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

given her By her husband, she was dis.
tressed to discover that he had wll!ed
$4,000 900 for the founding of a home
for aged men in Chicago, leaving only
100000 TO his widow, under an ante
nuptial agreement.
She Began a Legal Contest
Already, a fcck Of adventurous had
gathered about her, and they advised
her to fight the provisions of the will.
She began legal contest, asserting
the marriage contract had been made
while she was ignorant of the wealth
of her future husband. She obtained
a settlement of $l,000,000.
She brought her beauty and wealth
to Paris as soon as she had won this
part of Kings estate, and engaged
apartments that had been occupied by
Emma Eames. She paid $4,000 month
for the apartments, and entertained
lavishly, most of her guests being
Americans.
In this gay circle were found many
woorrs, among them Count Hippolyte
de Serre and other titled foreigners.
but she gave her heart, a $4,000 mar
riage gift and $4,000 annuity to DR..
Perry Chance, ar American dentist and
a brother of Wade Chance, wealthy
banker, we'll known socially both in
Lordon and New York.
Three years later, in 1912, Mrs. King
Chance left her husband after a quarrel
and came TO the United States. He fol-
lowed Yer. and there was a reconcilia-
ton, destined TO be of short duration,
however. and she divorced him.
har tat m ka M ira y
Mrs. Chance, who now resumed her
name of Mrs. King. had been a frequent
visitor at Monte Carlo and other fash
ionable resorts. There she had made
the acquaintance of group of men
who dazzled her with their polish.
Foremost among them in her good
graces was Thomas Marsh, and when
she left Paris for America Marsh fol-
lowed. From this time Mrs. King was
never free from the domination of one
or more adventures, each bringing at
tenddnt parasites.
Marsh is said to have follewd Mrs.
King TO Chicago, where he persuaded
her not to see her relatives. The lat
ter, aprehensive, engaged three detect
i've agencies TO prevent closer intimacy
between the two. They had her physi-
of managing her affairs.
One of the agencies sent out as its
representative CASTOR Bullock Means,
VINO was destined to play such a large
part in her subsequent career. Means
is said to have brought about reunion
with her family and to have saved her
a large sum of money.
Means Employed as Secretary
II is known, at any rate, that Mrs.
King regarded Means with the greatest
admiration, and that he left the de-
tective agency shortly TO enter her en-
ploy as confidential agent and secre-
tary. Il is said Means's wife, Julie
Patterson, Of Chicago, was a friend of
Mrs. King, and that this circumstance
had influenced her in engaging him to
handle her financial affairs.
Mrs. King, Means and his wife, Mrs
Melvin and Mrs. Robinson, sister and
mother, respectively, of Mrs. King,
moved three years ago 10 apartments
at 1855 Park Avenue, New York. Events
from that time on have been detailed
largely in the stories Of the inyestlga-
lions into her death.
Briefly, she gave the control Of her
money matters into the hands Of
Means. Last December, while she was
at Battle Greek, she displayed the first
signs of doubt in the wisdom OF this
course, when she said 20 a companion:
bud Castor Neans) has all my
money, and is paying all my bills. l
only hope he's all right"
These misgivings were the exception,
however. and she was accustomed at
all times 20 sign blank checks, which
she gave 70 Means without troubling
TO follow their disposition. She even
signed over powers Of attorney, docu-
ments which put all her stocks abso-
lutely into the hands OF her secretary.
During her stay in New York many
men of prominence paid Mrs. King at
tention, but always they were warded
of. Mrs. Robinson, the mother. en-
gagged Means 70 investigate each sutton,
and invariably the report was TO the
effect that the man was seeking Mrs.
Kings money and had an unsavory rep
Centre Of Luxury and. Joy
Everything was done, meanwhile, to
surround Mrs. King with a screen of
luxurious pleasures. She was made the
cantra nj continuous festivities in New