Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-07-07
MRS, DEANS DIARY
COSTS $4,000;
SECRET FOREVER
Its Existence Causes Her to
Abate Demands and Accept
$193, $50 Instead Of
Widows Third.

Chicago. Special: The costliest diary
In existence probably, is one in the
possession Of Mrs. Suzanne Ella Wood
Dean, widow of the aged millionaire
John E. Dean, who died over a
year ago. The diary, which dis
closes the sensations of a spirit
ed young woman yoked for life
to sordid old man, is worth the differ
ence between s193,750, which Mrs. Dean
accepted as a compromise, and her
dover right in an estate worth 81, AGO.
900.
1t was the threat to expose the diary
In court that resulted in a settlement
of the action which has been exciting
Chicago for several years. Mrs. Dean
wanted her full share of her husbands
fortune, and her four stepdaughters,
near her own age, contested the suit.
The first surprise came when it was
disclosed that the vivacious young
widow had signed an agreement to ac-
cept $4,000 as her share Of her hus-
bands estate when he died.
The next was the acknowledgment
that the brilliant young woman had
captivated the aged millionaire with a
chapter in her stirring novel, "Shib-
boleth." The third surprise was the
diary which was produced in court.
That ended the suit. The widow baked
when counsel for the defense offered to
show by her own words what her mo-
tives We're for marrying the aged mil
lionaire, and what her experiences
were before their marriage.
Diary Was Suppressed.
Not for the world!" she shuddered
In the witness chair. II would give the
world to keep it secret"
Though the diary was suppressed,
81 s,,Xs, \. <~l.k
of Mrs. Dean are said to be on record
in a story which she herself wrote and
sold for publication. In 1t she tells her
wooing and of her final determination
to sacrifice all her ideals for money.
The story is narrated out of the mouth
of an animated sofa on which her WOO
ings We're conducted.
After passing through the first stages
of courtship the narrative continues:
1.-THE springtime of milady's pristine
youth was passing into the feverish
| summer of her more settled woman
hood, when much of her time was
passed in warding off the unappeased
demon of love.
She feigned nothing. There was
something of grandeur about her ca
prices. She never CLEANED flattery that
some women do in their golden youth
who hug the sheaves close to their
hearts till the dying day, when some
whisps of straw and chaff that
fall from their hands were but
a weary burden of useless stubble.
With an iron constitution a good
stomach and no heart. woman ought
to come into her own, of a certain hap
piness, with flying colors. have not
the weak or the tender nature that sue
cumbs, She said, and here she pounded
me hard with u strong but soft fist"
The sofas narrative follows the
young woman through the materiali-
cation of her dreams.
"A Calculating Machine"
Her mind now became a calculating
machine, to which every other faculty
must be slave" it continues. for she
had finally willed it So She decided to
marry for money. Oh, yes! Marriage
was necessity-for that alone bespoke
position that went without gain
saying.
The object Of her contemplation, the
latter day philosophy, was an old man
who had known her father from boy
hood. He had spent his whole life, so
they told me. getting money. Money