Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-01
THE LATE GEORGIA CAYvAN.


Jurors the great Lyceum company ere
Ated all over the land when Miss cay
van, Kelley, Miller. Wheatcroft, lie
Moyne and the others were ASSOCIATED
together under Dan Frohman's man
lgement. Those plays and players
marked an epoch in the history of the
American drama such as It has not
since known. and II IL fitting that more
than passniA should he made
Of the woman who more than any
other one OF her associates, lent lustre
to the Lyceum name.
AS most OF her old friends know Miss
Cayvan for several years has been con-
lined in a sanitarium, her mind shat
-ered, waiting for the Inevitable end.
The pathetic story of how she was
stricken, the scoundrelly way In which
aer fair name was smirched, and much
Of her pathetic career are contained In
the following well written account,
compiled by a close friend, after she
had been committed to the sanitarium.
Miss Cayvan is dying OF love-love
Of her good name. In her pamiest days
she was called the proudest woman on
,he stage" The phrase seemed 90 fit
her. Her individuality was noticeable,
md her personality, far more subtle
luality with its magnetism, strength,
'oolheadedness and warmheartedness,
made her a favOrte with the public
md those of her own profession.
But with this strong personality Miss
Cayvan always kept about herself an
,ir of reserve, an atmosphere of inde-
oendence. that did not detract from
Ter charms but served TO keep her
name for years free from the many
title rumors, reports and gossip that
100 often unfortunately attach to the
equation of women In public life, She
aid once to a friend In Chlcago-in
he very heyday OF her fame
II care more about my good name
than anything else"
II seemed most singular then that
after two decades OF strenuous stage
life her name should be the first to be
singled out in one Of the many notori-
Gus New York divorce suits, and that
she should be accused in the proceed
lngs that separated oliver Sumner
Teall from his wife, formerly Miss
Florence Bissell of Orange, n. j,
The testimony offered by the counsel
for Mrs. Teal and against Miss Cayvan
never had support a discharged col
ored servant Of Mr.. Teall's pretended
10 tell great many things against her
which are now known to have been a
mass of lies. Al first Miss CSyyan did
not even know OF the charges against
Ner. When she did hear them the harm
was done. Her name and honor were
dpubted-that which she held dearest.
she could not enter the courts to de-
rend herself. but the newspapers came
10 her aid.
Through them she denied the charges
made The Professional Woman
League, the Mary Arden Shakespeare
club, sorosis, the West End club, the
Woman's Republican club. all Of New
York. defended her with as deep SIM
cerity and earnestness as though they
Themselves had been accused. Mrs
William Tod Helmuth, Mrs. A. NJ
Palmer Miss Viola Allen and others
publicly declared their belief In the In
nocence of Miss Cayvan.
1T will be almost laughable" she
said to them, when the truth is
known"
She held her courage No matter what
she suffered inwardly. she held her
head high In the first hours Of her
trouble. SO great was the feeling
aroused over the accusations brought
against her that court was finally con-
vened that she might tell her story-a
thing never before permitted TO wo-
man In her position. She came Into
court. The charges against her were
shown 10 be false, II was proved that
Mr.. and Mrs Teal had arranged two
years prior to get u divorce and that
Mr.. Teall had been ignorant OF the use
OF Miss Cayvan's name IN the suit until
too late to have II withdrawn without
her knowledge.
At the end ~ the trial Mrs Teall's
attorney publicly apologized for hav-
Ing permitted Miss Cayvan's name to
be used. Everything possible was done
10 give her back the honorable place
she had held IN the past.
1T want 1t all forgotten rs soon rs
possible-forgotten by the public.
myself can never forget It," she said,
and her eyes Allied with tears. Mean
while she had formed company OF
her own and was starring through the
states. A New England manager had
offered to back her, and she hoped 10
recover her health. forget her troubles,
regain her old place and make enough
money to give herself nest egg for
a rainy day. But II was too late Her
heart was not IN the work. She had