Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-08
AGED IOWA PHILANTHRopisr AS
suMEs FATHERHoop TO
CHARMING YOUNG WIDOW.
NAVE PLANS 70 EsrAsLish
FARM SCHOOLS ron GIRLS
Coffin In LimsIisht in Los Angeles.
Where He 10 Credited - Preseason
Of Great WsaItt-New Daughter ;s
Former Newspaper Woman and 80.
eial settlement Worker.

Special to Times-RepublicaI-
Fort Dodge, July S.-The following
newspaper dispatch sent out from Los
Angeles Saturday night has created q
sensation here:
LOS Angeles, July 6.-By strange
and romantic metamorphosis Mrs.
Elizabeth Murray Newman. q charm
ing young widow residing at q local
totel. today became Miss Elizabeth
Murray Coffin mad the heiress Of mil
loins with which she Is to conduct
many philanthropic institutions in the
United States. One. and perhaps the
chief Of which. Is to be an Industrial
farm and an agricultural college for
young women to be located in Iowa.
1.-THE peculiar manner in which this
rich transformation took place was
thru the adoption of Mrs. Newman.
who is now Misc Coffin. by Lorenzo
S. Coffin, SO years old. OF Fort Dodge.
Iowa, one Of the remarkable philan-
thropists Of the nineteenth and tweH-
tieth centuries.
Girl Prominent Writer.
THE curious rise Of Miss Coffin.
newspaper woman mad magazine edi-
tor, to daughter and heiress OF a mill
Honaire and director of his fortune in
philanthropic enterprises is no more
romantic and promises career of no
greater unselhshness than the life led
by the man who adopted her. Withal.
1t is exenaplifcation of the saying that
truth Is stranger than fiction"
Miss Coffin, who was Mrs. Newman.
is the daughter of the late Senator
Murray Of Iowa. She first met Coffin
in Chicago moro than a year ago.
when she was Interested in social
settlement work In that city. She Is
known in the newspaper field in Chi
cago and other eastern cities for her
special articles on social settlement
work. She is also the author of a long
series Of short stories and Of beautiful
lyric verse. An admirer OF her poetry
10 James Whticomb Riley.
To Estahlish College.
when he first met her Coffin wanted
her to associate herself with him In
establishing an agricultural college for
women In Iowa, to be conducted in con-
nection with the university Of that
state. Her health not being the best
in the middle west she decided q few
months ago to answer q call to become
associate editor Of the West Coast
Magazine In this city. Here her health
was rapidly restored and here Cofhr
came to VISIT her. He at once fell II
sympathy with the plan Of his nov
adopted daughter to locate there al
agricultural college for women In OF
near this city as well as one in Iowa
Her adoption followed and they will
make their permanent home here, Attic
Coffn's interests will keep him in Iowa
part Of his time.
Twice before in his life Coffin has
adopted daughters. but the young wo-
men are now both dead and his only
kinship. He desires to have his many
good works continued in his name and
Miss Coffin is to do everything possible
within her power to see that his wishes
are executed as long as she shall live
Coffin Long Prominent.
Lorenzo 8. Coffin. of Fort Dodge, Is
one Of the best known social workers
among the wealthy class in America
Graduating from eastern schools he
came to Iowa and secured claim neal
Fort Dodge. He was soldier during
the civil war Later he was member
Of the state railroad commission.
He was the author Of national legis'
lation compelling the use OF safety de-
vices on trains Another work done by
the Iowan was the founding Of the
White Button temperance movement
He founded temperance association
among railroad men and was its presi-
dent for time He also helped found
home near Chicago for aged ane
disabled railroad men, and was also
president Of the Iowa Anti-Saloor
League. Mr.. Coffin was the prohibit
ton party nominee for governor in 1907
and in 1908 was the United Christian
party nominee for vice president.
Mr.. Coffin, 1t is known in Fort Dodge
is not q millionaire. He has given much
| to philanthropic work, and during his
recent sensational divorce trial 1t wa.
shown in court that Mr.. Cofans estate
did not exceed $4,000, and that a large
portion Of this sum was invested n
reaJ estate.