The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-10-19
Startling Story
Regarding Madam
NordiCa'S Jewels

/
garding the late Madame Nordica, a
singer of much popularity through.
out the country appears in the last
issue of Musical America:
Did you see the story that the
jewels and pearls which Nordica left
as security with Mrs. Busch, the
wife of the millionaire brewer of st.
Louis had been found to be false?
There Is q tragedy behind that.
1t seems that just before she was
about to leave on her last and dis
astrous concert tour to the antipodes
Nine. Nordica needed ready cash.
So she went to Mrs. Busch who was
a very dear friend of hers and who
is a broadminded and kindly dispos-
ed woman, and asked her for the
loan of $4,000. This Mrs. Busch
readily gave her.
Then Nine. Nordica, 1t seems per-
maps with a presentment that some
thing might happen to her, insisted
upon Mrs. Busch taking as security
some valuable diamonds as well as
pearls that she had with her in a
box.
Mrs. Busch protested that she de-
sired no security, but finally consent
ed when she found that Nine. Nor
dica was insistent in the matter and
would feel hurt If she did not ac-
cept the security.
After Nine. Nordica's death, when
her executors Strengthened matters
out, of course this lean turned up,
with the jewels and pearls as secur-
ity. 1t was found that the pearls
were genuine, but that the splendid
tiarras of diamonds and other dia-
monds were simply paste.
The circumstances Of the case
show OF themselves that there was
no question but that Nine. Nordica
believed this jewelry to be absolute
ly genuine, for there was no neces-
sity for her to give any security
| WHATEVER, VIII the hiuuly otti'"uo
of Mrs. Busch.
Now arises the question whether
the jewels when given to Mhe. Nor
1ica or bought originally by her were
paste or real.
Knowing something OF the artistic
world, It is my belief that the jew.
els whether she bought them or they
we're presented to her, were origin
ally genuine, and that someone-per'
haps someone whom she trusted
had cody taken them and mad them
replaced with paste, and profited by
the act.
I say this for the reason that
have known of several instances
where this has taken place. There
is a great singer today, living In re
tirement, who believed, for years
that she was in possession of at least
half million dollars worth OF valu
able jewelry, which had been pre-
sented to her by friends, admirers
and by some OF the great personages
before whom she had sung, and ye'
nearly four fifths of all that jewelry
was found, when she needed none,
and wanted to realize on It, to have
been false-fake! The person who
was suspected OF this cruel wront
was one whom she had trusted FOL
years.
often wonder how the thousands
OF young women who are so ambiti
GUS of operate fame and who believe
the life of a great prima donna Is
bed of roses-now they would change
their minds, perhaps II they knew
the parasites that surround such
: woman; II they knew OF the cold
blooded treacheries to whom she Is
often subjected; II they knew Of
, the robberies that are made OF ner
properties. And how often, in her
old age, she is forced to give sing
ing lessons, when all that she has
earned In her life time is wept away
either by mismanagement or bad In
vestment on the part OF those who
were closest to ner!