The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-10-30
A WOMAN
IN ASTOR
TROUBLES
F O. K M z K "BELLE OF
SHEEPSHEAD BAY" Is
MENTIONED
TOOK FREQUENT RIDES
WITH HIM IN AUTO
Checkered Matrimonial Career
Of Roberta Menges Re-
called By GOsslps

NcA luAh, Ocl. oN.-lu cOnnei
tion with the suit of Mrs. John ].
Astor for divorce or separation from
her husband gossip today associated
the name Of Colonel Astor with that
of iae former Belle of Sheepshead
Bay She was Roberta Menges.
daughter Of Morris Menges. a turf.
man. but since her days or belleship
In the resort by the sea she has had
a checkered matrimonial career.
Il began with an elopement with
Halsey Ccrwin In 1901. Her father
had Corwin arrested. charging him
with abduction on the ground that
the girl was only 16.
Corwin was a son of the late Hal
sey Corwin, city treasurer of Brook
lyn, under Mayor Schieren. The
marriage of young Corwin and Rob
erta Menges occurred on February
20, 1902. when the girl had spirited
quarrel with her father, and was
disinherited.
In April, 1905, Mrs Corwin again
figured conspicuously N the papers.
She took handsome cottage at New
port. where Colonel John Jacob AS
tor was frequent visitor. Mrs
Corwin was seen often riding with
the millionaire on Surf avenue, in
his automobile.
Exclusive Natives Shocked
The circumstances caused consld-
cradle comment among the exclusive
natives.
The affair ended in Mrs. Corwin
abruptly leaving Newport when she
Is said 10 have been requested to va
cate her cottage
Shortly afterward Mrs. Corwin
boasted diamonds and rubies of the
first water which brought her once
more into notoriety.
In 1906 a Mrs. Elizabeth McVitty
and Alfred King were hailed to court
by Mrs, C0rwin, who declared they
were responsible for the theft of her
diamonds and rubies. valued at
$4,000.
Mrs Mcvitty and King we're dis
charged after King accused Mrs.
Corwin of having knowledge of the
/ whereabouts Of the jewels King
said the jewels had been given Mrs.
Corwin by one she called colonel" +"
( and that they had been lost on an
other occasion in England, when a
certain New York millionaire re-
deemed them with a reward OF
S25,0 900.
King further said Mrs. Corwin had
4 complained 10 him thar her husband
~ an fgr
tioning the colonel as correspond.
ent.
Mrs. Corwin was divorced from
\ C0rwin shortly after, and while In
Europe met aud married Arthur T.
Hill. an Englishman. who fought in
the Boer gar She was divorced
from Hill last spring.
Friend Of Mrs Ruiz.
Mrs. COrwin was close friend Of
Mrs Ruth Ruiz. who killed herself
in London recently after Alfred G
Vanderbilt began to neglect her. and
Is one of the clique which makes up
the Dorothy Russell, Florence Schenk
and Marie Drlscoll set.
Friends of Mrs. Corwin said today
that they did not doubt Mrs. Cor
wins hasty trip to Paris three weeks
ago might mean tnat she intended
to Join Colonel Astor on his yacht.
as she has been guest on similar
trips for the last three years.
Mrs Corwin resumed her maiden
name after her divorce from Captain
Hill.
Il know nothing about my daugh-
ter, except that she is In Europe at
the present time,' said her father
today
"You know lat young girls are.
They frequen como to grief by
disregarding 6t advice Of their par
ents Roberta has not been under
my protection since her marriage
with Halsey Corwin. She has been
practically Independent the last four
years. hence ! have had no intimate
knowledge of her associates or her
affairs"