The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-22
ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
Chicago Woman Takes Steps to Pos
sess the Fortune of the Late
CAPTAIN Starr

Chicago, April 22.-Love, romance and
War-a story for Anthony Hope-are
wrapped up in the case of Miss Linda
c. Harris, young English woman liv-
ing at 1923 Ellis avenue, and the late
Capt. Phineas r. Starr of the United
States engineer corps, who was blown
up with the United States Snagboat
John r. Meigs in the Gulf of Mexico
last fall Through her attorney, Miss
Harris is now attempting to establish
her claim to Captain STAIRS $15O.ooo
estate, declaring that she was to be-
come his bride in May of this year
Miss Harris, a 1.-the blonde of % years,
came to Chicago in 1898 While visiting
of Evanston took a fancy to the girl,
who had been an orphan since early
childhood, and offered her a home with
them- Little was ascertainable of her
antecedents. Beyond the impression
that her parents were French and of
noble blood, she herself knew nothing
After years residence in Evanston
Miss Harris decided to become a trained
nurse. She took a course in the school
attached to the Lakeside hospital, 4147
Lake avenue, and on her graduation
was appointed to the institutions regu-
lar staff of nurses.
Captain Starr of Vicksburg, Miss was
one of her first professional cases A
man of 55 years, of rugged physique and
bluff manner, he was one of the old
school OF river steamboat captains and
had served the government in the gulf
coast survey department for MANY
years. While Miss Harris was nursing
him back to health she says he fell in
love with her. With the ardor of a
young sutton, he insisted that only her
heart and hand could make happy his
declining years, for he was a widower
he told of his wealth and position, and
asked her to marry him. To these
protestations Miss Harris at first turned
a deaf ear, but the old captain had
weathered many gale and would not
be baffied.
His love-making continued for months
and years after he left Chicago, till at
length in June, 1898. he exacted from
Miss Harris a promise to wed him a
year later. She was then at Sierra
Madre, Cal, nursing the invalid wife
of Captain Frank Thompson of the
United States training ship Mohican,
attached to the Pacific station, and
Captain Starr was to have gone there to
claim his bride.
AT the outbreak of the Spanish war
the snagboat Meigs was detailed to
mine the gulf waters in the vicinity of
Fort Jackson and Fort ST. Philip near
Vicksburg. When hostilities ceased or
ders to remove the mines were given to
Captain Starr, and while engaged in the
work, September 5, a submerged tor
pedo exploded and destroyed the Meigs
and its crew of five. No trace of craft
or men has ever been found. Miss Har~
ris heard of her f1ance's death through
Major James Willard, his superior Off
GER, to whom, as a matter of naval
etiquette, Starr had spoken of his in
tention to marry. Miss Harris remained
in California until December, when Mrs.
Thompson died. She has since made
her home with Mrs. William NJ Alister
1928 Ellis avenue, Mrs. Thompson's sis
ter, spending most of her time caring
for the latter's two little children
Captain STAIRS only known living
relative is his mother, Mary Starr of
North English, Iowa, and through the
navy department at Washington it has
been learned that D. R. Evans her
son-in-law, is administrator of the cap
tain's estate.
Attorney David J. Vile of the Hart
ford building, who is Miss Harris legal
representative, has not ascertained as
yet whether Captain Starr died intes-
tate. The young woman is confident
she was generously remembered If he
left a will.
The dead naval officer had command
ed the snagboat Meigs since it went into
commission in the Vicksburg engineer
ing district late in the SOS. He was a
member of many secret ORDERS includ-
ing the knights of Pythias, Elks
Masons, knights Templar and Mystic
Shrine His affection for the English
nurse is evidenced by many letters in
her possession, addressed, in token of
her supposed noble ancestry, by the
familiar title of My little Duchess