Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-05-28
A CURIOUS FATALITY.

Monday contained the following:
Mrs. Harold Frank Underwood is on
her way to Europe.
Mrs. Underwood Is bride of only
little over three months. She Is one OF
the most beautiful young women of
Indianapolis. She is daughter OF
prominent and well-known family Of
GreeDsburg, Ind, where her parents
have resided for half a ceLtlry. Al
together she Is not unlike other women,
save, perhaps, tbst her beauty is great.
er and her culture more apparent. Yet
for five years fatality has pursued her
at every turp, which only two weeks
sgo eliminated 10 the tragic end OF her
husband and her own widowhood.
Now, to escape the gossip which un-
kind tongues have raised, and to seek
relief from her grief, she is en- route to
Earope.
Mrs. Underwood is 26 years Of age.
She lie q graduate of Inoisna Univer-
sity, and also OF the Boston Conserva-
tory of Music. 1t wss in Boston, In
fact, that the first tragedy In the life Of
Mrs Underwood, then only 20 years
of age, occurred. While she was q stu
dent In the musical school she
me; Richard Brigham, wealthy
resident of one OF the old city's most
fashionable suburbs. A few weeks
later she met Leonard Rice, young
men who had only reached his major
ity and whose wealth seemed limit'sss
B,ta men were in love with her.
She preferred Brigham and became en-
gaged to bin. Just before the day
fixed for the marriage he disappeared
"a completely from that moment as
though the earth had opened and
swallowed him. Search instituted by
his relatives failed to discover his
whereabouts. Not even bis baggage
could be traced.
Later in Greensburg Mrs. Underwood
met DR.. Stanton and after short
couit,hip she became engaged to him.
she was again doomed to dissppoiDt-
mebt A short time before the day set
for the wedding DR.. Stanton also dis
appeared. From that time TO this he
has never been heard from. No proof
of his death was ever presented; but
year ago his widowed mother received
the insurance on his life. Legally, DIR.
StaLt 10 is dead.
10 the meantime, quite aside from
any connection, however, with Mrs.
Underwood, Rice, the Boetoa million
.eire, who vas an applicant for the
LADY Is hand at the time she became en-
gagged to Brigham, came to violent
end. He WAS thrown from his horse
aud his neck WAS broken. Ga the day
of his death he bad written 10 the To-
diana girl, again profferiDg bis love and
asking her hand 10 marriage.
10 Csliforuis, 1t ia limited by Mrs.
Uuderwood's friends, during her two
years' sojurn there, another man fell 3
victim to the terrible fatality that
seemed to pursue her suitors with re-
lentless fury. Whether there is any
tru b 10 this or not Is not known. 1t Is
certain, however, that shortly after
Mrs. Underwood's return to Indiana
she went 10 Indianapolis, where as be.
fore she met man whom she learned
to love and to whom che gave her
bsnd. This man was Harold Frank
Underwood, popular among his friends,
we'll to do, and OF exemplary character
and behav or. 10 me the two were
betrothed. The wedding day was 81 t
and toree months aud q half ago the
ceremony that uni.ed them as man and
wife was observed 10 Indianapolis. h,
AT last, it was thought, the young
woman had rid herself OF the chain Of
unfortunate circumstances that seemed
destined to ruin her life. The honey
moon was no sooner over than the
friends of the young husband began to
note that he was no longer the man Of
exemplary behavior and spotless char
aCtsr. He sank deeper and deeper into
| dissipation, until 1t seemed hardly
probable nat the three months bride
would COT tDus ID live with him. a
divorce WAS predicted, but, although
such ao,ion was contemplated, f,
and before the psptrs could be
6ied, Underwood gave It out that he
wss called away to Denver to look
at 81 some mining property.
At Denver, shortly alter his arrival,
young Uoderw committed suicide.
He blew his brains out without leaTing
40, thing by which be might be inden-
tisd. Bis absence sndisllence caused
sn Investigation, and Il wss found that
the Denver suicide was Underwood OF
Indisnspolis,