The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-16
SAD ROMANCE IN THE
LIFE OF A HuMORIST.
Robert Henry Newell Held Aloof
From Men Grieving Over
His Affection.
MADE AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE.
Adah Isaacs Menken, Noted for
Beauty, Wit and Poetical Fan
cy, Attracted, Then Ruined
This Gifted Man. ~,
MADE AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. July 15.-In q room on the
fourth floor Of the handsome marble resi-
dence Of Mrs. c. 8. Newell. at No. 12s First
Place. Brooklyn. there was found yesterday
morning the body Of her brother-in-law,
Robert Henry Newell. a veteran newspaper
man, whose humorous writings under the
nom de plume Of .Orpheus C. Kerr" office
seekeD nearly forty years ago made him
famous all over the United States. How
long Mr.. Newell had been dead is a matter
Of conjecture, even by the Coroner's physi-
clan. Some Of Mr.. Newells neighbors say
he had not been seen by them for two
weeks. To-day the remains were buried
temporarily in Greenwood Cemetery.
Few OF those who read OF his lonely death
were aware that for the many years New
ell had held aloof from men he was griev-
ing over the sad ending OF the one romance
Of his life. Few Of those who knew him In
the old days recalled that for two years he
had been the husband OF Adah Isaacs Men
ken. whose beauty, daring wit. poetical
fancy and erretic ways had brought her
name into prominence throughout two con-
tinents. There was a strange side to the
character Of the gifted man, whose humor.
under the pen name of Orpheus c. Kerr.
has made thousands laugh. 1t was the side
talked little. 1t evinced itself when he took
to wife the dashing beauty. with whose
many vagaries he was conversant. hoping
that she would live to honor the name he
gave her.
Was Her Third Husband.
He was the third man whom she hao
called husband and her ties to MIN az in
courts. For the glare Of the footlights, the
applause which greeted her when, as
Mazeppa she was bound to the steed which
than a. any yea mans love- as than any life as an
honored wife.
Born In Spain in 1885. her father q Span.
lard, her mother a French woman. the CIR
whose fate 1t was In after years to pose al
a reigning beauty was dolores adios tuertes
when. at the age of T. she appeared IN
theater In Spain as dancer. Inc neXl
was her natured beauty that she had only
entered her teens when she was known as
the Queen Of the Plaza
Az a dancer she travelled through Texa:
and Mexico. breaking hearts and purse.
wherever she went. She was little more
than Is years old when, in New Orleans. she
WIDE nefice 0G she called them Memories
digena.''
Her first husband was Alexander Isaac.
in 1856. But marriage was failure to hel
Nashville Tenn, set her free and she re
turned to the stage. As If to give an illus
.tration of tho power Of matter over mind
she next bestowed her favor on John e
Heenan, one OF the lights Of the prize ring
She became his wife. only to be divorced
after three years
Became Nevvell's Wife.
It was the next year. in 1863, that sh,
| linked her lot to that Of Newell, who's,
charming writings and magnetic personals
ty had a rare fascination for her. To hin
! her wonderful beauty, her alert mentality
her superabundance Of vigorous ANNA
I spirits. had marked her as one apart from
other women. He thought her talents ant
| her life were being wasted: 1t was his font
| desire to direct the one into a better chan
mel. make the other happy and useful.
l 1t was merely the poets dream; the awak
I ening was not long deferred, and then tn
woman went to England, where, as Mazep
/, pa, she became the rage. Her Bohemian
| tendencies were not to be under restraint
| The stories Of her conduct reached Newell
and in 1860 divorce severed the strang
union.
| Thereafter this one tragedy was q close'
| incident In the mans life. The year ate
! their divorce the woman came to this city
! and Ma1eppa was her favortte part
/ Newell never saw her; his friends cease,
! their gossip about her and their play Of
! his approach. In. August Of that year sh
/ was married to James Barclay; two year
| thereafter she died In Paris.