struggles, and
bold ambitions Death came just as she
thought herself on the high road to sue
cess.
Mrs. Adams, who was a Miss Evelyn La
Paugh, lived with her parents, at 2O2
BIendina Street. Utica, N Y. about fifteen
years ago. She and her younger sister.
Gertrude, tired OF the humdrum life Of
their home, ran away and made a tour of
the continent They travelled in Califor-
MIA, the younger sister lecturing, while
Evelyn gave dramatic performances
FThaxr cfyppoccfsl radpbaH
California. where Gertrude was stricken
with smallpox and died. That was the
first tragic episode in the life of Evelyn
La Paugh
Evelyn returned to New York, deter
mined to win distinction as a novelist.
She had highly nervous and emotional
temperament, and worked with untiring
energy. 1t was then that she met Mr..
Adams, who fell in love with the hand
some young woman and married her, de-
spite the opposition of his family.
After the death of her husband, Mrs.
Adams was again urged on by her literary
ambitions. She wrote and published
book entitled 'Is Marriage a Lottery"
which attracted some attention. She open
ed a dressmaking establishment in Twen-
ty-third Street, and through her good taste
soon gained the patronage of many wealthy
women. Her health broke down, however,
and she was forced to close her establish
ment.
While at home her parents tried to Induce
her to go to a hospital. She was seized
with the hallucination that they were de-
termined to send her to an insane asylum
She jumped from the window Of her room
one night ran to a railway station in Utica,
and boarded a moving train. Arriving in
New York, but still in i'll health, she again
opened her business, working at night on
play. The strain was too great, and she
was sent TO a hospital When she was dis
charged Mrs. Adams devoted herself with
renewed energy to her play and to a novel,
the title of which was The Wandering
Sisters" In this book she has written the
adventures Of herself and her sister Ger
trude.
Mrs. Adams was taken in a starving con-
dition TO St. Luke's Hospital on May "a,
1893. She left there in July and took apart
ments at the Windermere From then on
she tried TO find a publisher for her book
and a manager who would accept her play.
Several friends assisted the undaunted
young woman, among them Mrs. NJ E.
Goldsmith, Of Arlington Avenue, Boston.
But she was too proud 10 confde her trials
and sufferings to her neighbors.
Miss Mitchell, nurse who lives on the
same floor in the Windermere, found Mrs
Adams in a dying condition Wednesday
morning. She hastily summoned DR.. Anna
F, Donoghue, who has an Office in the
building. DR.. Donoghue found that the pa
tient was dying of starvation. Light foods
and stimulants failed to restore her. She
was in terribly emaciated condition. Her
constitution had broken down under the
pTivatiOns she had endured.
She died on Thursday morning" said
DR.. Donoghue. "On the death certificate
I gave the cause as inflammation of the
stomach, but she had no organic disease,
and I am convinced that she starved to
death"
Mrs. Adams refused to have word of her
condition sent to her relatives. Dying she
addressed broken sentences of affection to
her husband, whom she imagined stood
beside her. No one in the Windermere
knew where her next of kin was to be
found Among her effects was a pathetic
appeal for aid she had sent to Gen. Cassius
NJ. Clay. There was an answer from the
latter. penned in feeble hand, which ran
partly as follows
White Hall, KY October Q, 1892
I'm worse off than you. Unless Congress votes
my pension Of 81 200, passed unanimously in the
Senate and lost 10y the aid Of the Vendetta" in
the House, and reduced to $500, may die blind.
as they have ruined my eyes, in my unpt0-
ductive castle-with no one to give me cup
Of water
NAY NOu He4p you anu lie. y. 81. tLA1.
The address OF Herbert Garter, an ar
tist of 206 West Twenty fourth Street was
finally obtained and through him the
whereabouts OF Mrs. Adams mother as
learned. In accordance with her request
the body of her daughter was sent TO
Utica.
OBITUARY.