The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-09
NOTED BEAUrY's LIFE STORY.
Poet, Actress, Adventures, She Be-
came Famous.

From the New Orleans Times Demo-
crat.
In the recent death of Robert Henry
Newell. the humorist, who was once
we'll known as "Orpheus c. Kerr"
there is recalled the wild career of Ade-
laide McCord, who was at one time his
wife, and who was born in New Or
leans.
Her father was Alexander McCord, a
one-time weil-to-do merchant here.
When he died his little girl was seven
years old. This winsome, -black-eyed lit
tie girl was then an ordinary, sweet
faced child, but she was to grow to be
an extraordinary woman. Ballet dancer,
artist, journalist, actress, poet, adven-
turess. the wife OF four husbands, her
life was to be in many ways the most
remarkable of any American woman.
There was time when all America
ana the greater part of Europe watch
ed every action of Adelaide McCord.
She was always doing the unexpect-
ed. She was creator of sensations. In
the first place, she was beautiful. And
then she was a genius. Not the ordi-
nary genius who writes a successful
DOCK, follows it with Men I Have
Met" and who is then content to read
49, H1F OAapAS ANN4NN0 buC rest OIL n6T
life.
This young woman was of no such
caliber. She wanted variety, action,
fame, constant change of scene, and
now and then a change of husbands.
And for a while her every want was
satisfied. The variety, action, change of
scene-and husbands-all these were
hers.
To queenly beauty she added all the
graces of perfect womanhood. She mar
ried and unmarried on the impulse of
the moment. She achieved triumphs on
two hemispheres. She was tickle, but
she had a great capacity for loving,
ana her character was not without its
noble side.
And her end.
There was something tragic in her
death. She had always spent her
money with charming recklessness
frequently she squandered thousands
IN one night. And yet when she died
she was alomst penniless, and was liv-
ing in an ill furnished room in a shah
by street of Paris, waiting for an ex-
pected offer from a French theatrical
manager.
Adelaide McCord was born in Milne
purg IN 1882 Her father when he died
left his family little or nothing. AIDE
laide was then years old. She and
hef sister Josephine had been taught
dancing by private tutor, and their
talents drove the wolf from the door
Their mother put them in the ballet of
the French Opera House to earn money
for the support of the family.
During the services as a danseuse
adelaide learned French. Spanish and
German. Some think that as a child
she had definite aim in life, but it is
more likely that such studies were
urged by her mother. 1t is also said
that at the age of IA Adelaide translate
ed Homer's "Iliad." AS a dancer she
visited Havana and won for herself the
ute or Queen of the Plaza"
MISS McCord was once captured by
Indians in Texas, and for three years
was held as a captive by Eagle Eye.
Her rescue was planned and executed
by Laulerack, an Indian maid, whose
memory Miss McCord sought to perpet-
uate in her poem, "Laulerack," written
in after years.
In 1856 Miss McCord was married in
Texas to Alexander Isaac Menken.
when she embraced the Jewish religion
Soon after she returned to the stage
and made her debut as an actress in
'Fazio," at the old Varieties Theater In
New Orleans
But Mrs. Menken tired of the stage
IN less than a year. and her erratic
way led her TO the studio. She was a
failure as an artist, and went into ior-
nalism. She wrote a defense of Baron
Rothschild's admission to Parliament,
which attracted attention. She soon
gave up newspaper work and returned
10 the stage. At Dayton, O., she was
elected captain of the Light Guards
because of her proficiency in drilling
the Dayton CoPps
II was in 1858 that Mrs. Menken mar
rled the pugiiist, John c. Heenan, This
was surprise and a disappointment
to her friends. That a woman of re-
1nement should have welded the coarse
feilow Heenan was inexpiicable. But
II was In Keeping with the lovely, law
less Adelaide. Heenan reigned over her
neart Tor few weeks, when she sent
MIN away. About this time "Mazep-
Pa vas popular. In one of the scenes
the heroine was strapped to a wild
horse. The leading lady was afraid
TO trust herself upon the horse, and a
dummy was used. When Mrs. Mem
ken saw the drama she ionged to take
the place of the dummy, and before
the next performance she had signed
a contract with the manager.
Her first appearance was at the Old
Bowery, in New York. The country
was Interested In the approaching fight
between Heenan and Tom Sayers and
the actress played under the name of
Mrs. John G. Heenan.
At the hight of her success Mrs. Mem
ken married "Orpheus c. Kerr" and
the couple toured the West, the third
time bride scoring new triumphs in
"Mazeppa."
In 1854 she went to England, leaving
her husband In New York. He never
saw her again, for, shortly after land
ing, her heart warmed toward Can't.
James Barclay of California, who had
followed her thence. and poor. Newell
was discarded.
Mrs. Menken, or whatever her name
was at this time, found favor in Eng
land, and she became a force in liter
airy and dramatic circles. She dedi-
Gated book of verse to Charles Dick
ems, and the great novelist became a
warm friend of the poet-actress. Every
where she went she attracted atten-
ton and admiration. She became a
famous parsonage There were none too
great to pay her homage. She was pho
tographed with Swinburne and after
ward with Dumas in Paris. There she
had other followers, too. Charles
Fetchter, Howard Paul. the Duke Of
Hamilton, the Duke of Edinburg, and
among her admirers were Jenny Lind
and George Sand. All this time her