The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-05-19
From AffRuence 70 Penury.
(New York SUM-

A cluster of fifty or sixty men gathered
in Sheriff VIM. c. COnnG's room, at ~
Beekman street, recently, in reponse to
the official announcement that the ward
robe of Mrs. Laura S. Taylor, widow of
the late flames B. Taylor, would be
sold by auction to satisfy the claim OF
Mr.. Charles Devlin, a contractor.
The history of Mrs. Taylor's difficult
ties, from which she was brought from
affluence to penury, is briefly told. AS
executrix of her husbands great estate,
she at once fOnnd herself embarrassed
by multitude of unsettled claims
against the property, and by contest
with her daughter, who disputed the
validity Of the will. Among the credle
TORS of the estate was @. B. MattisOn, OF
Utica, who held notes am ounting to S75,-
600, and by q suit begun by him and
other creditors in the supreme court,
Oneida county, Mrs. Taylor was pro-
nounced mentally incapable OF manag-
ing 1.-THE esta tie, and a receiver was ap-
pointed. A referee was also appointed
to take proof and report concerning the
validity of the claims against the prop
erty, 1t was soon found that the estate,
reduced by mismanagement and legal
claims, would amount to not more than
| 5000. 900. and that this sum would be
swallowed up in settling the charges OF
| the receiver, the fees of the daughters
LAWYER, her guardian and guardians
| lawyer, and the cost Of her suit III the
courts Creditors swarmed on every
side to the plunder Of the estate, and 1t
was declared insolvent. Mrs. Taylor
was left penniless, She was compelled
in October last to go forth from her
Madison Avenue mansion, ana seek the
i charity Of her friends in the country
To complete her burden OF misfortune,
her costly and magnificent wardrobe,
which filled nine large trunks, was at
taciled at the moment when sIl6 was
! leaving her home. She was left with
only tho clothing that was upon her
| person. The attachment was made by
Mr.. Charles Devlin, who held a claim OF
/ $1410 against Mrs. Taylor for money
| that he had loaned her. Mr.. Devlin re,
tanned the goods, and they We're offered
for public sale yesterday. They he3yoo are
supposed to be worth at least $4,000 OF
! $4,000. The price that they brought un-
| der the hammer did not exceed $500 ol
/ $400.
As Sheriff Conner mounted an armless
chair, to begin the sale, he was sur,
rounded by rampant of trunks. The
| goods, comprising silks, yelvets, laces
/ linen wear, jewelry, fnrs, lap robes, etc.
were spread over long pile of spades
and shovels, that lined one side of tht
dusky room. The sale was opened witt
! the disposition of several lots OF table
1 cloths. napkins and handkerchiefs, anC
| went on to the most elaborate silk anC
! velvet dresses, whose beautiful texture
and luster not even the half Lighted
apartment could conceal. The bidding
was brisk, and the bidders quarrelet
and swOre as they stamped the mue
| from their feet and roughly pulled a
Tie fine fabrics. Among the goods Were
/ over 30 dresses, nearly all Of which were
of the finest silk, in black, green, maroon
and lavender colors. One magnltIcen
black velvet dress, that cost not les
/ than S4O0, was knocked down, after ;
sharp bidding, for $50, and two dTesse
of green silk, elaborately embroided
brought only SO. A splendid red silk
which the auetioneer called a regula
Dolly Warden, and no mistake" wa
sold for $21. Several gauzy light lac
dresses were sold in lot for SO, and
sealskin muff brought only 10 cents. !
silk velvet cloak went for w 20, lac
curtains for $15 pair. q tine seaiskll
sack for $21, crimson plush and maroon
colored lap robes for song, and BITS Q
lace, engrayings, shawls, rlbbens, lyor
fans, opera glasses, horse blankets DOT
ties of French brandy, and several set
0fieWelry, were disposed OF at the smail
est figures. The trunks were sold las
and the prices ranged from % cents t
$1a.
A short time ago the Picayune men