The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-09
She Replies 10 the Sensational
Deposition Filed BY the Actor
IS SUING CLARENCE bruno
Claims Plays Were Stolen and He
Was Married While Dragged,
and Last That His Heart
Was Spllntered.

Melbourne Mcdowell testifies to an
untruth when he says broke his heart
said Miss Blanche Walsh in her dressing
room at the Jefferson theatre last night
where she was presenting her new play
La Madeleine"
The actress held in her hand a news
paper clipping of the sensational deposit
ton filed by MacDowell in Kansas City
IN connection with his suit against Clar-
ence NJ. Bruno. the theatrical manager
She spoke with some emotion in man
ner to give emphasis to her words.
Mcdowell, In his deposition, swears
that, in New York, while intoxicate he
was induced to sign bills of sale convey
ing the rights to the Sardou plays to
Bruno for $500. He asserts that fraud was
used in bringing about the transaction
and asks that 1t be set aside.
The suit was filed in Ramsay county.
Minnesota, and seeks to recover damages
and to restrain Bruno from producing
any of the sardou plays. Other sensa-
tional statements are made by Mcdowell
in his deposition. one being to the effect
that he was drugged in New York. put
on board a steamer and taken first to
Boston and then to Newport News, and
while still under the influence of the
drug, he was married.
Mcdowell, In an interview said:
Il have brought suit against Bruno to
set aside his pretended bill of sale of the
American rights to the Sardou plays. He
claims he owns these rights and that 1
gave him the bill of sale in New York
last July. thought was merely giving
him power of attorney to transact some
business for me while 1 went to Europe
for my health, but when returned home,
to my great surprise. l. found that he
claimed ownership of these rights
Relations of Business Character.
Discussing the case further, Miss Walsh
said:
Our relationship was purely business
one. We separated because he could not
refrain from drink, and appeared on the
stage drunk several times. The final
break came at Sioux City. when he was
so drunk he was speeches., and the cur
tain had to be rung down and the audi
ence dismissed. At Omaha his conduct on
the stage was also disgraceful.
LAS further proof that love did not
enter into our separation, I site the case
where two weeks after our season closed
and our co-partnership terminated, he
married the lady who since has been
divorced from him, as she claims, on ac-
count of his abuse and becoming intoxi-
Gated. My feeling for Melbourne Mac
Dowell was one Of sympathy, the same
as any woman would feel for a poor
unfortunate whose curse was liquor,
which he could not control"
Beginning of Trouble.
Melbourne MacDowelrs troubles began
with the death of his wife Fanny Daven-
port. He starred for a while with Miss
Walsh. She could stand him no longer
on account of his habits and cast him
aside. The next sensational episode in
which he figured was at Newport News,
Va He had been on a prolonged spree
In New York and In Baltimore and went
to the Virginia city accompanied by Mrs.
Wilhelmina Strauss. Baltimore divorced
woman whose husband had figured in a
gun play affair on account of one of her
escapodes. She lived at the Bennett hotel
In Baltimore and no woman in the city
was better known.
When the pair reached Newport News
the first thing they did was to engage
a cab. They then visited the mayor of the
oIf o,,1 = L.
to minister and witness their marriage
1t was never known whether The mayor
accompanied them, but the account of
their marriage was published.
From Washington Mcdowell flooded the
newspaper offices of the east with letters
denying the truth of the publication. In
less than ten days he wrote the same
newspapers letters saying the story was
true.
Next Went to Paris.
With Mrs. Strauss he next turned up
in Paris and more sensational stories
were sent from there. When Mr. and
Mrs. MacDowell set foot on land in New
York after what must have been a tenn
pestus voyage Mcdowell was arrested
and placed in jail on complaint OF his
wife. She claimed that be abused and
beat her and that he seemed fonder of
the society of several actresses on the
ship than Of her own. Shortly after
wards Mrs. Strauss was divorced from
him and returned TO Baltimore to resume
her gay career. Now comes the Bruno
suits for the recovery Of the Sardou play
rights and the accusation that Miss
Walsh broke his heart. The case will be
tried next month.
Mexican Sugar Crop Good.