Flo Dudley
The Edwardian actress was, for many, the very epitomy of the womanhood of her time. They were the popular superstars of their day, the equivalent of the modern day catwalk model, movie queen (movies were in their infancy back then) and pop princess all in one. With their faces regularly appearing on billboards and in the newspapers, many were instantly recognisable in an era when many other notable public figures could have passed down the street quite unremarked. Consequently they attracted many admirers - even the plainest amongst them, once she had risen to prominence in her profession, could be assured of no shortage of courtiers and paramours, whilst the most beautiful could command the attention of the most powerful of men of all, from wealthy financiers to the landed gentry and even into royalty.
But to be the object of such attentions could be a double-edged sword. For a few at least of these love-struck admirers, the lure of marrying an actress was so great that the frustration of this desire would drive them to the very edge of reason, and sometimes beyond. And on some of these occasions events transpired which led to tragedy or ruin for themselves, or for the object of their obsessions. Here are the stories behind a few extreme cases.
Budapest (Hungary), August 18th, 1896 - Count Arthur Pallavicini, a handsome young Hungarian nobleman only 21 years of age, committed suicide in a case of unrequited love. The object of his desire was Ethel Barrison, one of the five Barrison sisters, well known American variety artistes who were at the time conducting a European tour. Totally infatuated with Miss Barrison, the Count tried in every way to persuade her to marry him but she continually spurned his advances. Pushed beyond reason in his distress, he shot himself with a revolver, leaving a suicide note in which he begged Miss Barrison to press a kiss upon his coffin. Unexpectedly, she complied.
London (England), November 30th, 1897 - Twenty-three year old Charles Norton, an undertaker's assistant, took his life by poisoning with carbolic acid. Norton was in love with an actress (unnamed) with whom he was co-habiting, but had been placed under great pressure by his father to leave her. As a result, the young man had been very despondent. On the fateful day, when his beloved returned home he told her "Kiss me; you will not be able to do so again." He then drank from a cup which had been standing on the table. A suicide note contained the following: "... I hope the Lord will bless you, and see you safe through the world. Peace be your end. Forgive me if I take my life. I think some one has been feeding my father a pack of lies." The Coroner recorded a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind."
London (England), October 29th, 1905 - Shortly after Gertie Millar had become the wife of the composer Lionel Monckton, an ardent admirer broke into her home, a mansion in fashionable Russell Square, and committed suicide in her boudoir. Gunther Holzhausen was a German nobleman, the scion of a rich and powerful family, who had fallen head over heels in love with Miss Millar after being introduced to her in Nice. He followed her to London where she had tea with him a few times, but subsequently tried to distance herself from him when his obsession became clear. Trying to avoid further contact with him, she consistently refused his promises of expensive gifts made to induce her to resume her friendship with him. He became such a nuisance that he had to be barred from the theatre where Gertie was appearing, and to her relief seemed to disappear for a while. Until, that is, the fateful night when he gained entry to Gertie's home by breaking in through a window, and committed suicide in her boudoir by blowing his brains out with a revolver. Gertie and Lionel Monckton were sleeping in an upstairs room when the shot rang out, and Lionel immediately locked the room containing the dying man until the police and a surgeon arrived.
Boston (USA), July, 1906 - Reinhardt Steinson, a young Swedish mechanical engineer, ended his life by taking cyanide of potassium when his hopes were dashed of marrying fellow countrywoman Camille Clifford. Steinson became acquainted with Miss Clifford when she first arrived in America and was working as a domestic in Boston. The couple became very close and Steinson had every hope of one day making her his wife. Even after Camille became an actress and quickly rose to the very zenith of her profession they kept in touch by mail, and spent much time in each others company whenever Miss Clifford was in Boston. But then came news of her engagement and subsequent marriage to the Hon. Henry Lyndhurst Bruce, causing a great change in Steinson's outlook on life. The heartbreak was more than he could bear, and he took his life.
London (England), August 8th, 1907 - Shirley Falcke, the eighteen year old son of a wealthy American Industrialist had become infatuated with the beautiful actress Iris Hoey, whom he met and befriended in a Strand restaurant. When his father arranged to send him to Canada to part him from Miss Hoey, he arranged to meet her for supper and, in a fit of melancholy, declared his intention to kill himself. Fearing for his safety, Miss Hoey refused to allow him to journey home alone. During the cab ride however, Falcke suddenly produced a revolver and put it to his head. Miss Hoey tried to pull his hand away but he snatched it free and instantyl shot himself. His last words, to a policeman who arrived on the scene, were "I did it all myself".
Press report
Ramsgate (England), 16th June, 1908 - Rene Fahrman, a seventeen year-old youth of Belgian nationality, hung himself in his room at the Townley Castle School in Ramsgate, where he come to learn English and complete his eductation. Fahrman had become infatuated with an actress, some years his senior, in the "Floradora" Tour Company that was then playing at the Ramsgate Palace Theatre, and succeeded in obtaining an introduction to the lady who, for a time, appeared to enjoy his company. Fahrman sold all of his possessions and borrowed from friends in order to wine and dine the lady but within a week all of his funds were gone, and the lady herself departed for London. In was then that despair set in and, unable to raise the funds to follow her or indeed to repay his existing borrowings, he elected to take his own life - leaving behind a long letter to his parents, written in French, in which he absolved the actress of any wrong-doing. The actress was not named in newspaper reports.
Marseilles (France), January, 1909 - The visit to Marseilles of a troupe of English dancing girls led to tragic consequences. From the moment of their arrival these girls had many admirers amongst the well-placed hot-blooded young men of that city. Two of these, M. Valery and M. Courtard, both belonging to wealthy families, made proposals of marriage to members of the troupe and took it badly when those offers were politely but firmly declined. Twenty-four year-old Valery shot himself through the heart with a revolver, whilst Coutard, aged only seventeen was taken to a reformatory school by his father - there to be confined until the object of his desire had departed. He too attempted suicide with a revolver on the journey there but was prevented. Two days after his arrival, however, his inert body was found hanging from the window of his cell, and on the table a pathetic letter addressed to the girl who had rejected him.
New York (USA), January 7th, 1872 - James Fisk Jr., one of the most prominent men in New York, was shot and killed by his former friend turned rival in love, Edward J. Stokes. Fisk had fallen deeply in love with the actress Josie Mansfield and had installed her in a luxury apartment. He then introduced her to his friend Edward Stokes but found to his great regret that matters of love often overthrow those of mere friendship. The two men fell into a feud over Miss Mansfield which became increasingly bitter, with Stokes threatening to betray secrets of Fisk's business dealings. Matters came to a head in the Grand Central Hotel when Stokes drew a gun and shot his former friend dead.
Warsaw (Poland), July, 1890 - Young actress, Mdlle. Wisnowka, was murdered by her former lover, Prince Bartinieff. Mdlle. Wisnowska had been learning English with the intention of following in the footsteps of her famous countrywoman, Madame Modjeska, and pursuing a career in England and America, but when she tried to break from Bartinieff he would not let her go. Mdlle. Wisnowska was so afraid of him that she wrote to her mother shortly before her death saying he would be her executioner. Her predication tragically came true. Bartinieff was convicted of murder and sentenced to eight years penal servitude.
London (England), September 21st, 1893 - Discarded lover Leo Percy shot dead the object of his thwarted affections, actress Daisy Montague, and Mr. Garcia, his rival for her affections, outside her lodgings in Regents Square. Percy was the son of a wealthy and well connected family who left home and took up private apartments when his parents objected to his association with the actress. His relationship with the actress lasted three years but was a stormy one due to his moodiness and extreme jealousy. Eventually, Miss Montague broke with him, replacing him in her affections with Mr. Garcia, and this was more than Percy could take. He waited outside her lodgings on the fateful evening and when Mr. Garcia returned Miss Montague home he shot them both dead before turning the gun on himself.
New York (USA), March 4th, 1901 - A young and exceptionally beautiful sixteen year old Italian actress, Minnie Cralla, was murdered by a spurned suitor. Miss Cralla was a member of an Italian company playing at the Italian Theatre on Mulberry Street in New York. Her killer, Antonio Friolli, had prevailed upon the young girl to marry him many times but she repeatedly refused. Friolli attended the show on the fateful night and then waited outside the theatre until Miss Cralla came out in the company of her mother. Friolli then pulled out a revolver and fired five shots, striking her twice, once in the temple and once in the back. A policeman nearby gave chase as Friolli ran off and he was apprehended a short distance away. Sadly, Miss Cralla died of her injuries within a few minutes.
Chicago (USA), June 4th, 1901 - Promising actress Edna Stokes was murdered by Edward Forshay, an actor in the same stock company. Forshay and Miss Stokes had experienced a troubled relationship and had quarrelled a few days previously, whereupon he had beaten her badly. In consequence, Miss Stokes broke off their relationship and gave instructions to the proprietor of the Vernon Hotel where she was staying not to admit him. When Forshay attempted to call on her the proprietor refused to let him through, but permitted him to wait in the parlor so that Miss Stokes could come down and talk to him. As soon as she appeared however, Forshaw pulled a gun and shot her twice, killing her instantly. He then ran from the building but was soon captured. Suicide notes were found on his person and he explained that he had intended to kill himself also but when the time came did not have the nerve.
Paris (France), October 10th, 1903 - Young Romanian actress Elene Popescu was murdered in her room at the Hotel Regina by a rejected lover. Frédéric Greuling was a deceitful adventurer and lothario who funded his elegant lifestyle by financially exploiting his female victims. Greuling had met Miss Popescu shortly after her arrival in Paris, when he had impressed the young lady by claiming to be an attache of the Russian Embassy (a falsehood, in fact he had no employment nor any visible means of support). He soon became Miss Popescu's regular companion but already his past was catching up with him, and the many people to whom he owed money were closing in. On the night of her slaying he visited Miss Popescu in her hotel room, and, according to the prosecution at his trial, when she refused to advance him money or accompany him to Nice he killed her in a fit of anger with his revolver. Greuling vehemently denied murder, claiming that his motives were sincere and he fully intended to marry Miss Popescu. He claimed that he had taken his revolver out of pawn to make a present of it to Miss Popescu who had admired it, and that she had then used the weapon to commit suicide in a fit of jealousy. Miss Popescu's wounds were not consistent with this version of events however, nor was the fact that the weapon was found hidden in a cupboard some yards from the body. The prosecutor asserted that Greuling "had taken the life of the young girl because she barred the way to the realisation of his odious plans. He had taken her life because she opposed with a resolute resistance his odious projects. He had killed her because she had dashed his hopes to the ground." The jury agreed and Greuling was sentenced to ten years solitary confinement after which he was to be expelled from France.
Niort (France), October 3rd, 1905 - Music hall singer Rose Noel (real name Armandine Fer) was callously executed by French Infantry Officer Rene Thomas whose attentions she had spurned. Thomas had become infatuated with Rose whilst she was performing at the Music Hall at St. Maixent where he was garrisoned, and his attentions had become so noisome that eventually the dainty singer was driven from the town. She found work at the Eldorado music-hall in Niort, but when Thomas heard of this he abandoned his post and followed her there. Shaving off his beard to disguise his appearance he took a box at the music-hall for the evening performance and after she had sung sent a message via the programme-seller that a person wished to convey to her a message from her parents. Unsuspecting, the singer came to the box to receive the message and gave a little cry when she recognised her tormentor. He was heard by the people in the next box to say "do not be alarmed. I have no intention of hurting you. Read this letter." She took the proffered paper, but as she opened it to read Thomas placed the muzzle of his revolver against her left temple and pulled the trigger, killing her instantly. He then barricaded himself on the upper floor of the building until the local church curate persuaded him, after an hour, to give himself up. He was led away in handcuffs.
Copenhagen (Denmark), June 22nd, 1907 - Frau Nathansen, a young Danish actress who had established a considerable reputation, was mortally wounded by her husband during a performance of "The Merry Widow" at a theater at Aalborg. The husband had become jealous of a dance his wife performed in the piece with a male actor, and had asked her to discontinue it. When she refused to listen to him he threatened to shoot her. In spite of his threats, she declared she would perform the dance again that evening as usual. The husband attended the performance, during which his wife did indeed perform the dance, and afterwards he broke into her dressing room and fired at her point blank with a revolver, fatally wounding her. He then shot and wounded her partner in the dance and the manager of the theater, who attempted to detain him, before finally turning the weapon on himself and blowing out his brains.
Rostock (Germany), March 26th, 1909 - Fraulein Frieda Barthold, a talented and beautiful young prima donna currently with the Rostock Municipal Opera, was shot and killed at her home by a jealous rival in love. Fraulein Barthold had recently become betrothed to Herr Koch, a prominent Berlin engineer, and was shortly to be married to that gentleman. Herr Koch had for some years had the acquaintance of Fraulein Auguste Zobel, a middle-aged lady, and, according to the latter, had promised to marry her. When she heard of the betrothal Fraulein Zobel had written to Fraulein Barthold pressing her prior claim on Herr Koch and insisting she release him from his engagement. Fraulein Barthold ignored the letter, whereupon her arrival journeyed from Berlin to Rostock to confront her. Fraulein Barthold admitted the woman to her apartments without knowing who she was, whereupon a violent argument ensued. Unable to deter her rival, Fraulein Zobel pulled a revolver from her muff and shot Fraulein Barthold in the head, killing her instantly. Fraulein Zobel was arrested at the train station boarding a train for Berlin.
Warsaw (Poland), March 31st, 1909 - Prince Kasatkin Bostovsky, a captain of Hussars, was shot dead in the most fashionable restaurant in Warsaw. The Prince had deserted his wife after becoming infatuated with a beautiful Hungarian actress and singer named Rosa Bauer, and was dining with that lady when an argument arose. The Prince, apparently, had bowed to pressure urging him to return to his wife, but Miss Bauer was not to be so easily deserted as his spouse had been. Flying into a rage, she drew a revolver and shot him dead.
London (England), September 28th, 1912 - Actress Flo Dudley (real name Florence Alice Bernadette Silles) was killed by a man who had cruelly tricked her into a promise of marriage. Miss Dudley was a widow with a six year old son who had turned to the stage for a living following the death of her husband. Whilst playing at the Tivoli in Manchester she was introduced to Edward Hopwood who represented himself as a rich bachelor. In the ensuing months Hopwood spent much money on gifts for Miss Dudley whilst professing his love for her and begging her to marry him. Eventually she accepted, not least to secure a future for her son. Hopwood then contacted Miss Dudley's agent and cancelled all her contracts as he would not allow her on stage again, and the couple went off on an idyllic holiday in Brussells, having first placed her son in boarding school. Shortly after their return to England however, Florence discovered to her horror that her new 'husband' was a bigamist, already married to another woman with three children, and in severe financial difficulties. She resolved immediately to have nothing more to do with him and contacted her agent to find work so that she might return to the stage. But Hopwood would not give up on her, and tricked her into meeting him at a restaurant by sending a telegram in the name of a friend of hers. Confronted by Hopwood at the restaurant, in order to avoid a scene, she allowed him to entertain her there and then escort her in a taxicab to Fenchurch Street Station for her train back to Ilford where she was staying. When they were very close to the station the cab driver heard three loud reports and stopped the cab to see what had occurred. Almost immediately Miss Dudley burst out and proclaimed she had been shot, whereupon two more shots rang out from inside the cab as Hopwood turned the gun on himself. Miss Dudley died of her wounds within a few minutes, Hopwood survived long enough to be hung for his crime.
Paris (France), May 18th, 1914 - Marcelle Tiriard, a beautiful young actress, was shot dead in her flat on the Rue Huydeus by her lover, a musician named Francesco Bonano. Mlle. Tiriard, a widow, had confided in friends that she had become afraid of Bonano on account of his intense jealousy and wished to break from him. Exactly what occured in her flat that night is unknown, as her assailant afterwards blew out his brains.
London (England), December 18th, 1920 - Sophia Erica (Babs) Taylor was fatally shot in her fashionable London apartment in a fit of jealousy by her former lover and dancing partner George Augustus Kelly, whom she had abandoned due to his drinking and violent behaviour. Miss Taylor returned home from a shopping expedition and failed to notice Kelly loitering outside her apartment. Kelly followed her inside and attacked her in her bedroom. Miss Taylor's maid, Miss M. Robinson, then rushed into the room in response to her call of distress and, finding Kelly attempting to strangle her, pulled him off shouting "Leave her alone!". Even when Kelly pulled out an automatic pistol she continued to bravely stand as a shield in front of Miss Taylor but Kelly fired over her shoulder striking Miss Taylor in the head and fatally wounding her. Kelly then turned the gun upon himself and died a suicide.
London (England), April 9th, 1925 - Pretty child actress and dancer Grace Diana Blakaller was murdered outside her mother's home in London by Earnest Rhodes, a young German valet, who slashed her throat as she made to kiss him goodnight. The girl screamed and dragged herself to the doorstep of her mother's home but died later in hospital. Rhodes made good his escape but surrendered himself to the authorities two days later. In explanation for his crime Rhodes said she was always teasing him and in his statement regarding the night in question added "Grace laughed in my face and said 'you poor fool' when I asked to see her on Easter. As we were kissing good night, a short distance from her mother's home, I pulled a razor from my pocket and cut her throat."
Boston (USA), September 11th, 1905 - Chorus girl Ethel Durrell (real name Suzanna Agnes Geary) disappeared after playing her role in that evening's performance of the drama "The Shepherd King". The last person known to have seen her alive was her fiancee, Mr. Morris Nathan, the secretary of the theatrical company, who claimed he had parted company from her at around midnight at the subway station and had not seen her since. Following the disappearance her manager received a note purporting to be from a doctor, whose name subsequently transpired to be false, claiming that the girl was ill. Some weeks later, her dismembered and headless body was found in two trunks floating in Winthrop Bay, and could only be identified by her mother and sister by means of the rings on her fingers. Nathan was subsequently arrested in connection with her disappearance, and implicated Boston M.D. Dr. Percy D. McLeod in causing the girl's death through a botched illegal abortion. McLeod admitted to dismembering the body and two other men were charged with assisting in it's disposal.
Le Vesinet (France), August 1st, 1909 - The dalliances of M. Merlou, former French Minister of Finance, with two popular mature actresses almost resulted in tragic consequences. Madame Jeanne Dallemagne (better known under her stage name of Madamoiselle Addey) became so enraged at being supplanted in the Minister's affections by Madame Berger that she was driven to attempt her rival's assasination with a revolver, wounding her and another actress, Madame Petel, into the bargain. Both ladies survived and Mlle. Addey was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Incredibly, Madame Dallemagne, who had a child by Merlou (which had died from Tuberculosis), had shot and wounded that gentleman in a seperate incident two years earlier. She had been acquitted of attempted murder on that occasion under an unwritten French law that excuses a wronged woman for shooting her betrayer.
Newington, New Hampshire (USA), January 2nd, 1908 - The brother of celebrated American songstress Gracia Calla (real name Lillian Carkins) was slain by her new husband, Monsieur Paul Roy, a Frenchman. Miss Calla had married Roy the previous October and the couple had settled in her family home in New Hampshire. But, according to Miss Calla, Roy had developed an intense jealousy of the close affection she shared with her brother, George A. Carkins, eventually resulting in tragedy. On the fatal night in question, the married couple had argued over a hat Miss Calla had proposed to wear for an outing. Cruel words were said, and the lady had sought solace from her brother. An argument had then ensued between the two men in private, ending in a gunfight in which the brother was killed. Roy claimed that Carkins had fired first, and that he had returned fire only in self-defence, resulting in the unfortunate death of his brother-in-law. Initially the family hid the true facts of what had occurred, and the death was reported as a suicide. But when Carkins mother subsequently discovered a few days later, from examining his jacket, that her son had been shot twice in the back, the family then believed Roy to be guilty of murder and revealed to the authorities that a gunfight had in fact taken place. A warrant was immediately issued for Roy's arrest for murder but he had already fled back to France. As France, at that time, did not allow her citizens to be extradited for trial in a foreign country the American authorities requested that the case be considered in France. On August 22nd, 1908, the case was put before Magistrate Boucard in Paris who summarily dismissed it, denying any hope of justice for the family.
London (England), March 2nd, 1900 - Actress Marie Gibson (real name Eilson) continued to conduct a romantic relationship with architect Eley Emlyn White, some years her senior, even after he had once threatened to kill her during a fit of jealousy - with tragic consequeces. On the evening of Thursday 1st March, White collected Miss Gibson from the Empire Theatre after that evening's performance and took her to his Kensington Flat. At around one o'clock the following morning, whilst Miss Gibson was sitting in a chair reading, White levelled a revolver at her and pulled the trigger, the bullet passing through the book she was reading and striking her in the forehead. White then put the gun to his own head and blew out his brains, dying instantly. The book she was reading saved Miss Gibson's life, slowing the bullet sufficiently that her wound was not fatal. At the subsequent inquiry, a juryman was fined £3 for refusing to view the deceased's body.
London (England), July 30th, 1910 - When Music-Hall singer, Maggie Lawlor, a child of only sixteen years of age, rejected the advances of a young engineer named Bennett, her would-be suitor waylaid her on London's Pall Mall, discharging a revolver and seriously wounding her before turning the weapon on himself. Miss Lawlor survived, her assailant died instantly.
Birkenhead (England), February 20th, 1904 - A rejected suitor successfully ended his own life after failing to end that of variety actress Florence Bates, one of the Sisters Cora, to whom he had formerly been engaged. The assailant was Thomas Gilbert, a wealthy former Justice of the Peace who had met Miss Bates two years earlier, when she was just nineteen and he twenty-one years her senior. Soon after, the impressionable young woman had accepted his proposal of marriage and, at his request, had retired from the stage and taken up residence with her parents at a licenced house, "The Merry Carpenters," which Gilbert had purchased for that purpose in the St. Lukes district of London. Miss Bates subsequently found his jealousy and possessiveness to be unbearable however, and, after a series of arguments, she broke off the engagement and returned to the stage. But so great was Gilbert's possessiveness that he would not let her go and constantly followed her about, accosting her in the street, in tramway cars, and in the theatres as well as sending her endless streams of gifts and letters. His stalking culminated in an incident at the Cambridge music-hall in London when he threatened to kill her and himself if she would not marry him - for which incident he was arrested and bound over for six months to keep the peace. Little deterred, he continued his pursuit of her - even to the extent of following her around the country when she and her elder sister, Lottie, secured a touring engagement in the pantomime "Sinbad the Sailor." At Birkenhead, some 250 miles north of London, he purchased a seat for the evening performance but spent most of the time in the theatre bar. He sent Miss Bates a note, but she declined to see him, whereupon he determined to carry out his former threat, and after the performance lay in wait for her outside her lodgings. Shortly after midnight, when Miss Bates returned there with her sister and some friends, he stepped out of the shadows and levelled a revolver at her. Her sister ran into the street but Florence defiantly stood her ground and he fired a single shot at her, piercing one of her hands which were clasped over her heart, but miraculously failing to enter her body. Alan Roberts, the son of the proprietress of the lodging house, then ran out of the building and tackled Gilbert, but in so doing was shot in the side, the bullet, however, narrowly missing his spine and or of his vital organs. A navel officer then appeared, drawn by the gunshots, and, not suspecting Gilbert as the cause of the trouble due to his calm demeanour, devoted his attentions to tending the wounded. As he was doing so, a third shot rang out as Gilbert blasted his own brains out. Both his victims survived.
London (England), February 1st, 1897 - Popular actress Miss Maud Waller was shot and seriously wounded by a spurned suitor, Thomas Arnold, at her lodgings in York Street, Gloucester Place. Prior to taking up the stage as a profession, Miss Waller had been a nurse at the Bedford Infirmary and it was in this capacity, about a year previously, that she had first met Arnold - who had been a patient under her care. Arnold had become infatuated with Miss Waller and following his discharge from the hospital had aggressively pressed his suit of her - despite that lady making it clear on every occasion that she had no interest in him. Indeed, it was to escape these very attentions that Miss Waller had given up her nursing post and fled to London where she met with some immediate success as an actress in the Strand theatres. Arnold had subsequently followed her there, however, and renewed his attentions. On the day of the incident Miss Waller had agreed to speak with Arnold and the pair were conversing alone in the drawing room of the boarding house when voices became raised and Miss Waller was heard to exclaim "I will have nothing more to do with you. Leave me at once." Shortly afterwards, two shots rang out and the other occupants of the house rushed to the scene. There they found Miss Waller, alive but contorted in agony having been shot in the back whilst attempting to flee from her assailant. Arnold was dead, the second shot having been turned upon himself. Miss Waller recovered from her injuries.
New York (USA), June 4th, 1904 - In a chilling precursor to the London incident involving Iris Hoey, a young man was shot dead whilst riding in a cab with a famed actress. But this time there was no dying declaration that he did it all himself, and the finger of suspicion fell upon his charming companion. The deceased's name was Frank "Caesar" Young, a young Englishman living in New York, and his paramour was Ann Eliza "Nan" Patterson. The couple had been been conducting an affair, despite both being married when they met. Nan divorced her husband soon after, and he had become estranged from his wife.
Miss Patterson claimed that Young had committed suicide because she refused to elope to Europe with him. Young had been due to sail to Europe on the day of the shooting, ostensibly to be with his wife, but they had made plans for her (Miss Patterson) to follow him to Europe on a later sailing to continue their relationship. She had had second thoughts however, and broke it to him in the cab that day that she had abandoned the idea, and had no intention of following him to Europe. Young then reached over and grabbed her wrists drawing her towards him. She turned her face away from him, and a few seconds later heard, rather than saw, the fatal shot.
The prosecution claimed rather that Miss Patterson had killed Young in cold blood, because he was breaking with her in order to be reconciled with his wife. He had no reason to commit suicide, they said, and the defendant had been heard to make threats against him. Furthermore, they claimed that the weapon that killed Young had been Miss Patterson's, secured for her only the previous day by her brother in law. Young had arranged to meet Miss Patterson on that fateful day to break with her, and to try to secure the return of certain letters that she held. Instead, Miss Patterson, who was known to have a fiery temper, then pulled the gun and killed him.
The cab driver could throw no light on what had occured. He was unable to look inside the cab immediately after hearing the shot because of the need to calm the horse that had been spooked by the sudden report. Both Young's and Patterson's hands showed traces of gunpowder, suggesting both had been in proximity to the weapon when it was fired, but a witness who claimed to have watched from the street supported Miss Patterson's story. The case was never resolved. After one mistrial and two hung jury's the prosecutor decided not to continue, and Miss Patterson, who had been held without bail from the beginning, was released. The indictment was not quoshed however, and could have been reinstated at any time. Miss Patterson found it difficult to resume her career after the case, and within a few years dropped out of sight.
USA, 1882-1888 - In Elmira in 1882, an impressionable man named James P. Dougherty saw Mary Anderson playing in "The Lady of Lyons" and immediately fell in love with her. He tried to secure an interview with her after the performance but was politely refused. His attentions did not end there however, over the next six years he followed her to New York and even to London, sending her innumerable gifts and bouquets of flowers but was always refused a meeting. Eventually, in New York in 1888, his actions led to his arrest for harassing Miss Anderson with his constant attentions. At the time of his arrest he was found to be carrying a large revolver and seemed to be convinced that Miss Anderson was equally in love with him, and that it was only through the actions of jealous rivals that he was being kept apart from her. Following the arrest, Miss Anderson attended upon the detectives office and tried to reason with Dougherty. Speaking kindly with him, she told him that he was deluding himself and that she had never encouraged his attentions. Such was his state of unreason however, that he insisted that she had misled him and that he had received bows and smiles from her. On gaining a promise from Dougherty that he would not follow her any more, Miss Anderson took pity on him and begged the detective to let him go. The detective however, was concerned for Dougherty's state of mind and held him over for evaluation. He was subsequently committed to the Flatbush Asylum in New York. Unfortunately, his stay there apparently did him little benefit. Shortly after his release two years later, he returned with a handgun and shot dead the assistant medical superintendent, Dr. George W. Lloyd. Following his arrest for that offence he cheerfully told police that he had intended to shoot 'the whole crowd' there.
Paris (France), 1903 - Paquerette, the popular comedienne of the Olympia and Parisiana theatres, was murderously attacked in a cab by Max Berthanx, the stage manager of the Nouveau Cirque, a former lover from whom she had recently broken off all relations. The lady was viciously stabbed but survived the attack.
London (England), 1919 - An unnamed American officer threatened to kill Miss Billie Carleton after she rejected his proposal of marriage, and had to be arrested by the Provost Marshall when he attempted to break into a flat where Miss Carleton was staying. He was subsequently sent back to America by the military authorities. Tragically, Miss Carleton died later that year from a narcotics overdose.
Chicago (USAS), April 1905 - Famous Boer General and war hero Ben Viljoen emigrated to America after the Boer's defeat (by the British) in that conflict, intending to found a boer colony in Mexico. Whilst in Chicago he began a romantic relationship with the actress May Belfort and the couple exchanged several love letters. But when Viljoen subsequently backed out of his promise of marriage Miss Belfort became enraged and exacted her revenge by publicly assaulting him in the street with a horse-whip. In his last letter to her, Viljoen had suggested he would never marry, but in fact he married less than three months later to a woman from Iowa.
Marienbad (Austria), July 1910 - Twenty-seven year-old Father Koschinski abandoned his calling and adopted the protestant religion in order to marry Fraulein Klötzl, a beautiful actress popular on the Viennese stage. Prior to their marriage the priest had showered her with letters and telegrams expressing his devotion and risked scandal bringing quantities of flowers to her whilst dressed in his priestly robes. When Koschinski said he could not bear the idea of his wife appearing on the stage she abandoned her career, and even placed her collection of theatrical autographs in safe-deposit when they aroused his jealousy. But the Church, it seems, was not prepared to part with it's errant representative and began sending him telegrams versed in Latin. Following a visit to her mother in January, 1911, Frau Koschinski returned to find her husband gone. Without any message, she believed he had returned to the Monastery at Marienbad but all attempts to contact him there by letter or telegram met with no reply.
Omaha (USA), 1899 - An unidentified young man, described by witnesses as being around twenty years of age, called at the hotel where Miss Cora Tanner, a celebrated actress, was staying in the city of Omaha, Nebraska. He left a box of caramels and a large bouquet of roses at the hotel office for Miss Tanner, and these were duly delivered to her room when she returned to the hotel that evening. Shortly after breathing in the fragrance of the roses and eating one of the candies Miss Tanner became violently ill. Alerted to sounds of distress coming from her her room, hotel staff burst in the door and found her writhing on the floor in agony, unable to speak. A doctor called to the room suspected poisoning and note was made of the single piece of candy missing from a box upon her table. Tests later revealed both the caramels and the flowers to have been liberally sprinkled with hydrocyanic acid (cyanide), a clear attempt on her life which almost succeeded. Although made critically ill for a few days, Miss Tanner did subsequently make a full recovery. Police traced the box of candies to the establishment from which they had been purchased but were unable to obtain any further clues as to the identity of the purchaser. The source of the poison was not traced. No-one was charged with the crime, nor was any motive firmly established - although police did indicate that a young man from another city was their prime suspect.
London (England), 1920 - Peggy O'Neill, a young American actress, almost died after eating chocolates that had been laced with Strychnine and Arsenic. The chocolates had been sent anonymously to her dressing room. Miss O'Neill ate some of the chocolates, and fed one to her pet dog which subsequently died. Police were unable to trace the person responsible for sending the chocolates.
Oakland (USA), 1913 - Pretty actress Lovell Alice Taylor was almost killed by a gift of flowers given to her over the footlights by a well meaning admirer. Miss Taylor took the bouquet of Magnolias back to her hotel room where, it being a cold night, she slept with the windows tightly closed and the heating turned well up. The heat and lack of circulation caused the room to fill with an overpowering odour of the flowers as she slept. When Miss Taylor failed to keep an appointment with her sister the following morning, the latter entered her room and found her unconscious. A doctor was called, and after about an hour Miss Taylor was revived with no lasting effects. Magnolia blossoms are known to have a mildly toxic scent but, although some caged birds are known to have died from it, such a reaction in humans is extremely rare.
Portugal, 1908 - The newly crowned King Manuel of Portugal became totally infatuated with the beautiful French actress Gaby Deslys, with whom he had a very public affair. At a time when his subjects were steeped in poverty and in his country in need of firm leadership he lavished expensive gifts upon her and neglected his Kingly duties in order to become a 'stage-door Johnny'. Shortly after their affair began Gaby began wearing fabulous strings of pearls and her press agents put it about that the King had gifted these to her. She also spent much time with him sailing aboard his private yacht. That he should waste such fortunes on a foreigner whilst they went hungry was more than his people could bear and the tide of public opinion turned solidly against him. It was this swing in the political climate, swelling the ranks of the Republicans who had assassinated his father and brother, that allowed the latter to seize power and depose him. After a reign of two years, in October 1910, the King was forced to flee to British Gibraltar, and lived out the remainder of his life in exile in England. Whilst it cannot be said that the revolution that drove King Manuel from his country would never have occured had it not been for his dalliance with Miss Deslys, there is little doubt that it brought about a situation that made the revolution inevitable.
In her serialised autobiography (published in the Syracuse Herald shortly after her death) Miss Deslys relates accounts of two other occasions on which her suitors let their passions get the better of them. In New York in 1913, a wealthy local stockbroker wrote a letter to her in the following terms "I am madly in love with you. Unless you see me I shall do something desperate. Please meet me." Gaby relates that she "decided to see the young man. to prove that his love was misplaced, and persuade him that such threats as he made were silly and hardly worthy of an American". The young man was admitted to her dressing room whereupon he proposed to her and insisted they should go away and get married. She tried to reason with him in her poor English but he would not be swayed. When she refused him he rushed out into the street and, producing a revolver, attempted unsuccessfully to shoot himself. Then, during a subsequent visit to New York, an even more tragic incident occured. A male friend of Miss Deslys, a young man who had become deeply enamoured of her, took exception to some disparaging remarks made about her by a local young woman. When she refused to retract he pulled a revolver and, aiming it at her, insisted she withdraw her remarks. Calling his bluff, the woman instead repeated her comment whereupon the youth pulled the trigger and shot her dead.
Prague (Czech Republic), December, 1903 - Many newspapers ran a story that Princess Elizabeth, granddaughter of the Emperor of Austria and wife of Prince Otto of Windish-Gratz, had shot and killed Clara Ziegler, a beautiful young actress with whom her husband was infatuated and whom she had, according to the report, found in the Prince's private apartments at Prague. Also shot, according to the story, was a valet who tried to bar the Princess' way into the Prince's apartments. Although the story grew in detail with each telling, it was later found to have been a complete fabrication put about by jealous rivals of the actress in question. Whilst this story in itself may have been a hoax however, the Emperor's indiscretions with actresses were well known, giving the ring of truth to the lie.
Madrid (Spain), Circa 1907-1911 - King Alphonso III of Spain scandalised the Spanish court by neglecting his royal duties in favour of widely reported dalliances with well known actresses of the time in Paris and London. Foremost among these were Gaby Delys (before her affair with King Manuel) and England's own favourite Lily Elsie. His attentions to Miss Elsie in fact, became so flagrant that in January 1911 his English born wife, Queen Victoria Eugenia, grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of England, was moved to leave Spain to spend time with her family in England. The King was then plainly warned by his advisers that his actions were greatly increasing the danger of a revolution as had occurred in Portugal, and that a permanent Royal seperation would cause Spain the loss of a valuable asset in the friendship of England. Queen Ena (as she was shown) did return although their relationship remained strained until their parting following the King's forced abdication in 1931. Berlin, November 1906 - When young Prince Joachim Albrecht of Prussia announced his intention to marry Miss Marie Sulzer, a popular soubrette at the Trianon Theatre in Berlin, the imagined disgrace was more than his cousin, Kaiser Wilhelm, could bear. He dispatched the young man to serve with the German Army in South-West Africa, whilst the unfortunate lady was exiled from Germany.