The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-20
OVER 4 PAPER SCRAP
Learned Lawyers are Fighting
for a Fortune.
TWO PATRICIAN BEAUTIES
Against a Native Daughter
of the SteppeS.


are scrawled a few characters in French
Translated the penciGled characters form
unique legacy. 81 leave my name OF
Eugene G. Cruger and my property which
possess to Salomea Heitz. 1 make her
my legatee-to all my property" Signed
Eugene G. Cruger."
1t is the will of a wreck of brilliant
manhood, the last written word of one
OF the most gifted and popular Knicker-
bockers in New York. 1t was written at
Fontainebleau on May g, 1886. A week
later the writer lay dead in his forest cha
teau, in the land of his adoption, and a
young woman of wild, unframed beauty
knelt beside him.
The girl had the deep-set black eyes,
the high cheek bones, the retrousse nose
and the vivid complexion of q daughter
of the steppess She walked with the 1.-THE,
quick movement of an animal used to
roaming in the open. In her eyes there
smouldered a fire that bespoke the saw
age, softened by a tenderness that be-
spoke the woman. The dead man had
called her Salomea. His voice had ling
cred upon the name. In his strange, ftful
way, he was fond Of the woman who
mourned there beside him. He spoke of
her as 1.-THE unspoiled daughter of an I'M
spoiled race"
She had been his companion, his faith
full attendant, his slave for eight years.
To the dwellers in the other chateaux she
was known as Olga Salomea Heitz, la
Russo.
Eugene Cruger was first interested,
then overcome by her slavish devotion
1T is the primitive woman who is faith
full in word and thought and deed" he
said aloud 1.-THE devotion of this simple
creature is primitive in its faith and
love-
Dying, he forgot the two beautiful
women who had been his wives, forgot
the three children who had once been his
pride He remembered only this one
woman, who had slavishly nursed him
through eight years of terrible sickness
And six days before he died he scrawled
the pencilled will bequeathing to her all
his property.
The two beautiful women-the patrician
women-have joined issues and are pat
Ting with all their strength against the
other woman-the 'legataire univer-
selle"
Skilled lawyers are drawn up on either
side for test of arms. all about the tiny
scrap of paper.
1t is a most curious contest. Two fam
Gus beauties of the 200 and former Mrs
Crugers, now wives of other husbands, in
array against this other woman and the
will.
Baroness Raoul Mourichon of Paris and
Mrs J. Frederick Tams of this city vs.
Olga Salomea Heitz. so the legal legend
reads.
Eugene Guido Cruger was known as an
an ornament of New York's most orna-
mental society. He was referred to vari-
ously as a Knickerbocker of the Knicker-
bockers, a Beau Brummel, an Admiral
Crichton, even nicknamed Apolla, and by
those disposed to be a bit il-natured as
Don uan.
He was a handsome man of unusual
height, of a fine sweep of shoulders, and
q complexion like the traditional Viking.
He was graduated from Columbia college
into the university of yachtsmen. AS a
member of the New York Yacht club he
was prominent in the management of the
international races between America and
England.
He is always present and always per-
feet was an epigram once made for
him.
His life was a round of social gayety.
after by mammas and maidens in his
particular set than he was. He was the
kind of man whom the fattery of women
spoil. 1t implanted vanity that is pos
onous to some men. Possibly that poison
was the real secret of his ruined life with
its strange vicissitudes It is easy to lay
the blame upon the woman. Adam
started the fashion.
This handsome. spoiled young darling OF
fashion met Miss Blanche Spedden, a
New Orleans BELLE, who came up out of
the south, and with her dark charms had
ensnared the admiration of New York
society, as many southern beauty had
done before many time. gnd many a
time since. Sheb urst upon its vision at
the Pariarchs' ball, ana was at once
crowned its queen. This aIl-conquering
beauty and Eugene Cruger met They
called it love at first sight" Perhaps II
was. Its a habit people have. Be that
as it may, all the fashion and wealth OF
New York filed and overlooked Grace
church on their wedding day That the
sky was overcast and some drops of rain
fell on Eugene CruSer's bride did not I'M
press the '4e0' friends who watched them
drive away from the church door
For few years they lived in the lime
light of society. Three children. Freder-
lex Hamersley, Berram and Violet
Douglas. were born.
The Crugers lived at Tuxedo and seem
ed, except 10 the few who knew. TIT gay
est of the gay set. for whom it was a
( was in ISIS that Mr.. and Mrs. Cruger
assisted in an amateur theatrical pro-
ducuon famous in society annals 1t was
Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience" given
at Chickering hall. Eugene Cruger's hand
some face and figure and fine baritone
voice lent effect TO his role as captain Of
the heavy Dragons. Mrs Burke Roche
played the titleroie. Observation-Disclosures
played the title role. Mrs Cruger made
her first appearance as n love-siek maid
en- 1t was her last appearance Is his
VIE divorce speedily followed. The
custody OF the children was granted to
the mother
ECsene Cruser. s;in a1niabIy referred -
a. knickerbocker OF the Knicke-boek-
ers, Beau Brummel and an A1mirst
Crichton, and more frequently nov a.
Don Juan. wtnt to Europe for diversion
He lounged about the Riviera. He nlavai
a iIile at Monte Carlo. he attended ~,
yacht races at Cannes It was at Games
he met the picuant Meta Kane Ben ~ |