The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-21
Being Refused, Young
Pierce I vic At
tempts uicide.
STORY
TOLD BY FAT HER
Is Chief Witness in Suit
Brought to Annul Marriage
of Millionaire's Son With
Beautiful Betty Chapman,
Whose Career Has Been
Luridly Romantic.
tspecialito The Times Dispatch.

/ NNN ~ (so po ASltsl M
Sewburg. n. y, May o0.-Henry Clay
Pierce famous as head OF one OF the
Standard Oil subsidiary companies.
md many times a millionaire. told an
amazing story OF his son Roy's ex-
traordinary life and views OF matri-
mony in court here to-day. Twice the
young man attempted to commit sui
eide. MS father said, when $4,000 a
year was refused TO his actress bride.
Roy Pierce married the beautiful Bet
IS Chapman. whose romantic career
has thrilled Europe and America alike
Effort Is now being made to have this
marriage annulled. -
Theron Pierce, a brother OF Roy. and
a number of alienists. including DIR.
Carlos F. Macdonald. DR.. Charles 5.
Dana and DR.. William X. Draper. also
testified. Although aware that her
fate. es coupled with that of the mil
lioneire's son. lay in the balance hero.
Mrs. Pierce did not appear. Instead.
she contented herself with Issuing a
brief statement in New York.
My SON. said the father, told me
In December that he had met Mrs.
Chapman In Paris IN 1905. and in this
country later. He said he had mar
ried her. knowing her previous life and
character. In fact. he said q woman
- - 49, ~ Atstt=
The question Isl said my son. how
much will you give me to make, up to
her for what She is losing by marrying
me?'
Wanted to BE Sure.
Then my son told me that she was
receiving f25.0yo from another source.
which she would lose If she accepted
my son. an" she did not feel that It
was we'll to lie: the money slip away
from her until she was certain OF as
much through him,
III told my son she was dragging
! him down and pointed out the neces-
silly OF giving her up. He told me
that he was satisfied. He said he
wanted her and demanded that at
least $4,000 q year be settled upon
her as his wife.
II refused absolutely to have any
thing to do with It, and then he told
me that she had said she could get
$500 a week by returning to the stage
and using the name OF Pierce and the
facts OF her marriage. He said she
would do this unless e change took
place.
AZ that time Roy was taking from
thirty-Ave TO forty drinks a day and
was smoking forty TO sixty cigarettes
daily. In the evening. after I had
told him what my decision was, that
there would be absolutely no conces-
sion TO this woman, my son was found
unconscious in his room as the result
OF an overdose OF morphine.
we sent for physicians. and AFTER
a great effort on their part his life
was saved. This was about the s!tua1
ton until January 9 OF this year.
Then he renewed the subject OF money
AT that time he declared 10 me
mat he must have the money and
must know my decision in two hours.
l refused to give the money, and ROY
said that he could not live witbon+
her. and hat she would not live witb
MIN unless he rave her money freely.
he did not come down to dinner
mat evening. and ct 6 o'clock. as
ne mad not been seel., a visit wac
paid to his room. The doors wers
locked. Repeated knocks failed 70
orlns a response, and the door was
caOs m ne was again in an un-
physicians were called. and thAv
worked over him the entire nigbt ~
lore they were able to bring him out
OF the comatose condition he was ~
because of the drugs.
He Kept 7 a Diary.
IN ms room at hat time was found
z diary he had kept, telling of his love
ana eHeetion for Mrs. Chapman. with
a record of the places they had visited
and the evenings they had spent to-
sether. There were also several nv
perdermic syringes that my son had
used to inject morphine into his arm"
After he had left the stand Judge
Morsc!iauser asked Mr.. Pierce WHY he
had not brought the suit, instead OF
leaving IL to another, Judge Seager. as
the nearest friend. Mr.. Pierce said
that he had decided to have nothing
to do with the case more than he could
help.
Theron Pierce told Of a trip around
the world. during which Row had
twenty drinks in the course OF almost
every evening, and from forty to sixty
cigarettes a day. Roy. he declared,
m~isconducted himself in practically
every country they visited except India.
In 1907 he discovered that Roy was ad-
dicted to morphine.
The distressing physical and mental
condition under which Roy Pierce suf-
fered at the time OF his separation from
tho beautiful Betty was described by
Dr.. Carlos F.. Macdonald. to whose
sanatorium he was removed. Young
Pierce, DR.. Macdonald stated positive
ly, was mentally incapable OF contract
ing marriage. To this all of the other
a%lienists who later went upon the
stand unqualihedly agreed.
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