New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-23

"A healthy, normal woman, with nor
mai appetites and desires-and $1,000
600 that she did not know how to spend
or defend"
"a woman robbed of her right to
husband, home and children by the
combination of ignorance, weak VIII
and the evil influence OF her money"
These are opinions of people init
mate with Mrs. Maude A. King. whose
life, begun in poverty, famed through
extravaganza and ended in tragedy
that has set the wheels of justice
grinding in three states.
The story Of this woman, whose pas
sage through life was beset with plot
and counter plot. cabal and intrigue,
carries an odd, almost unbelievable
verisimilitude Of stereotyped tragedy.
Tie additionally humble birth that
begins so many nearly similar histories
was recorded forty years ago IN the
village Of Morrison, III. Her father,
small tradesman, had gone from New
England many years before her birth,
when the Middle West was in the in
fancy Of its wondrous upbuilding. Her
mother, Anna l.. Robinson, was OF the
same stock. Their family were four.
Besides Maude there were her elder
sister Mary, now Mrs. Melvin, md two
brothers.
Maude was pretty and wilful and, as
she grew up, restless. She was cult
ured in a degree and tasteful. She
had aspirations and ideas" as they
say in the Western small town, and be-
fore she was twenty she went to CHI
cago to study music.
Left Chicago for Home
Youth when il has beauty and ideas"
edges its way into the lureful circles OF
art. and sometimes when it is endowed
with wisdom it edges out again. The
Young Maude Robinson left Chicago,
and what she learned there, according
to her companions, left lifelong I'M
preston.
She went home. In her fathers
house she met Edward B. Hull, hotel
keeper of La Grange, H., and they
were married. AS Mrs. Hull she forgot
her ideas" gave up her aspirations
for artistic fame and settled down to
immemorial customs and service OF the
poor mans wife.
For two years she acted as cashier IN
their restaurant, and even as waitress
apparently contented with her lot. In
her active capacity she met many men,
and her pleasant personality and strik-
ing appearance brought her many
friends.
Among them was James c. King,
millionaire lumberman and stock oper-
ator of Chicago. 1t is said that King,
then past seventy, was immensely
pleased when the charming young wait
ress remembered the idiosyncrasies Of
his palate and deity anticipated his
preferences.
The girl soon divorced Hull to be-
come the wife of the aged millionaire.
Leaving her meagre income. she be
came tho mistress of the lumberman's
money chest. which turned out TO be a
veritable Pandora's box OF tragedy.
Youth and Age Marry
At the time of the marriage, in 1901,
Naude Robinson was twsrty-four, the
broker seventy-two. The union caused
A sensation in Chicago, wnere King was
well known. It brought the twice-mar-
ried bride into public notice in way
which affected the rest OF her lie.
The sudden accession TO afiuence
would have turned the head Of many a
far less impressionable girl. The mill
ionaire lavished every luxury OF dress
and surroundings and travel on her
Their California home was marvel;
their residence in Chicago among the
finest.
Paris supplied Mrs. Kings gowns,
and she went abroad herself to get a
trousseau and 10 continue her music
education. Automobiles, !. yacht
retinue Of attendants-ai! these served
10 transport the former waitress 10
world of impossible wonders,
For four years she lived thus. IL IS
known that during that period King
gave her outright about 100000. But
Il is also known that he kept the clos,
est check upon her financial affairs and
kept her from squandering her indie
pendent fortune or allowing some one
else to squander il for her.
Then, in 1905. he died. Mrs. King
still handsome, just twenty-eight, was
free. Although she had the million