The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-08
CASE AADE CLEARER
As Always When One Knows
the Woman in the Case.
THUS BLANCHE M0LlNEAUX
Appears to the Impartial
Chronicler of Her Life.
THUS BLANCHE M0LlNEAUX

r GLAND MolineuXs life may depend upon
other letters his wife has written. OF
which the public has no hint.
They are love letters. written between
July and November last to Roland Mo-
lineux They cover the whole period OF
their betrothal, and some antedate il.
If the writer of these letters, which are
full Of the tenderest affection, the most
womanly respect, the most girlish joy in
her love and in her life, without an IN
maidenly phrase-if this woman was
guilty at the same time of a hopeless pas
sion for Henry c. Barnet, as District AT
torney Gardiner believes, she is marvel
Of feminine deceit.
The World is not permitted at this time
to give the contents of these letters, but
it has obtained the story of her childhood,
her girlhood, her early struggles in New
York, and her later participation in the
semi-fashionable wealth and luxurious life
of the metropolis. from her own family
and intimate associates.
There are only two incidents in Blanche
Molineux's life which suggest a doubt of
her womanly rectitude. One is the long
yachting cruise in the company of two
gay bachelors, Clark Miller, of the Sea-
wanhaka Yacht Club, and John r. Blu
chan, on the formers yacht, Mohegan, in
the summer of 1897. accompanied only by
her pleasure-loving sister Mrs. Stearns;
the other, the fashionable gowns, always
in the latest style. which she was able to
wear when earning only so a week as a
member OF the choir of DR.. Behren's
church
The last fact was fully explained to The
World yesterday by Mrs. Mulineux' ;
brother, Frank Chesebro, a young, earnest
and very able man, who has not hitherto
appeared in the great poison mystery. He
is a general agent in Bostson of the Mu-
tual Life Insurance Company of New
York. His office is in Copley Square, Bos-
ton. He has an income of about SO 600 a
year, and he says that he contributed TO
his sisters maintenance while she was
studying music in New York.
The girlhood of the woman who has be-
come the motive. If not the greatest
cure, in the poison mystery was spent in
unhappiness and poverty. An accident
half blinded her for life and permanently
marred one feature of her beauty. Her
girlhood was spent in wandering from city
to city and from town TO town with her
father, who was a jaek-of-all-trades and
nally religious fanatic. Her family name
name is Chesebro. When Blanche moved
to New York she changed the spelling Of
her name a trifle mora aristocratic
She was born twenty-six years ago in
n
children in the family-two boys and three
girls. They lived in a small cottage near
the c. B. Cottrell machine works. Mrs
Chesebro was Miss Crumb. She d:ea
when Blanche was young girl but to
the mothers upright character and good
teaching the children owe their later sue
cess in life.
Blanche was next to the youngest in the
family. Her young sister Lora is the wife
of H. P Dixie, a member of the municipal
council of New York. As a girl Mrs
Molineux was known as Blanche" The
name has chung to her, and Molineux
calls his wife by that childish name today
When Blanche was seven years old the
family moved to Phoenix. R. l.. a littei
town near Providence. They lived at the
Phoenix hotel. The oldest daughter. Ia
married lumber merchant and moved to
Minneapolis. The oldest son also married
and left home. He. too, is living in Min
neapolis. Frank Chesebro. the younger
brother, who is today one of the mosts
successful young life Insurance men in
New England, was married in Phoenix
and now lives in Boston
Tho oTdar -
member Blanche's grace happy DISPOSE
ton and pretty ways as q child. She was
the pet of the boarders of the old inn.
There the accident befel her which cost
her half her sight. A boy companion acct
IDENTIFY stsruck her in the eye with a stone.
She lost its sight and to save the other
eye the wounded one was removed. An
artificial eye took its place. So sensitive
was Miss hesebrough on the Subject that
she has never except once had a photo
graph taken. and that was a group pic
ture Of the Rubenstein Musical Club.
Mr.. Cbesebro, her father. was either a
crank or a genius. for he was constantly
inventing things. which never added much
10 his fortune. While living at Phoenix
he invented washing machine which az
ter many years OF goon-natured tolerance
by his friends he sold for a small sum
From Phoenix the family moved To Min
neapOlis where Blanche spent a part Of
her girlhood. and then they went 10 Louis
vile XIV. Mr.. Chesebro was BY this ,jne
pushing a new invention for curing dis
eases in the nose and throat. Then Cor
The first sine Blanche and Lora had tutors
and instructors in music. for Blanche had
developed q voice OF remarkable sweetness
and power.
As Mr- Chesebro aged his religious en-
thusi0thusias deepened. He became r
wanderer from one town 70 another.
dragging hls family with him WITH his
charities and his CONSTANT change Of resi-
dence he impoverished them As soon as
IL had settled in one place he rowing IL,
seized him. and furniture vas packed Up.
and he would move again, taking with
him his wife and his daughters Lors and
B.anche- Five years ago they settled in
New York. living az No 40 West Twenty
third street. Lors. The younrsst dsustter
married Mr. Stear1s 4 Bostsou-
With the wider opportunities and iuspir-
ing surroundings ~ New YORK. Blanche
became ambitious. She obtained singing
lessons and piano instruction bare and
there. She wanted a vocation. Hes
brother Frank vas grospe-inE e Boston.
and sent her money 20 pay 20 hcF les
sons. Her first engagement as q choir
singer vas il D.. Bea-end-s chgrch IN
BROOKLYN. where she received SO q xeek
Ths tai. progressing young Eonsn.
vzao waz net beautiful hut Tho had thzc
Undesirable thing csLe5 style bsea=e
familiar figure AZ csgrcAes- concerts
and churches she Sas almost aivays a.
r-ToanseE oy her mother unsIi fhe istt=r-s