The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-11-03
MANY VICTIMS OF THE
|Ll-0MENED BEAUuEU
vinton Welsh's Death Added.
to Its List of Mis-
fortunes.
o WEARS BALL GOWN


Occupied Nowport's Haunted Man
sion-Barreda Ghost Still
1=5r& Walks.
The death of young Vinson Walsh.
son of h multi millionaire. Thomas r.
Walsh. In the recent automobile acci-
dent. created no surprise at New port.
''The ghost OF the Beaulieu mansion
has claimed another VICTIM" the super
stitfous said. walsh should have been
warned by the experience of others
who have lived in that house, and
rather sought q howell than to live In a
palace that has brought only misery
and suffering on all who a occupied
It,"
This opinion is held not only by the
poorer classes of the most aristocratic
of watering places. 1t is held equally
by the most wealthy and cultured of
those who live in the wonderful man
sions that line Bellevue avenue.
Even those who are not usually CIV
record Of misfortune that has been the
portion OF all who have lived In the
historic house, 80 well associated with
William Waldorf Astor, Is amazing to
say the least.
The Washes bad only been in pos
OCooAo11 1IlS JulS y SNllIl1l1
weeks time from the day the famous
miner and business associate OF the
King of Belgium went to Newport to
begin his social campaign, his son Mrs.
James L. Kernochan, Harry Oelrichs,
Herbert P'ell and the beautiful Evelyn
Walsh, daughter of Thomas IT,, Went
plunging through a bridge spanning the
creek near Easton's Beach, and the
only son OF the master of the house,
who had scoffed at the idea of the
superstition, gave up his life, and the
other members of the party were more
Or less seriously injures.
1t ma have been merely coincidence.
But people could not be so convinced.
One such instance, they say, might be
accident, but when the entire history
Of a place is one succession Of mis-
fortunes and sufferings, the theory of a
curse is he only one that will explain.
Ghost Wears Bail Gown.
The ghost that haunts the Bellevue
avenue place is said to be hat Of a
beautiful Spanish of Cuban lady, IN
evening dress, who never appears ex-
cept after night, and then favors maxi
ing demonstrations when evening
parties or other social functions have
brought to the house the magniicently
dressed of Viewpoints elect.
At least n person has had a good
full view Of the specter, and was sc
mortified that he tainted on the spot.
Others have heard the rustling of silk
en- skirts, and have been witnesses to
on M natural basis.
1t was not long ago, before Thomas
E. Walsh had begun to lay the founda-
ton of his fortune by catering to the
wild rush of gold seekers that were
brought to his Grand Central hotel, at
Leadville, that the ghost came to the
mansion Walsh was later to u
In 1864 q wealthy Cuban, F. l..
Barreda, reputed to be worth untold
millions. Went to Newport and n
finest mansion that the town had rel
known. He kept his word. Beaulieu
was planned on q scale Of unparalleled
magnif1cence, and when 1t was opened
to h public IN a series of lavish social
entertainments, 1t was said that few
buildings in Europe compared with 1t
for the outlines and beauty OF its ap-
pointments.
The hostess, during most OF the Bar
reda occupancy, was his wife, blu later
there came to the mansion a wonderful
ly beautiful Spanish senorita of about
banQuets and social functions, n
Seemed for a time to rival Mrs. Bar
reda in the esteem of the owner Of the
mansion.
Suddenly she disappeared. and New
sort wondered. Nc explanation was
" given. though 1t is said that in
answer to a direct question, Barreda
replied that she had gone to Cuba.
Barreda shone for a time at New
port, and held the position Of United
States minister to Peru, and went to
the governments Of England and
France on diplomatic missions for this
country, suddenly lost all his wealth
and became bankrupt. Fifteen years
ago he died in a small town in New
York state. His widow returned to
Cuba, and the mystery of the disap-
pearance of the beautiful young Span
lsh lady remained unsolyed.
Some OF Viewpoints oldest residents
insist that a search Of h house would
disclose her skeleton somewhere be-
tween the walls, but no tenant has ever
dared investigate.
William Waldorf Astor was the first
wner Of the mansion after the builder.
Julia Grants Wedding Night.
It was thought that his purchase Of
the estate would change the luck. This
was in 1890. The Astors only occupied
1T for three OF o u seasons, and then
went abroad. Small secret was made
OF the fact that Mrs. Astor was unable
to bear any longer the nervous strain
OF the mysterious sounds that echoed
In grewsome terror through the long
corridors of the house after nightfall.
1t was Mrs. Astor who became the VIC
tim of the hoodoo. for shortly after
leaving the United States for England
she died suddenly and most unex-
pectedly, when she had reasonable
right to look forward to twenty-five
a more OF life.
Undaunted by the experience Of the
Astors, Calvin Brice, United States SEN
ator from Ohio. and reputed possessor
of millions, leased Beaulieu. The Brices
took with them to the historic. house
their $4,000 a year chef. and an Inn
mense retinue of servants. During their
stay they lived with the most ostenta-
tious display Of wealth, but death soon
claimed the head of the house. and 1t
was found that his unlimited wealth
was q bubble, and he left his family
little.
The fame of the Barreda. Astor and
Brice experiences did not deter Mrs.
Potter Palmer rom becoming a tenant
OF the mansion, and during her stay
It reached the greatest height Of bril-
liancy It q ever known. The mar
ftage of Julia Grant and Prince Michael
tCantecuzene drew within its walls a
WynNHn - ~~n. "a "a -SVFS--