The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-25


was supposed to be a prisoner in the stu
dos, and the girls temperance, her
marriage, and her tragic death after her
husband had cast her off when he dis
covered that she had been the playthins
Of a great artist, were sensations in their
day.
Most of Guests Still Alive.
Susie Johnson is dead stanford White
Is dead But most of the guests invited
TO that dinner are alive and are holding
craft.
The dinneT-at that time referref to as
the S5,5oV champagne dinner, i'm which
stanford White figured so conspicuously
was given by Banker Henry G. Poor in
the famous studio of James L. Breese.
No. West Sixteenth street in honor of
john Elliott Cowdn, the noted polo play
er, VINO then divided championship hon
ors with Foxhall Keene- Breese was then
the foremost carbon photographer in the
country. Mr.. Poor gave the dinner to
celebrate the tenth anniversary Of Mr.
Cowdfn's marriage.
The list of invited guests as given out
at the time. was: John Elliott CoWdin.
the guest of honor; Robert Bacon, now
assistant secretary OF state of the United
States, then member of J. p. Morgan &
Co. and brother-in-law of Mr.. Cowdin |;
Stanford White, architect; William T
Lawson, banker; Rene La Montague
Thomas L. Manson. ir., broker; James
Barnes. author and editor: r. Suydam
Inns, a Boston artist; W. r. Mead and
Charles L. McKim. partners of Stanford
White; J. Carroll Beckwith and J. Alden
Weir, artists of reputation; j. Kennedy
Tod. member Of the reform committee of
fifty, George E Perkins, broker; John II.
Twachtman, landscape painter; Whitney
Warren Henry w. Poor and Henry c..
Mortimer, Wall street men; Augustus st.
Gaudens. sculptor; John Ames Mitchell.
journalist; Cooper Hewitt and Nicola
Tesla. inventor; Robert Reid. mural deco
ratOr: Willard Metcalf. writer; Henry W.
McNickar. society man; John Greenough,
partner of Poor: John c. Cheever, bust
ness man; William Aston Chanler. bro
Their of the present lieutenant governor,
and Charles Dana Gibson, the artist.
Girl Then an Artists Model.
Very distinguished company. indeed.
to which was suddenly introduced the
shrinking little girl from the Ninth ave-
nue. and Thirty-second street neighbour
hood. Sixteen she was then. of good
American stock. daughter Of a well-to-do
mechanic and a mother who had brought
her up in the way she should conduct
herself-lessons that apparently left her
small mind in the presence OF brilliant
men and great display.
Her girlhood was like that OF thOUs-
ands OF other New York girls until she
came to her 10th year and began looking
around for some means OF employment.
In an unlucky moment she met a girl
friend who had been posing as an artists
MODEL. 1t was then she learned that for
apparently easy work she could earn SIS
or $50 a week.
Susie Johnson was of medium height
plump pretty brown-haired. blue-eyed.
and with white even teeth. The story Of
her going the rounds of the studios is not
unlike Evelyn Thaw's experiences. Susie
became a fairly Well-knOWn figure in the
studios.
There Were Seventeen Courses.
Then she came to the turning point in
her career. She was invited to play
small part in the entertaining at the IA
nous dinner 1t was the occasion of Mr..
Cowdin's tenth wedding anniversary. Mrs.
COw6in was in Europe. Mr.. Breese had
offered his studio. There were thirty-twO
guests invited and the dinner cost $500.
or nearly Sl10 a person.
There were seventeen courses. and
was served with every course.
nothing but champagne from clans to
cafe 4 well known caterer served the
dinner and famous decorators and flor
lists provided the interior decoration OF
the studio.
Two well known artists models were
present, and four banjo players anu Tour
jubilee singers had been engaged to keep
the music lively If there were signs of
tagging at any time.
The men were beginning to light their
cigars when there came knock at the
door and. in response to an invitation to
enter. the door swung open and six
walters walked in. carrying on their
shoulders an immense pie With much
ceremony Ii was deposited, on the table.
The guests were given brief interval to
view the plea round pastry. huge. and
covered with a deiectabie-a appearing
crust. The head waiter cut the crust
with a silver knife and then suddenly
susie's Head Appeared.
From the center. OF the pie popped The
head of Susie Johnson. The crust fell
back and twenty-fouT canaries flew twlt-
tariar about the room. while the little
model stood up. covered only by the &C
eentuated simmer OF black gauze-
Percl1ed in her hair was biackbird
As the orchestra struck up the sounds
IF -Four and Twenty Blackbords Baked
IN q pie Susie was lifted from the pas
try amid thunders of applause
il was the original touch that gave
-olor to the evening and the cheers were
- much for the pretty little blaekbird
IS for the man who invented the novelty
EVELYN Thaw says Stanford White vas
he man.
The girls reputation was made from
that night :. ENGAGEMENTS TO pose were
The day was no longer long
anourh. She told her mother she had
Deen asked to pose by electric light for
ar artist who had written her 10 come
IN the night Of Sept. 5. 1895 The girl
-eturnef early the next morning. She said
,hs had STAYED at a dinner With two other
siris. She did not say they were not mod
Two DAYS later she disappeared and her
heard no more of her They APP
oeaIed TO the police. charging that their
daughter was held somewhere in some
studio building. One man they seemed
70 have in mind, but his name was not
The case dropped out of sight and was
forgotten until Susie Johnson's marriage
- (