The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-07-10

It is not often that in real life We
meet with story that combines all
the elements of the EXTREMIST ro-
mances-involying a heiress, des-
perate villain, attempted abduction,
strychnine, arsenic, opium, nitrate of
silver and pistol bullets, masked men
with coach on a dark night, and all
the other melo-dramatic incidents
but the Star presents to it's readers
this morning true story that con-
tains all.
EMMA ToRREY
resides in the tenement house No.
$50 Forty second street, between
Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. She
and her father occupy rooms which
are almost destitute Of furniture, and
the neighborhood is one in which
only the poorer classes live; but she
has an appearance and manner far
above her surroundings, uses correct
language, and is lady-like and grace.
full in every movement. She has
aristocraticaliy chiseled features,
blue eyes and brown hair, and, if
seated in drawing room instead of
the third floor front of tenement
house, would be one of the bellies of
society. She tells her own story as
follows:-
"Lady Seagrave was maiden lady
who owned large estates near Howth,
County Dublin, Ireland, and also in
: Derbyshire, England, and was con-
nected with the nobility and the up
per families of the landed gentry in
England and Ireland. She was a
very peculiar woman, with strong
likes and dislikes. My mother, Sal
lie Hughes, was the daughter of her
favorite sister, who married Mr..
Hughes, also wealthy land owner.
From my mothers infancy, Lady
!. Seagrave took a great fancy to her,
saying that she had the genuine Sea-
grave face, while my mothers broth
er and sister were like the Hughes
family, and the old lady did not like
them. She said that my mother
should inherit her property, and, as
it was in the old lady's own right,
she could bequeath it to my mother
if she wished. My mother grew up
on the estate, being there with Lady
Seagrave nearly all the time until
she grew up"
"But then how did your mother
happen to come to this country?'
IL don't know that, sir; | believe
there was some estrangement and
she came away. After her arrival
here, | think, she married my faith
err. Lady Seagrave relented before
her death in 1871, and wanted my
mother to come back, hut mother
died in the same year"-here her
voice choked and the tears came in
her eyes-"and we never heard any
more about Lady Seagrave until
about four years ago, when heard
that my mother was heir to the es
tates, and that my sister Margaret
Elizabeth and myself, as my moth
er's heirs, were entitled to the prop
erty. Shortly after that poor Mag
gle was taken ill. She seemed to
fall into regular decline, and soon
afterward died, We have had rea-
son since then to believe that she
was poisoned"
"What makes you think soi'
because since that time several
attempts have been made upon my
life, and my father has been poison
ed once"
evil you relate the circum-
stances2"
"a year ago last December I was
sitting taking my tea. 1t did not
taste quite right, but ] didn't mind
1t. After drinking it 1 found some
thing in hollow tooth I have. I
took it out, and it looked just like a
little silver pill. l showed it to a
gentleman friend of mine, thinking
1t was some of the solder off the tea
pot. He took it to doctor, who said
twas pill made of nitrate of silver,
and that somebody had been trying
to poison NO."
"Who do you suppose could have
done it2"
81 forgot to tell you about that
For some years past a Mr.. - has
been acquainted with me. He got
acquainted through friend, and
used to take me out occasionally. II
found out that be has an uncle in
Ireland who is endeavoring to gain
possession of Lady Seagrave's prop
erty, and believe that man ia GOING