Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-09
Love COST HER LIFE
Why Beautiful Mrs. Latham
Killed Herself.
MISSED HER HUSBAND
Otway Latham, Virginian, Insisted
That She Abandon Her Art.
REFUSED AND DIVORCED HIM
Then Reaction Set In and She De-
cided to Die by Her
Own Hand.

NEW YORK, March 9.-Consuming love
for Otway Latham, her divorced husband
and brooding grief over his death six
months ago are believed to have caused
Nathalye Dole Lockwood-Latham,t the most
beautiful woman in the American artistic
colony in Paris, to shoot herself through
the heart on Thursday night, in her studio
in the French capital
Only twenty-nine years of age, known as
as the feminine Whistler because of her ex-
quste etchings and crayons, possessor of a
liberal private income, and with circle of
devoted friends. there seems no other rea-
son for Mrs. Latham's act.
Just after being graduated from fash
ionable school for girls in this city she was
taken abroad by her father, George w.
Lockwood. a wealthy retired lawyer, living
at 81 West 18th street They visited the art
galleries of England, France, Italy and
Germany.
Followed Her Through Europe.
In the National Museum in London the
girl and her father met Otway Latham, a
Virginian of good family. Latham and Miss
Lockwood had known each other in child
hood. but this chance meeting proved the
turning point in their lives. Latham fol-
lowed the girl through Europe, and shortly
after their return to America they were
married.
The love romance of Otway Latham and
his beautiful young wife continued until
she began to gain fame portrait
painter. At first she painted only women,
but soon she began to receive commissions
to paint men prominent in finance and So
ciety. Her husband grew jealous and de-
manded that she abandon her art. This
Mrs. Latham refused to do. and after sew
eral months of disagreements she secured
divorce.
Then the fascinating young Divorce be-
came a leader in the brilliant realms of the
artistic Bohemia of this city. Men in the
clubs raved over her beauty. She was pur-
SAed by persistent sutors, who offered her
their hearts and millions in money. But
she laughed at them all. She tod them she
was welded to her art alone.
Kept Wedding Ring on Finger.
Yet the wedding ring which Otway La
than had placed upon her finger remained
there until her death. After she learned
of her former husbands second marriage
she remarked bitterly that she desired to
keep the ring ever in sight as reminder
of the constancy of her art and of the in
conStancy of man.
Commissions came to Miss Latham to
paint the leaders of society in this city. A.
Muler-Ury, F.. Hopkinson Smith, Edward
Blashfield and William H. Funk pronounced
her ability in coloring unsurpassed and her
technique rivaling the touch of older
and far more celebrated painters.
Among the women in the -Four Hun
dred' whom she painted We're Mrs. Philip
Lydig. Mrs. John Jacob Astor and Mrs.
Stuyvesant Fish.
Her friends in this city brand the stories
that she was financially embarrassed as
absurd. She had, they say, a generous in
come from an estate willed her by her
grandmother and rentals of her studio at
No. 119 West 42i street. Her father also
sent her regular remttances.
One of the richest women in the Four
Hundred was an inllmate friend of the sui
eide.
"A cablegram from Mrs. Latham to this
FRIEND said person cognizant of Mrs.
Latham's affairs, would have resulted in
the forwarding of $4,000 if necessary
Willfully Took Her Own Life.
That Mrs. Latham had never forgotten
the man she loved and had married Is
proved by note she left upon her writing
table. when, gowned as if for some fete,
she fired a revolver bullet into her heart.
please do not accuse any one of killing
me- read the note. II have willfully taken
my own life. 1t is Impossible to live longer.
Please do not remove my wedding ring. 1
wish that 1t remain my finger as it has
since my marriage
That short message was the keynote of
Mrs. Lathams wrecked life. Persistenty
she refused to remarry.
''All men who really love their wives are
jealous of them" Mrs. Latham frequently
remarked after her divorce.
Jealousy on the part of husband
wrecks a, woman's career. Moreover, it
makes woman unutterably unhappy
There is no difference between married men
regarding this jealousy the world over
Short Of Money, Says Friend.
Mrs. Latham's body is now in the Ameri-
can Church in Paris. Passage has been
booked for Mrs. George Leventritt her sis
ter, on the Kaisern Auguste Victoria,
which sails today. Mrs. Latham is said to
have expressed a wish that her remains be
cremated. If this prove true, her wishes
will be gratfied.
Mrs. Lathams last letter from her 'father
was dated February II. In it the writer did
not mention money, but asked appealingly
If his daughter was not ready to return
home.
Mrs. Latham talked two weeks ago with
Nine. Grun, an intimate friend, of COM
hitting suicide. She said her funds were
exhausted and that she could not bear the
idea of returning to New York. But she
then promised Mime. Grun not to carry out
her resolve.