Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-13
DIED IN POVERTY.
Sylvia Gerrish, Once Stage Beauty,
 Passed Away in New York.


 Passed Away in New York.
 Arrangements for the funeral of Sylvia Gerrish, who died suddenly in the old Hilton mansion, on Morris Heights, New York, Saturday night, were made Monday by the friends who knew her in the days when the beauty of the little chorus girl was the toast of London and New York. The end of her eventful career found her but the shadow of her former self, alone and poverty -striken says the Evening World. Not soul was near to comfort her in the last hours of her life. and in direct con- Irast to the existence of luxury and ease which crowned the years of her reign in beauty's realm she passed away in rickety room where last August Henry Graham Hilton, who gave up rything for her, breathed his last.
 It was in 1889 that Sylvia Gerrish came to New York from California. She made her first appearance there at the old Casino. The piece was ''The Brigands," and although the young woman's name was on the pro gram she was virtually only chorus girl. Her remarkable beauty accom- plished it's work, though, and she awakened the following morning to find herself famous. Critics describ- ed her as ''the girl with the poetical legs" and discoursed at length on her childish face.
 One of those struck by the girls winsOme ways was young Hilton, then beginning a commercial career laid out by his father, Judge Hilton, who was the executor of the A. T. Stewart estate. Eight years before he had married Agnes Sanxay. She was cashier in his fathers furnish ing goods store in Brooklyn. but she was pretty, and his parents took fla vorably to the match. Society was astounded that he did not wed in his station but young Hilton loved the girl, and in the weddinfi bouquet her father-in-law placed check for $50,- 0UO.
 Judge Hilton made his son head of the wholesale dry goods firm of Hill ton, Hughes X company, and he started in life with advantages which seldom come. He was one of the handsomest men in town-six feet two inches tall-and there were few who could equal him in strength.
 His infatuation for Sylvia Gerrish was more than he could overcome. He tried after the first evenings per formance to get back of the stage and see her, but he failed. The following night he bought box on each side of the house and from these he shower ed flowers upon her. :.
 A week later Broadway saw. Hilton and the chorus girl together. Every where she was voted good fellow" for, notwithstanding Hilton spent money with lavish hand, she was even more improvident Fortunes ran through her fingers as if the supply would never give out. She squander- ed thousands and thousands--wore the best creations of London and Paris, had horses and carriages for every day in the week and lived in a style that was the envy of those who knew her in the heyday.
 Hilton's money gone, the love that existed between him and the chorus girl began to wane. She went to Lon- don and there scored great success in "Nitouche." In 1898 he sent Della Fox abroad with truce, and Sylvia returned to him. When the Thistle came over to lift the cup one of her slippers-a No Twas nailed to the cutters mast as a talisman., She was the talk of two continents.
 Six years ago Hilton's wife died, and a few months later he was mar ried to Sylvia Gerrish. They went | to live in the mansion his father had | built on Morris Heights. He died | penniless, and soon the home was divested of all its treasures.
 In October the mansion was sold to satisfy debt, and ever since the woman had kept officers away with the aid of big dog. She and her brother, George Rollins, were pre- pairing to move away. Where, she did not know, for she, too. was pen- niless, and her friends of old appear ed to have forgotten her. Saturday her brother went out for doctor. While he was gone she died, alone.
 The doctor said it was heart dis ease. There was not trace of her once celebrated beauty in either her face or form. She was forty-eight years old. and was born in a mining camp known as the Oak Flat, in California. Her name was Lillian Rollins. Sylvia Gerrish was her mothers maiden name.