The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-12
hETEORIC RISE
OF v. {. COREY
FROM OBSCURITY
Abandoned the Sweet
heart and Wife of
His Poverty.

Five years ago William Ellis Corey.
president of the United States Steel
Corporation, looked from a box in the
Alvin Theater. Pittsburg. across the
footIights at Mabelle Gilman. of The
Mocfing Bird company; four evenings
later he SECURED an Introduction 70 the
actress. and from that day the names
OF Corey and Mabelle Gilman have been
interviewer into one Of the most sem
sauonaI scandals the reading public has
ever known.
The fact that Corey practically de-
serted his wife to follow the actress
brought shame to the cheeks of his old
fashioned family and sent an arrow
through the heart Of the wife who had
worked with him and for him through
such poverty as only they knew, and
who had given him the same great love
in his days OF hardship and deprivation
as she had since millions were counted
TO his credit.
The Corey family, with the exception
of one Sister. sided with the heart
broken wife, while this sister. Mrs.
Riggs became the close friend Of Ma
belle Gilman, and later chaperoned her
during the singers long residence
abroad. where she continued her vocal
studies with Jean de Reszke
In the long series of chapters that
made up the famous Corey-Gilman
story there is n wealth OF romance and
pathos. The steel king, his faithful
wife and the actress were the three
figures that ever stood out I'm the public
eye.
Ms Corey Was Trusting.
A strange feature Of this romance
was shown in the way in which Mrs
Corey first became convinced that he-
husband had recalled the love ne had
given her in their youth and bestowed
IT upon the actress. From time to tiasc
stories had reached her that Corey was
attentive 10 Miss Gilman. but there
was always an explanation and the
troubled waters of their domestic life
were Gained by a husbands smile and
a loving word.
But one day a story came across the
ocean OF Miss Gilmans life as a music.
student ia Paris, and with the progress
sive spirit that characterizes the policy
of some newspapers. one Of the leading
daihes Of the East published d picture
of Miss Gi!1an reclining in a luxurious
" appointed boudoir. while behind her
al
of Corey. Ii was impossible to mistake
the likeness. Mrs. Corey Immediately
determined 20 obtain a divorce. and Tor
that purpose went to Reno. New. where
the decree was quickly secured.
William Ellis Corey was bora in 1855.
in Braddock. Pa, the center of the
steel and iron industry Of the new world.
He attended the public schools until ne
was sixteen. but soon became imbued
with the idea that he had had enough
schooling, and il was time for him to
20 10 work To this his father. an TN
pretentious merchant, would cons, Mt
only on the promise that Ellis woull
attend the night school The promise
was given. and Ellis Corey went down
TO the mills" the great putting, scream
ing little colony. of which he was one
day to be head. and which would place
him, a poor boy. in the front rank of
American millionaires.
Spent Nights in Study.
The youug boys days We're spent in
work, and his nights in study. He took
n special course in chemistry, and then
in mctallurgy. The intricacies Of these
two sciences were mastered. and there
were few. II any, that escaped his re-
tentive mind
One day bright-eyed young girl, six
teen years old, came to her old home in
Braddock to spend her vacation from
school. She was Laura Cook, known.
however. TO the Braddock folk as Laura
Cook Campbell, having taken her step
fathers name. The Industrious and
adaptable young worker In the Brad
dock mills caught sight of this merry
faced young girl who was already
known as one of Braddock's bellies. and
il was a case OF love at first sight.
This boy and girl attachment. how
ever. had to be carried on without the
knowledge OF the parents OF either. ana
both were drifting along in the happi-
nsss of loves young dream. when one