New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-23
LAURA FAIR AGAIN.
She Writes Her Story and Appeals TO the
Press-The statement Which the san
francisco Bulletin Refused to Pub
lish-A Dash at the MasOns.

she WHITES IttE StuFN anu Appehis " tnt
Press-The statement Which the san
francisco Bulletin Refused to Pub
lish-A Dash at the NIasons.
10 THE PUBLIC: | made the following
statement, with proof attached in support
of the same, with the view to correct GER
tain false and wicked reports that have
been circulated by designing persons
against me. and which, for the sake of my
fatherless, and perhaps, soon to be mother
less, child, | feel it duty to make. have
a strong conviction in my own mind that
right will ultimately prevail in my case.
and that the Supreme Court of this State
will by its adjudication, place me once
more where | stood before my trial and
where can again be heard in defense of
my conduct before a jury OF my country
men, who are true, honest and just, bear
ing no hatred or malice whatever toward
a Door woman who never done them harm.
In this, my statement, | shall give the
names and dates as nearly as | can remem-
Der them; and if by accident | should
make any mistakes, then those referred to
can correct them; but trust they will have
no occasion so to do. 1t has been publicly
charged against me that my first marriage
was to a wealthy old man, whose wealth
was squandered by me after his decease
The name of my first husband was William
III. Stone, who was about thirtysiX years Of
age at the time | married him, L being
Young and thoughtless girl of sixteen years
of age. | was married to him at the re-
quest of my father. We were married in
New Orleans, where Mr.. Stone lived, being
one of the commission house and wholesale
liquor store of H. L. Stone 81 Co. Mr.
Stone died in about one year after my mar
rage to him, and left me without a farthing,
although | have no doubt his estate was
worth money. As proof that have never
received anything from Mr.. Stones estate,
/ refer the public to a letter from II. l..
Stone TO me, written since | have been in
vOlved IN this difficulty, which letter reads
as follows:
New ORLEANS, March G, 1871.
Mrs. Laura Fair
| am informed that you are my cousin
Laura, formerly Laura Stone, from whom
have not heard for many years. regret to
learn that you are in trouble, and suppose
YOU will need all your resources to get out
of 1t. | once wrote you that II / could save
anything for you from the estate of w. H.
Stone | would do SO. He left nothing at his
death except an interest OF One-third in
twelve hundred acres of land in Texas. Mr..
Roberts and myself own the other two
thirds. 1t cost twenty-five cents per acre.
1 think it will now sell for fifty cents per
acre. or 5000 for the whole. This would be
$500 for his estate, which, by law, would be
divided between you and his mother, 500
10 tdCu. one Will idhb IUu lOT UcE pDEJlOn.
Presenting you will do the same, | have
caused an act of sale to be prepared, which
will be forwarded to you through the house
of r. c. Dunn & Co, of your city. On sign
ing the act OF sale they will pay you 500.
/ shall have to be at some expense to sell
the land at fifty cents per acre, and may
have to keep it longer; but, for the purpose
or getting control Of it, so that can sell it
when / have chance. | am willing to take
at rbn npioa plaoSp uvTita m a UnoI lOOer
letter; tell me all about your troubles. |
truly sympathiZe with you, and hope the |
Lord will show you the way out OF them
speedily. Yours truly,
II. l.. STONE.
Direct to care of John A Roberts, box |
s843 New Orleans.
After Mr. Stones death / entered the |
Convent of the Visitation, at Mobile. under |
my maiden name, there 10 finish my educa-
ton. | had no money or any means, and |
my mother paid my expenses there out of !
the small means left her by my father. | |
left the convent in June, 1856, and returned |
TO New Orleans, where | met Thomas j.
Grayson, person had formerly known in
that city, and, being without money or
friends who could assist me, | married him
in the month of August, 1856. He proved
to be bad man and terrible drunkard,
and he became so hOpelessly lost | was
obliged to leave him, aud in January, 1857,
leaving him there, | came with my mother
and brother to San Francisco. He demand
ed that should return to him, but posi-
lively refused, and he applied fora divorce
upon the ground of desertion, and none
other. He employed an attorney by the
name of ID. w. Hennen, then of New Or
leans, but now of New York city. and Will
liam Hunt, of New Orleans, acted for me.
In February, 1853, decree was granted
divorcing him from bed and board-the
law Of that State requiring one year to
elapse before divorce could be entered
from the bonds of matrimony, or what was
called a final divorce. became acquainted
with Colonel William d. Fair, who was Il
Lawyer in this city, and put the matter in
his hands as my attorney. Prior to this |
had advised with Governor FOOte in rela-
zion TO the same matter. In 1852 Colonel
Fair, as my attorney, advised me that the
final divorce had been granted; and. after
being assured it was so, | married Colonel
e air. We were married in the town of
Shasta and soon after left for Yrella where
Colonel Fair was then settled in business.
1T was here that my only child was born in
the month of August, 1860. Judge Bags
is now living in this city, and knows of our
marriage, and knows also that Colonel Fair
was poor then, and was always poor. |
did not marry Colonel Fair for money, and
there is no truth i'll the base charge made
against me that | was extravagant and i'm
poverished him. / append to the end
of this statement the affidavit of
Judge Baggs, which sustains me fully
on the points. / did all my own work
when we kept house in YIeka, and kept no
servants. Every person who lived in Ireka
at the time we lived there will bear Inc wit
ness to the truth of what | say. Colonel
Fair lived only three months after we left
Yreka. In October of the year 1861, ColO5el
Fair made his arrangements to move to
San Francisco and sent me and my child IN
advance, while he remained to close up his
bueiness, expecting soon to follow; and on
the first of November of tie same year he
came down and settled here. | was stop
ping with my mother in a house she had
rented from DR.. Hitchcock, on Bush street,
where the Brooklyn Hotel now stands.
Colonel Fair came Immediately to the
house. and we lived there together in peace
and ouietness till he died He sent his books
and other things to DIR. Murpby's office and
took an office there with him. until he could
get one. 1t has been cruelty reported that
Colonel Fair was jealous of me- and that
we had separated before his death. This is
all SANDER and has i'll it no truth. On the
morning of his death he left the house, as
usual, and went to his office.
Soon after DR.. Hitchcock called to see
him, and was told by me that he was at his
Office. He went to his office, and, in at
tempting to open the door, found something
heavy against it, and, pushing it open,
found that the obstruction was the dead
body. of Colonel Fair. He had been shot |
Through the head with pistol ball; and the |