Grace Hubbard Fortescue
Encyclopedia
Grace Hubbard Fortescue, née Grace Hubbard Bell (1883–1979) was a New York socialite
who decided to take the law into her own hands and murder
ed a defendant in the alleged rape of Grace's daughter that earned her a one-hour sentence for manslaughter
.
Her father Charles John Bell was first cousin of inventor Alexander Graham Bell
, who married her mother's sister.
Her grandfather Gardiner Hubbard
was the first president of Bell Telephone Company
.
Her mother was Roberta Wolcott Hubbard Bell (1859–1885).
The family lived in Twin Oaks in Washington, DC. Newspaper reports indicate that Grace could be classified as a prankster when a youth she and her friends stole a trolley car for a joy ride through the streets of Washington and on another occasion she blocked traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue by joining hands with friends and roller skating down the avenue.
She married U.S. Army Major Granville "Rolly" Fortescue
(1875–1952), one of the sons of Robert Barnwell Roosevelt
. Her husband was first cousin of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
. The marriage was not financially successful as she would have wished. She was the mother of three daughters: Marion Fortestcue who married Daulton Gillespie Viskniskki in 1934, Thalia Fortescue Massie
(1911–1963), and Kenyon Forestcue Reynolds (1914–1990), better known as actress Helene Whitney
.
Outwardly, the Fortescues appeared to be wealthy country gentry. In reality, financial affairs became a primary concern for them after Granville's final retirement from the army. With the exception of a short stint as a fiction editor for Liberty
magazine in 1930, he did not have steady employment, preferring to wait for the fortune his wife would inherit at the death of her parents.
after the death of Joseph Kahahawai
, one of the defendants in the alleged rape of her daughter.
Also charged and convicted with Fortescue were two sailors, Edward J. Lord and Deacon Jones, as well as Fortescue's son-in-law, Thomas Massie who participated in the abduction and murder of Kahahawai.
As of January 8, 1932, a criminal record indicates that while in Honolulu, Grace Fortescue lived on Kolowalu Street in Manoa
Valley, a short distance from her daughter's home on Kahawai Street.
Attorney Clarence Darrow
defended Fortescue, Jones, Massie and Lord and obtained a commutation of their sentence of ten-years imprisonment for manslaughter to one-hour in the executive chambers of Territorial Governor Lawrence M. Judd
.
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
who decided to take the law into her own hands and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed a defendant in the alleged rape of Grace's daughter that earned her a one-hour sentence for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
.
Life
Grace Hubbard Bell was born November 3, 1883 in Washington DC.Her father Charles John Bell was first cousin of inventor Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
, who married her mother's sister.
Her grandfather Gardiner Hubbard
Gardiner Greene Hubbard
Gardiner Greene Hubbard was a U.S. lawyer, financier, and philanthropist. He was one of the founders of the Bell Telephone Company and the first president of the National Geographic Society.- Biography :...
was the first president of Bell Telephone Company
Bell Telephone Company
The Bell Telephone Company, a common law joint stock company, was organized in Boston, Massachusetts on July 9, 1877 by Alexander Graham Bell's father-in-law Gardiner Greene Hubbard, who also helped organize a sister company — the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company...
.
Her mother was Roberta Wolcott Hubbard Bell (1859–1885).
The family lived in Twin Oaks in Washington, DC. Newspaper reports indicate that Grace could be classified as a prankster when a youth she and her friends stole a trolley car for a joy ride through the streets of Washington and on another occasion she blocked traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue by joining hands with friends and roller skating down the avenue.
She married U.S. Army Major Granville "Rolly" Fortescue
Granville Roland Fortescue
Granville Roland Fortescue was an American soldier, a Rough Rider serving with his cousin, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in Cuba, a presidential aide in the first Roosevelt administration and later, a journalist and war correspondent for the London Standard during the Rif War in 1920 Spanish Morocco...
(1875–1952), one of the sons of Robert Barnwell Roosevelt
Robert Roosevelt
Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, also known as Robert Barnhill Roosevelt , was a sportsman, author and United States Congressman from New York .-Biography:...
. Her husband was first cousin of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. The marriage was not financially successful as she would have wished. She was the mother of three daughters: Marion Fortestcue who married Daulton Gillespie Viskniskki in 1934, Thalia Fortescue Massie
Thalia Fortescue Massie
Thalia Fortescue Massie was a member of a socially prominent family who became the genesis of a series of heavily publicized trials in Hawaii.-Family life:Thalia Fortescue was born February 14, 1911 in Washington, DC...
(1911–1963), and Kenyon Forestcue Reynolds (1914–1990), better known as actress Helene Whitney
Helene Whitney
Helene Whitney also known as Helene Reynolds was an American actress who appeared in films in the late 1930s and 1940s.-Biography:Whitney was born Kenyon Fortescue in 1914, but was known as Helene...
.
Outwardly, the Fortescues appeared to be wealthy country gentry. In reality, financial affairs became a primary concern for them after Granville's final retirement from the army. With the exception of a short stint as a fiction editor for Liberty
Liberty (1924-1950)
Liberty was a weekly, general-interest magazine, originally priced at five cents and subtitled, "A Weekly for Everybody." It was launched in 1924 by McCormick-Patterson, the publisher until 1931, when it was taken over by Bernarr Macfadden until 1942. At one time it was said to be "the second...
magazine in 1930, he did not have steady employment, preferring to wait for the fortune his wife would inherit at the death of her parents.
Murder trial
A graying woman of fair complexion, standing at 5-feet 6-inches (168 cm) tall and weighing 134 pounds (61 kg), Grace Fortescue was charged with murder and convicted by a jury of manslaughterManslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
after the death of Joseph Kahahawai
Joseph Kahahawai
Joseph "Joe" Kahahawai Jr. was a Native Hawaiian prizefighter accused of the rape of Thalia Massie. He was abducted and killed after he was freed by a mistrial.-Early life:...
, one of the defendants in the alleged rape of her daughter.
Also charged and convicted with Fortescue were two sailors, Edward J. Lord and Deacon Jones, as well as Fortescue's son-in-law, Thomas Massie who participated in the abduction and murder of Kahahawai.
As of January 8, 1932, a criminal record indicates that while in Honolulu, Grace Fortescue lived on Kolowalu Street in Manoa
Manoa
thumb|240px|right|Vintage shot of University of Hawaii, Manoa240px|thumb|right|Vintage photo of Manoa ValleyMānoa is a valley and a residential neighborhood of Honolulu CDP of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States; the community is approximately three miles east and inland from...
Valley, a short distance from her daughter's home on Kahawai Street.
Attorney Clarence Darrow
Clarence Darrow
Clarence Seward Darrow was an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known for defending teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks and defending John T...
defended Fortescue, Jones, Massie and Lord and obtained a commutation of their sentence of ten-years imprisonment for manslaughter to one-hour in the executive chambers of Territorial Governor Lawrence M. Judd
Lawrence M. Judd
Lawrence McCully Judd was a politician of the Territory of Hawaii, serving as the seventh Territorial Governor. He was devoted to the Hansen's Disease-afflicted residents of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai.-Life:...
.
External links
- Webpage for The American Experience, "The Massie Affair", retrieved on 2008-06-07.
- Stannard, David. "The Massie case: Injustice and courage" The Honolulu Advertiser, October 14, 2001, retrieved on 2008-06-07.