The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-29
GAN NEVER Be CURED
Mrs. FlagIer, Wife of a Stand
ard Oil CroeSus
ALL OF WHOSE MILLIONS.
Cannot Buy Light For Her
Poor, 0arkened Mind.

the prime OF life. She wears an exquisite
gown. Il is never the same two days in
succession. Two maids answer her every
call. The Waldorf-Astoria could not serve
her a more dainty dinner than the one she
takes each day alone.
Across the green hills she can see the
towers and turrets of a country mansion
whose green lawns are Tapped by the
Siund
That is her mansion. Those towers she
once mounted to get the view. Those
lawns were her delight. 1t Is a Million
aires country villa and she Is a million
aires wife.
But she will never set foot in that gar
den again.
She Is the wife of Henry NJ FagIer,
Standard Oil magnate. railway king, Flor
ida emperor. His millions cannot buy
what is the only thing he wants in life
reason for this woman. Last week she
was pronounced hopelessly insanei Mrs.
Flasler can never go out again into the
world she loved so dearly. The physi-
clans have said it, So day after day she
sits, lapsing more and more into mental
blindness. less able each day TO compre-
bend what goes on about her, while her
husbands millions roll on and on.
For ten years the husband had hope.
His money was poured out like water in
the belief that he might bring back reason
to its throne. Physician after physician
was tried, there were baths and elec-
tricity and trips here and there and every
where, medicines, reSt-cures. everything:
but all to no purpose. Last week with
bowed head Mr.. Flagler received the news
of the inevitable-there was no hope!
Each day sees his wife's weak grasp on
reason a little weaker and her memory
slowly fading. But she does not know!
Twenty years ago Henry N Flagler was
a widower. His wife had died, leaving
him a little boy. At that time he was no
millionaire. But he had risen from very
humble walk in life and people were be-
ginning to point him out as a man who
would succeed.
He married again. His second wife was
Miss Shrouds, OF Philadelphia. She was
young, beautiful, vivacious. full of life and
spirits and happy in the husband whose
future looked so bright. Her father was
an Episcopal Clergyman with but a small
salary to support his large family.
The bride of the Ohio oil man took her
place in another life. Hardly had she
been a wife a year when the Standard Oil
Company began to be a power. With the
Rockefellcrs and the Tilfords and the
other oil men. Henry NJ Flagler became
millionaire almost overnight.
Her husbands great wealth Mrs. Flagler
bore with ease and grace. She became
mistress OF one mansion at Fifty-fourth
street and Fifth avenue in New York, of
another at Flagler's Point. Mamaroneck,
of a third in Florida. When she travelled
by land she had a private car, when she
went by water there was Mr.. Flagler's
steam yacht, the Alicia, with captain and
crew waiting her nod.
Unlike many of the rich, the wife Of
Newspaper Adv Bureau oldou
this millionaire could not enjoy wealth
alone. Her heart was as big as outdoors.
She must have friends to enjoy 1t with
her. On the yacht, on the private car, at
her villa, at her own home. It was the
same-lavish hospitality for all The
guests were made to feel as much at home
while the Fiagler money was being poured
out from them as they might in their own
more modest homes. The Flagler enter
tainments were as lavish as any given
anywhere by even the richest.
Ten years ago Henry NJ Flagler decided
to attack Florida. He owned most of the
railways there; he wanted more.
The Spaniards." said he, 'and the
French have tried to make something out
of Florida: now I'd show people what
Yankee push can do"
And he did. Gardens grew where
swamps had once sent fourth their MAS
matte cdorrs Railroads ran everywhere;
hotels sprang up like mushrooms-not
typical COUNTRY hotels OF the north. but
great palaces more like Alharnbra than
anythin gelse. Who is there that has not
heard of the waonderful Ponce de Leon
hotel in St Augustine or of the Alcazar
and theh Coriova? Boulevards ran ev-
erywhe-e: theh north learned at last how
pleasant a kinter might be when northern
iuxurias are iransplanted TO southern
clinles. In the midst Of all this fragrance
and delight lived the wife Flagier idol
lied.
Summer saw her at Manaroneck; win
ter in Florida: string and autumn In New
York. Besides her husband. the only
member Of her family was her s;ep-son.
fine-looking lad. who one cay got married,
and so she vas left alone without a child
The stork had never come TO her. Not
that she had not wanted It's visit III
tie one. she often said. would make her
the happiest woman in theh world
WAY canno; have SON with 50
much % give him as I have? II seems so
cruel"
Her homes with her staiuary and pc
lures. her trips abroad and 10 the south
began 20 grox empty. The yacht and the
private car lost their attractions Money
last is power. Her cheek Sided: her
brows clouded. Her mind couid' dwee1
upon but one topis-a child
- she went mad. II was 70 violent |
outbreak: just the breaking down 81 rsA-
son. The husband refused 10 believe H. |
lie would DO everything. take her any |
where. give Up his 5uslne=s. take her 70 |
Mexico. Europe. the North Poe u neces- !
sarv-anythiag 70 save her reason: bat he !
v-ls comfo-teI: he saw Dr.. Shelton. he |
expert on insanity, who had oct hope |
Perhaps Dert-o; rest saa quiet would re-
store the brain 20 Is normal state
TIE millionaire ciutched al the h0pe a. /
a drowning aag oiJscaes al a straw But /
day aste. day. while Mrs F1aKisr stayed 4
a, TIE villa q Aamer0aaek. hs- mind
grew more el0gde3- The ctn5s az isss
came when she had 70 Be PLACID in
saaI.ariun- The husband vas told that
there was no h5pe-
.'C1hrUnSc deiassonai insanity" sSi4 al!
ne expe-ts who we're called IN c9asslta-
don: .-progresiys and isesrSbls-"