The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-10-22
Jsrusaleml Jerusaleml
Hear the angels singl
HOsanna In the highest.
H a. 49, NrAnm


Hosanna 10 the King.
II 10 not difncult to imagine Mrs.
Florence Maybrick. 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 pop
ular sacred song. The Holy City"
But 1t IL not generally known that hers
was the voice which first gave utter
ance to the strains which were destin-
ed 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 young
er brother Of the man Mrs. Maybrick
was convicted OF poisoning. Its com
poser was her most relentless enemy
and was mainly instrumental In So
curing her conviction.
Few English composers have more
successful songs 10 their credit than
Stephen Adams. Few have made such
q fortune out Of royalties as he. II
has been stated that Nancy Lee"
alone Melted him a quarter OF a mil
hon dollars. His Warrior Bold"
'sAIidshlpmite.' and Blue Alsatian
Mountains" were scarcely less sue
cessful.
He IL now extremely wealthy, JUS
tice 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 Maybrick
publishes his songs. Mr.. Maybrick be-
gan his musical career as q barytons
singer at local concerts around Liver
pool He Is the son Of a welLtO-dO
shipping agent OF Liverpool
He and his brother were widely dis
similar In tastes. character and ply
Eique. The elder was a weakhng. fee
bic OF mind and body, q hypochOndri-
&C, addicted to the use OF drugs, and
with a mind fixed upon commercial
enterprises.
The younger. Michael, was a mag
nincent specimen of humanity. tall,
broad, and athletic OF artistic tenn
permanent, he quit the counting house
and studied music In Milan and Laip-
Kig. The elder remained at home, al
ways ailing. always scheming to se-
cure more wealth.
The brothers had only one trait In
common. They were both enthusiastic
yachtsmen.
Mrs. Maybrick was q good musician.
had a great liking for music. an ex-
eeIlent voice, and q love Of conVtviah-
~. Thus she drew together to some
extent the brothers who had driftsd
apart.
Her husband owned a hne yacht, q
feature Of which was a music saloon.
There many well-knOwn singers and
musicians were entertained. Michael
MaybTiek, who had just ieaped 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 a frequent
guest.
II was one Of these musical even
ings, while the yacht was anchored in
the Mersey. that Michael Maybrick
produced from his pocket a manu-
script song which be said he had writ
ten that afternoon while dreaming the
time away In his cabin. and listening
to the splash Of the waters. He had
caught the inspiration Of Weatheriy's
words. but the voice part only had
been Jotted down. The accompani-
ment had still to be filed in.
Sitting at the plano, he vamped an
introduction and asked his sistsr-in-
law, Mrs. Florence Maybrick, to sing
The Holy City" from the voice part
She was an excellent reader, and read
Ily did this. he filling in an extempoF-
Tied accompaniment
Thus It was her voice which, for the
Arst time. stirred the air with strains
destined to become almost classic.
IL was some years after the trial OF
Mrs. Maybrick, and while she was
shut OF from the world. buried within
prison walls. that The Holy City"
was published and became popular.
Publishers to whom It was submitted
A4SV4 N1sA NraN3t anu uGCAAESu II TOO
aombrs in character and tone.
Bring us another Nancy Lee I"
they said, "and name your own price.
Another waltz song with the swing Of
The Blue Alsatian Mountains' would
be 4 sure winner. This IL very hne.
but IL isn't in the Stephen Adama'
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 equaIed
the success attained by the song
which was nrst sung by Mrs. May.
brick. whose tragic history has az
length been brought to a peaceful con.