The San Francisco call., 1909-11-12
MRS. STEVENSON
FAILS TO DENY
WR[CKINGHOM[
NOveIist's Widow Silent Regard
ing Charges Made by Her
Daughter in Law
Mrs. 0sbOurne Rei4erates Hem
ley Episode, Declaring 1t
Real Cause of Quarrel

keal CauSe or Quarrel
An absolute refusal orr the part OF
Mrs. Robert Louis Steve rs on to deny
the charges made by her daughter in
law. Mrs. Katherine Osbo u. ne, wife of
Lloyd Osbourne in which she was ac-
cused Of having been resp onsibIe for
rhe unhappiness and destruction of the
Osbourne household and also for the
enmity between W E. Henley, the Lon
don writer. and Robert Louis Stevenson
intensified yesterday the sensation in
The world Of literature.
While there was a belief that Mrs
Stevenson would refuse to discuss her
status in the domestic troubles between
Lloyd OsDourne and his wife, there was
a general expectation that she would
make a reply TO the declaration that
tie enmity between her hGsb band and
henley, his closest friend, was The di-
rect result OF her behavior. The only
denial came from Mrs. Isobel Strong,
her daughter. who generally dubbed il
as false. Mrs. Stevenson, who is at
her home at "Stonehedge." Montecito
would not comment on the accusations
in any manner whatsoever.
REITERATES HENLEY EPISODE
Mrs. Osbourne, on the other hand.
reiterated the Henley episode yester-
cay and maintained that it was the
true and only reason of the mysterious
dissolution Of the friendship of the two
great men. Her story was made the
more interesting by the additional
knowledge that the character of
Silver in Treasure Island" was drawn
from Henley.
Now that the secrets of the Ste
venson family are cropping out" said
AIRS. Osbourne, lit is just as well TO go
The fun length and do justice to Henley
1T must be remembered that at one
time Henley and Stevenson were the
closest Of friends. So near were they
10 each other. in fact, that Stevenson
copied from Henley's mannerisms and
physique in the building OF probably
lis most famous character. that Of
silver in Treasure Island. Henley
WAS genius who had practically
worked himself up from the bottom.
Added 10 his handicaps was an addi-
tional one -of having a wooden leg.
lie was a TALL robust fellow and,
apart from his lameness. a man of ex-
ceptional build and strength. His
afiiction seemed TO embitter him and
he was unfortunate in attempting TO
his manner Of putting out his hand as
il feeling his way. his ability 10 get
over the ground. were all portrayed
10y Stevenson in Silver. He was a
man OF great intensity and his affec-
tion for Stevenson was almost alb
normal
AFFECTION BECOMES HATRED
so much the world knew. Little
was known Of the quarrel between
the two men. brought about by Henley
accusing Mrs. Stevenson of pirating'
one Of his plots for a short story.
Stevenson naturally took mis- wife's side
in the quarrel and the friendship be-
tween them ceased. Henley's intense
nature brooded over the change. He
Vehemently declared himself to have
been treated unjustly. and the great
affection which he held for Stevenson
was transplanted by as great a hatred
and bitterness.
The men never saw each other after
the quarrel. nor did they take any
steps toward reconciliation. Their let
ters ceased and all that existed be-
tween them was dropped out of their
lives Following Stevenson's death
Henley came out with a vicious and
brutal attack on him in the Pail Mall
monthly. A storm OF indi gna ton swept
over England. Henley was lampOoned,
caricatured and abused by almost every
organ in the United Kingdom. The
London Punch portrayed him making
futile efforts to blow out the torch Of
knowledge and attainment held in the
hands of Stevenson, vino looked down
upon him with a plying smile. The
abuse poured on Henley was made the
more vicious because he was supposed
10 have been Stevenson's friend.
The fact Of the matter is that Hen
ley was not in his right senses. He
made the attack just before he died and
at time when he was in his last III
ness. His leg had been amputated three
separate times. and his hard drinking
had made him a physical and mental
wreck His predominant thought
seemed TO be around the Injustice of
stevenson forsaking him and of the
lost friendship. While in this condition
he made the attack.
JUSTICE TO DEAD MAN
of course. everybody agrees that the
attack was brutal and unfair Steven
son was dead and could not retaliate
firmly believe that had Henley been
in his right senses he would never have
made it and would have realized his
great mistake. He died soon after, with
the echo Of abuse ringing in his ears.
Now that he is dead and Stevenson
dead. it is just we'll in all justice
and charity. TO show the other side Of
one Of the unsolved mysteries sur
rounding the Stevenson family is what
became OF Osbourne. the first husband
Of Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson. Fol-
lowing his giving UP his wife to Ste
Nenson he disappeared. He walked ont
Of the Bohemian club one day and never
appeared again. What became OF him
has never been discovered. One story
was that ne was killed in South Africa
another that he was murdered in San
Francisco. and others that he is still
living. but there is no definite knowl-
edge concerning hfm.
Tomorrow being the birthday of Rob
elf Louis Stevenson. his old friends and
admirers of his works viii go through
the annual custom of casting flowers
around the monument dedicated TO his
memory in Portsmouth square. Today
the grammar and high schools will de-
vote an hour 10 the reading of Steven
son and TO a brief outline of his life
and writings. Mrs. Osbourne will de-
liver her lecture at Stanford univer-
Sity on Stevenson in the South Seas
tomorrow, and in ALI likelihood will re-
peat IL later in san Francisco.