The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-05

IVI
Marriage has ever intrigued Ro-
berta since she was a school girl.
Thrice married and thrice divorced
in thirty years, she confessed that
even with that record she had ac.
cepted only 1.-THE OF the
chances offered her.
Roberta Menges was a product
Of Sheepshead Bay in a period
when that tiny section OF the me-
tropolis was a community in It.
self, ruled by the clenched fist of
John Y. McKane, the boss who
boasted that he elected BENJAMIN
Harrison in that tightly.contested
election. The old Sheepshead
track, thcn the most beautiful race
course in America, was Roberta's
playground.
Her father owned a small string
of horses-there was none 80
humble then that did not own at
iedSl Oil HitcicSl III d running
horse. Coney island was just
across the old wooden bridge. and
1t was a different Coney island
from that of today, too!
HER FIRST ROMANCE.
Halsey Corwin, a gay Lad, the
son of the comptroller OF the Old
city Of Brooklyn, was blazing
through the Bowery then, spend
ing his fathers money with the
prodigality of a pirate on shore
leave. He was the angel Of Coney
island, an angel in the common
or theatrical sense of the term.
with a bit Of reverse English on
the dictionary definition. He and
Roberta met at a dance hall.
Four days and four nights pass.
ed before either came up for air,
and in the interim Morris Menges
had sent out a general alarm,
charged Corwin with abduction,
and kept the case on the front
page, last column, under the big
, gest headline.
So they were married and lived
unhappily after, but the wedding
feast at the old Clarendon Hotel,
opposite the Brooklyn post office,
is q festival that is still recalled in
contemporary annals. Anna Held
was reputed, rightly or wrongly.
to have bathed only In pure cream,
but Mrs. Menges.Corwin, to show
her speed, bathed her lapdog in
champagne In the tub Of the
Clarendon bridal suite. Between
the dog and the guests and the
bride and bridegroom, to say
nothing Of the visiting firemen, It
was estimated that 900 bottles Of
champagne were sent on their
last journey that fateful evening
and not a casualty was reported.
AFFAIR TOO SWIFT.
But the affair was too swift to
last. The youth was swept off his
feet by the momentum Of his bride.
She hit only the high points then,
as now, and she hit them with
youthful vigor. She said she was
lonely and terrified by the life he
led her, and he gallantly responded
that one John Jacob Aston was
absorbing too much Of his brides
attentions. Robertn said:
COCOON. mol Colonel Aston IL
a friend--nothing morer'
30 she divorced the youth and he
slipped down swiftly to the posi-
ton of ticket seller In q Broadway
music hall, always blaming her for
his downfall. Colonel Astor war
divorced soon after and Mrs
Menges-Corwin denied emphatical
ly that she was the correspondent,
perslsting In the statement that
she and the colonel were merely
lftOhus' ahc pupets III tHo Abtof
suit were never unsealsd.
TRIED FOR SMUGGLING.
Just about this time, Roberta
gained new distinction by attempt.
ing to smuggie into America a fur
coat.
The most powerful social and
financial interests tried to save
her, but the Government had com
mitted itself, and the exertion
proved futile. Roberta went "a
Jail for two days, the first woman
to be SO punished In Americai
Along about then Morris Menge.
suddenly hit itNrich, not in the
pool rooms, but In the courts OF
Law. whore his daughter had beer