The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-28
THE WIDOW OF IVES.
Had Become a Morphine Fiend and
Died in Destitution.

AaO 9ecOm6 morphine E1o0O anu
Died in Destitution.
Cincinnati, o., Feb. 2S.-Here is the
sad story OF the death of the widow Of
Henry S. Ives, better known the world
over as the Napoleon Of Finance" one
of the most notable characters ever pro-
duced by Wall street
Without money, friendless, save for
those who had visited her while she was
a patient in the fiat of a tlained nurse
in this city, Gertrude G. Ives died, and
today her body is being secretly carried
to New York by express for burial.
How Gertrude Ives camc to be a
patient of a Cincinnati physician in her
last illness is a story in itself. Her hus-
band, the man who started as an errand
boy in the publishing house of Harper
& Brothers, and later failed for $12, 000.
600. was addicted to the use Of morphine
He had been treated for the habit by Dr.
B. Merrill Ricketts, of Cincinnati, about
the time he came so near landing the
Chicago, Hamilton & Dayton road on
the shoals.
Ives failed and died He may have
used morphine to the end of his days or
he might have been relieved from bond
age to the drug by the treatment he
received here. Be that as it may, his
wife became a victim to the drug, and
came to Cincinnati to be treated by the
man who had cared for her husband.
Mrs Ives died in disgrace a horr1-
BILE death at the home of a professional
nurse. She suffered the agcnies of the
damned, both in body and mind. Desert
book depleted and her only soiace NOR
phine she waited for the death which
she knew was inevitable. After her
death the nurse, doctors and under
talker squabbled over the few belong
ings she had left, while her body lay in
the room where she died for three days,
until the neighbors complained of the
stencil. It was then bundled into a
coffin and sent to New York, with the
greatest secrecy.
Undertaken G. H High had a bill for
about $780, and would not ship the body
until he was assured that the charges
would be paid. He finally notified the
Adams Express company that George
W. Saul of No 60 Broadway had left $36
York to pay the express charges.
All of these negotiations were con-
Quoted secretly, and the whole story sur
rounding the death of the unfortunate
woman would probably have remained
a secret if Attorney J. H. Bunting had
not gone before the probate court in be
half of Mrs. Byder, the professional
nurse, and asked that she be appointed
administrative Of the setate of lone Ger
trude S. Ives" 1t was stated that the
estate was valued at 81, 900, consisting of
jewels and personal effects of different
kinds, including her dresses The case in
court resulted in investigation, ard
the story came out little by little, but
there is still much mystery regarding it
Coroner Schwab said tonight that he
believed everything was regular regard
ing her death, but will investigate to
make sure.
1t developed that Geo. w Saul, the
New York man who guaranteed the ex-
press charges on the body, is q brother
in-law of a Mr.. rGaham, a theatrical
agent in New York. Graham's wife was
a sister of Mr.. Saul. Mrs. Graham died
in New York not long ago and was bur
led in Cincinnati. With these facts CIV
en-, 1t is necessary to go back to the be-
ginning of the story when Mrs Ives
came to the Queen City on election day
last November. She stopped at the
Grand Hotel and was attended by Drss |
Merrill Ricketts, and H. v. Sparger. She
was a victim of morphine and had come
to be treated for it. Her husband had
been a victim of the drug and had ia
ken treatment in Cincinnati. Mrs. Ives
said that she had learned to use NOR
phine through her husband.
She was sent by the doctors to the
home of Mrs B. Eryder, of S07 Central
avenue. a professional nurse She
proved q slave to the drug and wasted
away to A mere skeleton She was
taken with typhoid fever, and Doctor
" H. Young, who was called, found that |
she was SO waSter from the use of NOR
phine that it was feared she would not
live. It was soon found that she was |
approaching maternity She went I'M
der the name Of Miss Graham" On |
February II a cllild was born. 1t was
buried the same day in the German |
Protestant cemetery. She told Mrs.
Byrder that the father of the child was |
birth Of the child Mrs. Ives had i'm
proved.
The quantity of morphine was reduced |
gradually, and it was believed she would |
be cured. After the birth OF her babe she /
became desperate. She raved for more |
morphine, and gradually grew worse. It |
was necessary to give her more of the |
drug to prolong her life. Her suffering |
was something terrible to behold. Her |
cries were those of a lost soul In her |
rawlings she talked Of jewels and parties
of grand balls, of the servants. and then |
the dark side when fortune fed. She /
gradually grew weaker and weaker. I
until death came Thursday night as a /
relief to the pain-racked body of the |
once beautiful woman. The certificate |
stated that death was due to septemia-
Before she died Mrs. Ives told Mrs. /
Byrde a good deal of her troubles from |
the time OF the downfall of her husband. /
She begged Mrs Byrder to see that her |
body was sent to New York and that |
she accompany it. After she died there |
was an attempt to keep the matter |
quiet and the creditors then rushed. The |
body lay at the home Of Mrs Byrder, |
who did not know what disposition to /
<rfe