The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19
Nina Van Zandt
Is Dying; Once Bride by Proxy
To a Condemned Anarchist.

~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~-o-oN~-~~
New York, Nov 1s.-Nina Van Zandt
is dying. With the sad news brought
from Chicago there come rushing into
the mind host of memories ofthe bright
and beautiful girl. who, dozen years ago,
in the face of public opinion became the
bride of a condemned anarchist, only a
few weeks before his life was forfeited
for his part in the Haymarket massacre
Nina Van Zandt, now Mrs. Stephano
Malato. 1t was in August. 1851 when she
was only seventeen, that she married Aug
ust Spies. He was hanged in November.
that same year. For a while she was
prominent in anarchistic circles. but in
1874 she became the bride Of StephanoMa-
lato, an Italian of excellent family. For
several years they lived abroad, but
recently Mrs. Malato returned TO Chica-
go. For several weeks she has been ly-
ing at the point OF death. The physici-
ans say she cannot recover.
Spies was remarkably handsome, a good
talker, egotistical and fond of notoriety.
and favorite with women. He was pos
sessed of a species of physical courage
which commanded the admiration of ev-
en- his iailers. He died on the scaffold
without exhibiting tremor of fear. Miss
Van Zandt, the daughter Of an expert
chemist, who stood high in his profession,
first saw Spies at his preliminary trial.
Beautiful in form and feature occupy
ing an enviable position in Chicago soci-
ETY.. studious and retiring, she had never
thought of love until she saw the calm,
quiet, pale faced young man on trial for
ha
court room through the solicitations of
a friend At her first sight of Spies she
fell desperately in love with him
After that she began to haunt the cor
ridors OF the jail, bringing flowers and
fruit, even sending meals to the con-
demned man. Curiously enough. her faith
er and mother made no protest against
the strange infatuation. Her mother ev-
en- accompanied her on visits to the jail
At first the anarchist had made no pre-
tence of caring for her In the course
of the trial 1t appeared that he had a
large acquaintance among women and
dozens of devoted admirers. He was a
shrewd Dlotter and exceedingly fond of
notoriety. During the whole affair be-
tween himself and Nina Van Zandt, Spies
olayed 'for points"
Miss Van Zandt visited the court room
every day during the final trial. She new
er lost sight of Spies and watched che
evidense as closely as if her own life
had been hanging in the balance. She
was dashing type Of beauty and always
appeared in stylish gowns of rich mater
ial She would appear in the morning in
one fashionable outfit. and in the after
noon change this for another equally
handsome.
She made no secret of her infatuation
for Spies. and in the court room found
herself the observed OF all observers. She
appeared unsconscious of the attention
she attracted, having only eyes for the
man she loved After the verdict she
bent every energy to procure rehearing
but in vain, and then decided to marry
the anarchist in jail.
The authorities would not permit the
ceremony to take place as public senti-
ment was fercely against 1t, the news
papers without exception calling upon
the officers in charge of the prisoner not
to allow - A short time before the exc
crtion Miss VanZandt obtained from JUS
tice Englehardt an opinion that q mar
cordingly a proxy ceremony was per-
formed. "Chris" Spies. brother, rep
resented the anarchist before the altar.
Many attorneys pronounced the marriage
as Illegal. but among the anarchists it
was regarded as binding
Miss Van Zandt. or Mrs. Spies, contin-
ued her visits to the Jail, and was one of
of the last to see Spies before he was led
to execution. The night before the hang
ing the young woman demanded that she
be allowed to share her husbands cell,
but it was not permitted. Previous TO the
hanging Miss Van Zandt did everything
that love and affection and the ingenuity
of a keen wit could devise first TO secure
acquital and afterward the ESCAPE from
Jail of Spies That she failed was not her
fault.
In the funeral procession that followed
the bodies Of the anarchists to Waldheim
Miss Van Zandt was the conspicuous
mourner. Dressed in heavy black. with
a Grape veil over her face, she rode be-
hind the hearse with her father and
mother and sister Of SPIES.
For long time after the execution
Miss Van Zandt shut herself I'D in her
home and denied herself 10 all callers
She had a marble bust Of Spies made,
and hung his portrait in the parlor win
dow. Afterward. she became conspicu- |
Gus in local anarchist circles. For some |
years. however. she has taken no part |
in their demonstrations.
The malady which VIII shortly cause |
her death has not it Is said. destroyed /
her remarkable beauty, and although 1
slowly sinking into the grave, without /
hone Of recovery. she * stiil said 10 he
ora n the handsomest women in the coun /
try. Her husband IS devoted 70 her and
her family are doing what they can %
sootbe her last hours on earth. but her
girlish dream OF the young man who died
on the scafYold on November Il, 1sS7. has
never been efaced.
ChiefJustice Chambers Resigns
washington. Nov. 1s.-Chief Justice |
Chambers OF Samoa has resigned and bis
has been accepted, for the