Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-04-10
MADAME BOILLEAU.
Death Of"OId BuIIion's'' Daughter
"A Tragedy Founded on FIRE.
mOnl's Ell PasO Road Operations.

Death Of"Old Buiiion'sD Dhu Bnter
"A Tragedy Founded on FIRE.
mOni's FL PasO Road Operations.
From the New York Herald, April 81
The Paris papers mention the death
of the above named lady, in that city, on
the 9th of March She was the youngest
daughter of the late Senator Thomas II.
Benton, and possessed many of his
attributes-his warm heart, indomitable
energy and stern sense of duty. Passing
away from earth at the early age of
thirty nine years, the vicissitudes o. her
life had been already more than usually
fall to the lot of woman. During her
girlhood her father was among the fore
most Americans of the time, and her
first youth was ushered into the high
circle of society at the Capital Of the
United States, where the brilliancy Of
her intellect and the grace of her man
ner made her an attraction in the midst
of diplomatists and Statesmen. In 1855
she was married to Baron Boilleau, then
| Secretary to the French Legation.
Shortly after her marriage her husband
was promoted by his Government to the
post of Consul at Calcutta, and the
young woman was removed from the
easy life and the happy surroundings
which she had hitherto known to face
the realities Of the world among strangers
in distant land Several years in that
unhealthy climate sufficed serious
ly to undermine her husbands
health, and finally, obtaining the favor
of recall, with her sick husband and
her infant. leaving a child grave behind
her, she returned to France. The next
advancement brought her husband as
Consul General to Quebec, whittier she
accompanied him, and, IN 1861, she
returned for few years to the United
States, Baron Boilleau having in
the meantime been appointed Consul
General at this port. But in 1870 came
another promotion, which was but new
exile, her husbands long service being
rewarded with the post Of Minister
Plenipotentiary to Peru. Very soon
after came the first intimations of the
crowning trial, to which, it may be said,
was due the death of Mrs. Boilleau.
In 1861 General Fremont, who was mar.
ried to her sister, was organizing the
Memphis and Ell Paso railroad. He
looked to France as the great market
| for his bonds. He explained the merits
of the enterprise to Baron Boilleau and
requested a favorable introduction of
the scheme to the French Minister Of the
Interior which was given. The loan
was taken up in Paris, but the road was
never built. The company's affairs were
placed in the hands of receiver, and
the French bondholders were the suf-
ferers. The French courts, refusing to
look into the cause of the failure, pro
nounced the whole scheme fraud,
concocted for the purpose of obtaining
money from French citizens under false
pretenses. Their own Minister was ac-
cused of participation in the fraud for
having recommended the enterprise, and
he was recalled from Peru and put on
trial The decision of the court was a
sweeping one. No element of honesty
was recognized in the whole transaction
1t was treated as pure fabrication, and
| every one concerned in it was pro-
nounced guilty, from General Fremont
downward. The General fortunately
for him, was in New York; but Baron
| Boilleau, who had come from Lima to
Paris at the first intimation of any fault
finding with his conduct, was repaid for
MS pfOmpluesS Dl u stuNtuSc W buACC
years Imprisonment, and in March,
| 1873, he was immured in the Concierge
rie. This suspense had lasted two years,
and under the final blow Nine. Boil
leau's health gave way, a long illness
followed and after some months, rising
from what her physicians thought would
be her death-bed, she commenced one
untiring and fruitless effort to obtain
her husbands release. From all quar-
ters she procured letters, petitions, state
ments, showing the true status of the
railway her husband had recommended
going unwearyingly from one minister
to another. She took no warning from
her failing strength, until at last nature
succumbed, and, worn out by her exer-
tions and her suiferings, she died, leav-
ing her husband still in prison, and six
children, with no protection but that of
friends.