Year: 1872

Each of the ladies had private carriage,
and her slightest wish had ample means of
qualification. Dress, jewels, money, what
ever she desired, she had in abundance. La
graves advances were pleasant to Miss
Beals, who had fallen deeply in love with
him. They were soon betrothed.


Her family were opposed to the match.
They thought that the handsome man
might not be so eligible as he appeared. He
was SO nearly perfect so different from the
average man, that they almost doubted
him, and inquiry failed to reveal his ante
cedents. They tried to persuade Evelyn
not to marry him; but she loved him, and
was determined. Her family finally con-
sented to the marriage, and the ceremony
was performed.


They made bridal tour to Europe, Mrs.
Lagrave paying all the expenses. On their
return they took fiat in a brown stone
house in Twenty-third street, near the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, and began housekeep-
ing. By this time the elegant man had
been partially transformed into devil.
Preserving the same grave and polished ex-
terror, he began to reveal the grosser char
acteristics which made up his nature,
though at this time his wife had no knowl-
edge of his true character. She loved and
trusted him, while he had already begun
to plunder her. He had charge of all the
expenditures, and she responded without
question to his calls for money. Whatever
bills came in she paid gladly. She had
plenty of money, and that was enough.
Unknown to her he multiplied the amount
of bills, paid the original and kept the rest
for his own use. This practice he carried
even to the hiring of the servants. If he
hired a cook at twelve dollars a month he
told his wife that it was twenty-four. 1t
was paid, and half the amount went into
his pocket.


Finally she learned that the man she
loved cared nothing for her. Her love he
repaid with contumely, and what she had
thought the pleasant dream of a satisfied
life became terrible nightmare which new
er deserted her. By this time he had got
ten from her all her ready money on one
pretext another, either by begging or by
fraud. Her life was embittered, but she
did not turn from him.


She had many thousands of dollars in
bonds. These he wanted. He would con.
fine her in her room and not release her un.
til she had met his demands. His persecu.
tions finally resulted in open violence. Dur
this terrible trial Mrs. Lagrave had but one
consolation. She had a sympathetic friend
in lady who was a Icontsant visitor at hei
house. To her Mrs. Lagrave opened hel
heart and confided her trouble, finding some
relief in sharing the story of her sorrows
with another.


After their return from Europe Mrs. La
grave had a child, beautiful boy, the i'm
age of his father The babe proved NJ
defense for her. The unnatural father hat
even then no instinct which answered the
maternal craving for love, and there wal
no change in his manner toward her.


His cruelty, his insatiate avarice, his cold
blooded stoicism, finally drove her to sick
ness. He was the same to her in sickness
and in health. While she lay upon her bee
he would stretch himself upon a sofa, an(
look at her with his lustrous eyes fastened
on her like grim, dread fate, until th,
sensitive woman was bounded to the verg'
of insanity. She would turn her face Il
the wall to escape, and if after minute
which seemed hours, she looked again il
hope that her tormentor had tired, she saw
him in the same position, loungiDg with hi
head resting on his hand, and his balefu
eyes remorselessly fixed. Then he woult
threaten her; call her foul names; fasten hi
terrible presence upon her, and cling like
leech until she complied with his demands
She had when married many valuable dia
monds. One by one they disappeared
Now necklace, then brooch, ring, an,
80 on, were carried off by the man she ha'
loved.


He pretented that he wanted the none
for the business that he was engaged in OF
Broadway, and he doubtless did use som
in that way; bu. there is reason to believ
that he converted the bulk of the money in
to portable property, and that he was read.
at any moment to fly, and always possesses
of large amounts of funds. He was rigid
ly penurious, never spending his owl
money. He dined in modest French res
taurant not far from Union Square, wher
he usually paid eighty-fve cents for tail
d. hOe dinner, which included half bottl
of wine. He never drank to excess, smoke
in moderation, and was temperate in a
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