Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-08
YBRK Els LOVED WOMEN
WIFE OF DANISH MUSICIAN
WAS ANOTHER FAsCINATOR.

an-has been discovered who trod the prim-
| rose path of daliiance'' with Charles II.
Yerkes. This was ten years ago. and for
| three years she was a source of relaxation,
II not the idol of his heart. The attachment
disrupted a family and shattered the ideals
of famous artist, who abandoned the
country soon after.
The woman was a Mrs. Anna Hyllsted,
| wife of H. Hyllsted, an accomplished mu-
steal artist. The Hyllsteds were Danish.
They came to this country In the latter SOS
| and made their home in Chicago.
Mrs. Hyllsted was young voluptuous and
brimming over with health and spirits.
Hyllsted wore long hair, possessed the ar
tlstlc temperament and was eccentric. He
cared nothing for the frivolities of life. Sc
rious and studious, he was dull companion
for his pleasure-loving wife, who liked live
ly company and had a weakness for late
hours.
She Fascinated Yerkes.
Finally the paths Of Yerkes and Mrs.
Hyllsted crossed. and Yerkes became deeply
interested in her. Her vivacity, physical
charms and animal spirits attracted him.
Soon 1t came to the husbands and
there was a separation. Yerkes took care
OF the woman in his usual princely way.
She was installed in luxurious apartment
on the North side, and Hyllsted took bach
elor apartments in the Pullman building
After while he obtained a divorce, but the
name of Yerkes did not appear core
spondent The grounds named were deser-
ton and incompatibility.
Later Hyllsted disa ppeared, and 1t was
said he had returned to Europe. This was
five years ago. Soon afterward Mrs Hyll-
sted sailed for Copenhagen and passed out
of the life of Yerkes. 1t was said that
monetary consideration had induced her to
yearn for her native land.
Loved Women and Children.
J. w. Helm. for thirteen years secretary
Of the North Division railway, with a desk
most of this time in an adjoining room to
Yerkes. said:
IF the character of Yerkes could be
analysed like piece of ore 1 am sure
1t would assay higher than that of the
average man. 1t is true he had a weak
ness for women. Many times have heard
him say. God bless them ALL But he also
loved children l remember one time in
the Pennsylvania station in Phila delphia he
spied little girl of ten waiting for some
one and holding a bundle Isn't she
lovely pdcture? he said. He spoke to her
and patted her on the head and gave her a
dollar.
Il believe many OF his relations with
women were platonic. He liked to have
them around him. For many years here
IN Chicago he and Mrs. Yerlles were like
pair of lovers. He always carried heI
photograph in his pocket and he had an
other on his desk. She was Mary Ade-
iaide Moore, and her father was for years
an expert chemist for Powers & Weight
man in Philadelphia. His first wife was
Susan Gamble of Philadelphia They APP
pear to nave been an ill-assorted pair.
a Bundle of Contrarieties.
He was a bundle of contrarieties in
many ways. When he went to prison Rob-
ert Laughlin, who was his friend and bust
ness partner. paid Mrs. Yerkes 500 a month
and went to see Yerkes in prison as often
as the rules would admit, carrying him
delicacies and cheering him I'D with pic
lures of a bright future
FINALLY Yerkes came to Chicago and be-
came millionaire, while Laughlin struck
the toboggan to bankruptcy in Philadel-
phta. He came to Chicago and Yerkes
made him vice president of one of his
trac5ion Nnes. 1t was sinecure that Of
fered a good living. Then Laughlin got
into an ENHANCEMENT with a woman and
ierkes summoned him. After confessing
his faults and admitting he was wrong
Ierkes discharged him. and he left the
city a broken man.
Il never saw the Grigsby girl but once
She came here on a visit seven years ago,
and l think came into the Office with MI
ferkes. A piano manufacturer whom ]
met on one Of my trips to New York told
me that some manufacturer. 1 forget whom.
had delivered an $4,000 piano to Miss
specially constructed, inlaid with mother
of pearl, and artists were brought from Eu-
rope to design and decorate it.
Regarded an Easy Man.
"Yerkes was pestered by women all the
time he was in Chicago. He was easy for
charity workers but under the guise of
charity many with other plans and schemes
came down on him. For years when he was
in command Of the traction situation here
he paid all his men who were Ill or in
jured one-thfrd OF their regular salary
Mrs. Yerkes was equally charitable, but
she grew to dislike Chicago so that she
would not live here. 1t was then the house
on 9th avenue was built. She took posses
sion of 1t five years before her husband
left Chicago. He made frequent trips to
New York, but l believe the culmina ton
of the estrangement between the couple
dates from the time Mrs. Yerkes went to
New York. He did not smoke or drink and
he was not clubman. He cared nothing
for books or amusements. He spent his
leisure hours in planning out future work"