Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-04-05
FROM AFFLUENCE TO PENURY.
Mrs. TaylOr's Wardrobe Taken from hel
Mansion and Sold at Auction.
[FrOm the New York SUM-

From the New YORK Sum-
A cluster of fifty or sixty men gathered in
Sheriff VIM. G. Corners room, at 20 Beck
man street, at 1890 o'clock yesterday morn
ing, in response TO the official announcement
that the wardrobe of Mrs. Laura S. Taylor,
widow of the late James B. Taylor, would be
sold by auction to satisfy the claim of Mr.
Charles Devlin, a contractor.
The history of Mrs. Taylors difficulties, by
which she was brought from atfluence to
penury, is briefly told. AS executrix of her
husbands great estate, she at once found her
self embarrassed by a multitude of unsettled
with her daughter, who disputed the validity
of the will. Among the creditors of the es-
tate was o. B. Mattison, of Utica, who held
notes amounting to $75,000, and by suit
begun by him and other creditors in the S,,-
preme Court, Oneida county, Mrs. Taylor
was pronounced mentally incapable of man.
aging the estate, and a receiver was appointed.
A referee was also appointed to take proof
and report concerning the validity of the
claims against the property. 1t was soon
found that the estate, reduced by mismanage-
ment and legal claims, would amount to not
more than $500, 900, and that this sum would
be swallowed up in settling the charges OF
the receiver, the fees of the daughters law
yer. her guardian, and guardians lawyer and
the cost of her suit in the courts. Creditors
swarmed from every side to the plunder of
the estate, and it was declared insolvent Mrs.
Taylor was left penniless. She Was. COM
PEELED in October last to 60 forth from her
Madison avenue mansion, and seek the char
ity of her friends in the country.
To complete her burden of misfortunes, her
costly and magnificent wardrobe, which
filled nine large trunks, was attached at the
moment when she was leaving home. She
was left with only the clothing that was upon
her person. The attachment was made by
Mr.. Chas: Devlin, who held claim of $1,410
against Mrs. Taylor, money be had loaned
they were offered for public sale yesterday.
They are supposed to be worth at least SO, 900
or So, 600. The price that they brought under
the hammer did not exceed $500 or $400.
AS Sheriff Conner mounted an armless
chair, to begin the sale, he was surrounded
by rampant of trunks. The goods, CON-
prising silks, velvets, laces, linen wear, jew
elry, furs, lap robes, china, etc., were spread
over long pile of spades and shovels, that
lined one side of the dusky room. The sale
was opened with the disposition of several
lots of table cloths, napkins and handker-
chiefs, and went on to the most elaborate
silk and velvet dresses, whose beautiful tex
ture and lustre not even the half-lighted apart
ment could conceal. The bidding was brisk,
and the bidders quarreled and swore as they
stamped the mud from their feet and roughly
pulled at the fine fabrics. Among the goods
were over twenty dresses, nearly all of which
were of the finest silk, in black, green, ma
room and lavender colors. One magnificent
black velvet dress, that cost not less than
$400, was knocked down, after sharp bid
ding, for $50, and two dresses of green silk,
elaborately embroidered, brought only $40.
A splendid rep silk. which the auctioneers
called Irregular Dolly Warden, and no mis-
take" was sold for 1921. Several gauzy light
lace dresses were sold in lot for $50, and a
sea)-skin muff brought only IS cents. A silk
velvet cloak went for SO 25, lace curtains for
$15 pair, fine sealskin sack for 1921, GRIM
son plush and dark maroon colored lap robes
for song, and bits of lace, engravings,
shawls, ribbons, ivory fans, opera glasses,
horse blankets, bottles of French brandy, and
several sets of jewelry, were disposed of at
the smallest figures. The trunks were sold
last, and the prices ranged from Is cents to
$12.