ONCE-FAMOUS ACTRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23129, 30 August 1938, Page 12

ONCE-FAMOUS ACTRESS

DEATH OF MISS MAY YOHE STAR OF THE NINETIES (Received August 29, 5.6 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 28 Miss May Yohe, once a prominent musical comedy actress and a former wife of the Duko of Newcastle, then Lord Hope, owner of the famous Hope diamond, died at Boston to-day following a heart seizure, at the age of 72. !A picture of King Edward VII., which lie had presented to her, stood at her Jbedside. . , •

Mary, Augusta Yohe, musical comedy singer, and actress, who, as May Yohe, Was popular in America and England in the last decade of the 19th century, ,was born in- Pennsylvania. She first appeared on the stage at the age of 18 and her beauty, expressive voice and yivacious acting, attracted the attention of New York managers. Years of unbroken success followed and in 1894 she married Lord Francis Hope, later the Duke of Newcastle. He was .the owner of the famous Hope diamond, .which, according to tradition, brought misfortune to every possessor. Among its owners had been Marie Antoinette, who was guillotined, a prince who was assassinated, and others who met .violent ends. Miss Yohe wore the diamond.and later ascribed her subsequent misfortunes to its ill-omen. Her marriage to the Duke was dissolved in 1902, and she returned to America, appearing in vaudeville. She paid occasional visits to London, however, notably in 1913, when she sang her famous song -'Honey Ma Honey" in the revue "Come Over Hero." She rarely appeared on the stago afterward. Miss lYoho had meanwhile married a second time, and in 1914 sho took as her third husband Captain Jan Smuts, a relative of General Smuts.