Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-10
SYLVIA GERRISH DEAD
HEROINE OF TRAGIC ROMANCE
HAS A VERY SAD END.

| NEW YORK, December 10. Sylvia
| Gerrish. tho trmer Casino star. to
marry whom George G. Hilton. jr., re-
| nounced a fortune Of many millions and
| thereby created one of the most extraor-
binary scandals in New York's recent social
| life, died at her home on Morris Heights
| last night.
| The actress. who had been destitute since
| her husband death several years ago,
passed away after q long illness caused
partly by want it is said, and partly by
| the sorrows that followed fast upon her
meteoric career.
Once a Casino Favorite.
Most New York theatergoers remember
| when Sylvia Gerrish was not only the
reigning favorite at the Casino, but was
! known from sea to sea. Few women have
lived such varied lives as she, and fewer
still have had the chance to wreck so
| many fortunes.
She was born away out west.just where
there is doubtful in the height OF her
fame she used to ,cll admirers story OF
how she was taken prisoner by the Digger
Indians, camped on a reservation near her
home, and reserved by the chief to be the
bride of that one of his three sons who
| should Guido the other two in physical
combat. The actress related that she was
saved from this fate because, after van
buck whose prowess seemed likely to win
her as his wife fell dead himself as ne
killed his second brother.
When she had grown up Miss Gerrish,
or Miss ROllius in private life, found she
could sing and became soprano in west
ern church choir. She was brought to New
York by ner brother, George Roilius. and
was the toast of the towr inside year.
Returning from trip abroad, where she
frolicked with English noblemen, she
sang in tights at the Casino one night
while all New York's bon vlvants and
Henry Graham Hilton lavished flowers and
gold upon her from the boxes.
Won the Heart Of Hilton.
Hilton was instantly smitten. He was the
son Of Judge Henry Hilton, adviser and bus
mess associate of the merchant prince, A.
T. Stweart, and many times a millionaire.
The father had married his son to Agnes
Sanxey a beautiful Brooklyn girl. and had
taken him into his firm. 1t was the Judges
ambition to have the boy control the great
err part of his fortune and the latter seemed
to be realizing his fathers fondest hopes.
- But the sight of Sylvia Gerrish wrought
ton began showering favors upon her to
the neglect of his wife. When she went
abroad he followed her, and he was always
at her side, SO completely captivated that
all New York saw and gossiped.
Hilton's wife Rugged her sorrow closely
until the shame, neglect and disgrace Of
1t all killed her. Her husband went to the
funeral and returned from the grave to his
courtship of the Casino star. Within a
few months they were married.
Hilton, ST., ragged, fumed, demanded an
annulment. and when his love-stricken son
refused, threw him out of the firm and
changed his will, SO that Henry, jr., got
only $4,000 when his father died.
Lived on in Extravaganza.
But Hilton and his actress-wife seemed
to care not a whit that the golden fortune
had been snatched from them. While their
money lasted they taught the town gay
lessons in extravaganza; when it was gone
they retired to big, bare-like house in
the Bronx, overlooking the Harlem. where
they lived quietly until the death of young
Hilton some years ago ended that romance
forever.
From that day Sylvia Gerrish hourished
no more. The former star went from pow
erty to want; she mortgaged the Mt. Nor
rs house. The jewels that admirers
showered on her in former days went to
buy bread, and a year ago her brother
George was compelled to go to her aid,
though he himself was very poor.
Illness followed on the heels of poverty,
for the pampered favorite of millionaires
could not stand the pinch Of want. Prema-
turely old and w-strcken, the decline
of Sylvia Gerrish was almost as rapid as
her rise. She died practically friendless
and alone.