Evening star., 1932-02-25
|MRS. |. F. WALSH
| L. DIES At HOTEL
Widow of Mine Capitalist a
Prominent Figure Here
for 80 Years.


internationally known mining king of
quarter-century ago, and for the past
30 years a leader Of society in the Ma
tional Capital, died early today at her
apartment In the Mayflower Hotel.
With her at the end was her daugh-
ter, Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Mclean. es-
tranged wife Of Edward Beale Mclean,
publisher Of the Washington Post.
Mrs. Walsh had been i'll for the past
three weeks. Her condition had grown
steadily worse for the past few days
and she died about $50 O'Clock this
morning, with Mrs. Mclean at her bed
side.
Decorated by King ALERT.
Thus passed one Of the Capitals most
illustrious social luminaries-a woman
whose rise to the pinnacle began with
her marriage to a gold proSpector and
hotel owner in a little Colorado min
ing camp and continued when her hus-
band moved to Washington, capital
ist, in the late COS.
The crowning achievement In a life
devoted to philanthropy and civic i'm
provement came in 1919, when King
Albert OF the BelgianS decorated her
for her untiring services In the World
War. The decoration was pinned to
her bosom at dinner in her home
given in honor Of the King and Queen
by Mrs. Walsh and Vice President
Marshall.
Since 1900 she had lived at 1920
Massachusetts avenue, a mansion built
by her husband and which, since its
erection, has been one of the show
places OF the Capital. In addition she
mad maintained an apartment at the
Mayhower for the past four years.
Their house on Massachusetts, avenue
was under construction when Mr.. and
Mrs. Walsh first came to Washington,
quite sensation was created when 1t
became known that in 1t was being
built q suite for King Leopold,
father Of the present King Of the Bel
CLANS, whom Mr.. Walsh had known and
visited in Brussels.
Especially Arranged.
The suite was not more elaborate or
elegant than the other suites OF the
mansion, but was especially arranged
for the convenience of the King and
contained, it was said, Parian marble
basin and bath. The King was quite
old at that time and it was later de-
cided that the trip to America could
not be made.
1t seemed quite fitting that his son,
King Albert, and his consort, Elizabeth,
guests in the house It was in this
mansion that the King decorated Mrs.
Walsh for her untiring work in fur
nishing clothing to the needy Belgians.
She solicited and collected clothing Of
every sort, as well as donations from
the rich society folk, and turned her
conservatory and the entire drawing
room floor into work rooms, where, after
she herself had cut out the garments
ON patterns furnished by the Red Cross,
the women Of society did the sewing.
1t was in the same rooms that the
Prince of Wales was entertained at din
ner during his last visit to this country.
1t was quite coincidence that Vice
President Marshall should at the time
Of both Of these visits have been acting
host for the country, as well as the in
innate friend of Mrs. Walsh. Mrs.
Walsh and Mrs. Marshall were insep-
arabic friends.
Mrs Walsh attended both dinner par
ties at which were present the greatest
dignitaries Of the period in politics AMI
society. The State Department under
Charles Cooke, master Of ceremonies.
made the plans for both visits.
Mrs. Walsh allied herself with all
civic movements In Washington and
one Of the particularly beautiful events
Of many years was the ball she gave at
Wardman Park Hotel as a benefit to
the families Of the f1remen and police
OF washington when nearly $4,000 was
realized.
Mrs. Walsh before her marriage was
Miss Carrie Bell Reed of Wisconsin.
With her mother she went to Leadville,
Colo, in 1879, where she met Thomas
Francis Walsh, then a young man with
more pluck and determination than
money.
An impetuous courtship followed and
Miss Reed became the bride of the youth
full prospector-land owner In the same
year. As her husband advanced in
wealth and power, so she kept pace
with him, always his helpmate as we'll
as the charming hostess, who made the
Massachusetts, avenue home much
sought social center.
The Walsh fortune, estimated at
many millions Of dollars, was built up
lands back in Colorado.
Worked Mining Claim.
In addition to owning the Grand
Central Hotel at Leadville, the young
proSpector personally worked claim
among the peaks Of the San Juan Range,
$4,000 feet above sea level, from which
in few years he extracted S3,000.000
worth of gold. When he finally sold his
holdings he was one Of the richest mine
owners In the United States.
Although well known in Colorado. Mr..
Walsh did not become a national figure
until his appointment in 1900 as one OF
the commissioners from the United
States to the Paris Exposition.
The lavish entertainments of Mr.. and
Mrs. Walsh at the French capital be-
came famous.
Mrs. Walsh had two children, Evalyn.
now Mrs Edward Beale Mclean, and
Vinson, who died in August, 1905, as
the result of an automobile accident.
Mr.. Walsh never fully recovered from
the shock of his sons death and it Is
believed this hastened his death, April
8, 1910.
Mrs. Walsh is survived. in addition
to Mrs. Mclean, by three grandchil-
dren, John r. Mclean, I'd; Edward
Beale Mclean, jr., and Emily Beale
Mclean. and a nephew, Monroe Lee
of California.
Private funeral services viii be held
Saturday at Mrs. Walshs Massa- :
chusetts avenue home. Bishop James
z. Freeman will read the services and
burial will be in Rock Creek Cemetery.