The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-03
ED TO ESTRANGEMENT
Why Wife Refused to Attend
Him as He Lay Dying.
Young Woman Was Given a
Million Dollars.

New York. Jan. 3.-The World this
morning prints the following.
There are two amazing things about
the story of Charles T. Yerkes and
Emile Grigsby which. as outlined in
the World today are controlling fac
tors Ia the situation, partially revealed
By Mrs. Yerkes' refusal, until the last
minute. to go to the bedside Of the
dying dnancier.
One is the magnihcenee OF his pro-
vision for the young woman. Yerzes
had a princely idea OF INDUCING his
wishes in a. way to dazzle himself and
others. once his interest in the Ken
lucky beauty, Emile Grigsby, had be-
come a fixed idea in his mind he de-
termined that this interest should be
shown in a way to demonstrate that
he was not to be even approached in
sity-much less OutdOne by
anybody.
Million Given TO Girl
Never was a woman in New York
under the protection of a. great maker
of money made more to realize his
power to meet every wish that could
be gratided by money, and when the
time came for formal parting it was
characteristic of Yerkes to settle, as he
did, a round million of dollars upon
the woman as a recognition of her
claims, which were based upon ten
years of acceptance of his bounty.
The other extraordinary aspect of
Yerkes' protection of Emile Grigsby
was the latter's determined effort to
mark out for herself a social career.
Most audaciOusly she campaigned for
recognition by women who were in a
position to give her the qualification
that even Xerkes. long purse could not
buy-that is, place in the world.
Women in the position that Emile
q q
avoid, as a rule, contact with other
women who can snub them. Every
man in touch with social conditions
along Fifth avenue knew, or at least
formed an opinion which has passed
current in society for absolute knOWl-
edge, as to the relations between the
Grigsby girl and her multimilliOnaire
benefactOr.
Pointed Out in Public.
She was pointed out at the opera, as
such women are always pointed in
Paris, as magnificent beauty about
whom everybody may know but whom
nobody should know.
In spite of these really fundamental
conditions Of society. Emile Grigsby
was bent upon establishing a footing in
the houses of important families. She
met Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish on voyage
abroad. Mrs. Fish was not the frEt WO-
man Of position to be charmed, not
alone by the beauty. but by the evident
culture and wit Of the person who lived
In mansion that Yerkes had built for
her
Mrs. Fish showed the young woman
every attention between Southampton
and New York. She made plans to
which the socially ambitious young WO-
man enthusiastically agreed for con-
tinuance of their casual friendship.
On the steamship pier a man of Mrs
Eish's set met her and observed the
usual demonstrations between women
who like one another of Mrs. Fish and
Miss Grigsby-
"Don't you know who she is?" asked
the man.
only that she's a charming girl"
TASK somebody" said he.
Quickly Drops Acquaintance.
Mrs. Fish asked and then dropped the
girl. 1t would be almost tiresOme to re-
peat how often such episodes occurred
in this persons career.
The story begins in Kentucky. Louis
s1rIgsDy was man or family in that
state, where the clan instinct rules So
ciety To be his wife was to tbelOng"
to all that was most desirable in the
life of the south Louis Grigsby fought
for the contederacy. The wars end left
him with a position, the hard-Won til
tie of captain-and little else. He mar
ried, had two children, and died.
There was play on the New York
stage not long ago which dealt with
young woman who for luXury's sake de-
1iberateIy chose a life that robbed her
Of others respect. The young widow of
4aDLaln ATElE8DE Htu done TINS very
thing long before that play was thought
Of She went to Cincinnati. Years Ia
ter she was the most widely known WO-
man OF her class in that city, where that
class is under few restraints.
The Grigsbys were soon established
at the Hotel Grenoble here, living in a
style which showed no lack of funds.
They had an elaborate suite of rooms,
servants Of their own, a stable with
saddle horses and carriages for all the
r7FV n
Yerkes was a constant visitor. He
met Emiie's brother and made him
Eis secretary. No wish of the Grigsby
girl could be expressed but he set him
self to crafty it. The Grigsby women
maintained then, as they always have
since, a regard for conventions and ap-
pearaTces which may be said to have
been bred in them both. They posed
as cultivated and wealthy visitors tc
New York and could mention in q
casual way their relationship to dis
tinguished families in their old home
Yerlxes and his second wife had
given up their residence IN chicago
and made New YORK their home
Mrs. Xerlzes had found it impossible
TO make the Chicago mansion a center
of society. YerlIes was a member OF
guanv clubs but no social circle in thC
western city invited his wife to join it
H7he Yerkes family settled in the i'm
fnense mansion which had been bull
on Fifth avenue at Sixty-eighth street
Takes Girl Into Home.
Into his own homestead Yerlzes die
not hesitate to introduce this attrac
tive mother and daughter. Mean
while he began to build for Emilio
fsrfesbv a mansion not more thar
three blocks from his own home,
dwelling that men viii point out 70
years To this home, complete, readI
"a live in, Yerkes gave her the deeds
As 1898. She was then 10 years old.
As it stands now at the northWes
corner of Sixty-seventh street and Parl
avenue, Ct would challenge notice It 4
q four-story house, with 100 feet from
On the avenue and twenty feet deep Oh
sfxty-seventh street. One hundred fee
IS half a block. The house, even If +