The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-09-21
SUNG BY MRS. MAVERICK
"THE HOLY CITY" COMPOSED BY
HER HUSBANDS BROTHER.

Hosanna TO the King
Florence Maybrich, once sentenced to-
death for the murder of her husband
and now released. after spending
many years in an English prison, sing
ing the refrain of stephen Adams
popular sacred song, THE Holy City,"
says the New York Sun. But It is not
generally known that her voice which
first gave utterance to the strains
which were destined to become as
world famous as those of Sir Arthur
Sullivan's "The Lost Chord" or "The
Palms." by Faure.
The song was the work of the
younger brother of the man Mrs.
Maybrlck was convicted of poisoning.
Its composer was her most relentless
enemy and was mainly instrumental
In securing her conviction.
Few English composers have more
successful songs to their credit than
Stephen Adams. Few have made such
a fortune out of royalties as he. It
has been stated that Nancy Lee"
alone netted him quarter of a mil.
lion dollars. His Warrior Bold"
"Midshpmite' and "Blue Alsatian
Mountains" were scarcely less sue
cessful.
lie is now extremely wealthy, a
justice OF the peace and a member OF
the Victoria Yacht club. and he has
served two terms as mayor of Ryde,
Isle of Wight, in which capacity he
has frequently entertained the king
of England.
stephen Adams" Is merely the
name under which Michael Maybrlck
publishes his songs. Mr.. Maybrick be-
gan his musical career as baritone
singer at local concerts around Liv-
erpool. He is the son of a well.to-do
shipping agent of Liverpool.
He and his brother were widely dis
| similar in tastes, character and phys
| ique. The elder was weakling,
| feeble in mind and body, hypochon-
| driac, addicted to the use of drugs and
| with a mind fixed upon commercial en-
| terprises.
The younger, Michael, was a magni-
| flcent specimen of humanity, tall,
broad and athletic. or aristocratic
temperament, he quit the counting
house and studied music in Milan and
Leipsic. The elder remained at home,
always ailing, always scheming to
secure more wealth.
The brothers had only one trait in
yachtsmen.
Mrs. Maybrick was a good musician,
had a great liking for music, an ex-
cellent voice and love of conviviali-
| ty. Thus she drew together to some
extent the brothers who had drifted
apart.
| Her husband owned a fine yacht, a
| feature of which was a music saloon.
| There many well-known singers and
musicians we're entertained. Michael
| Maybrick, who had just leaped into
| fame as the composer of Nancy Lee"
but as yet had not gathered in enough
of the profits to indulge his passion
for owning a yacht, was frequent
guest.
1t was on one of these musical ev-
enings while the yacht was anchored
in the Mersey. that Michael MaybrIck
produced from his pocket manu-
script song which he said he had writ
ten that afternoon, while dreaming in
his cabin, and listening to the plash
of the waters. He had caught the in
! spiratlon of Weatherly's words, but
the voice part only had been jotted
down. The accompaniment had still
to be filed in.
Sitting at the piano, he yamped an
introduction and asked his sister-in'
law, Mrs. Florence Maybrick, to sing
"The Holy City" from the voice part.
She was an excellent reader, and
readily did this, he filling in ar ex-
temporized accompaniment.
Thus 1t was her voice which, for
the first time, stirred the air with
strains destined to become almost
classic.
It was some years after the trial OF
Mrs. Maybrick, and while she was
shut off from the world, buried with
in prison walls, that "The Holy City
was published and became popular.
Publishers to whom it was submitted
| tItlI ituhsI anu uNNAoiNN ~ WV
sombre in character and tone.
Bring us another Nancy Lee
said, "and name your own price. An
other waltz song with the swing OF
The Blue Alsatian Mountains would
be o sure winner. This is very fine,
but it isn't in the stephen Adams
style, and the public would not stand
for it,"
How erroneous was the judgment of
those gentlemen has been proved by
the popularity of the song. Before a
year had passed they were clamoring
for more of similar character. "The
Star Of Bethlehem" THE Valley of
the Sea-" and Children of the City
followed; but none Of them" equalled
the success attained by the song
which was first sung by Mrs. May.
brick. whose tragic history has at
length been brought to PEACEFUL
h, 81