The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-19
WHERE TOURCEE LEARNED
HIS TRICKS.
Tale Of a BIacksmtths' Wife who
Took in the srrIStocracy.

4 special from Erie, Pa. to Phila.
delphia Times says
The arrest OF Henry Martin. a Young
Indian OF the Mohawk tribe, has reveal
cd another sensational chapter in the
remarkable career OF au adventures
who disappeared from here under highly
romantic circumstances two wears AGO.
The Indian has been arrested in Califor-
MA for an attempt to black-mail one
~SayOnna, an alleged Indian princess,
wife OF Juanita, a Canadian chief ofcon-
siderable renOwn. The trial of the
blackmailer has developed the fact that
this Indian princess, Sayonna, is none
othcI than Madame Baraboo, of this
city. and that the threat to xpose her
true name and character unless she paid
the Indian $4,000 was his otieuse.
Under cross-eXamination the pr cess
~Sayonna'' admitted hat she vas from
Erie and that she had been the wife OF
"a blacksmith here; also that she suisse
qucntly married Mr.. Andrew johnson,
a iutl cousin Of President johnson.
Madame Barabo, claiming to be q
countess, came to this city from France
twenty years ago as the wife OF an hum
ole blacksmith, who led a miserable
.ac with Lcr. She succeeded in obtain
iu% 4 position As teacher Of French at
the Erie academy, the principal of
which was q young man, Judge Albion
Tourgcc. Under Mr. Tourgee, na,Iume
Harabo o. ire countess as she insisted
that he should call her, taught for some
time and was finally dismissed because
ol her arrogance ia requiring an auto
crattc obcisance upon entering or quit
t.ng her prescnte. The madame was
ever hungcring for notorietv and On one
occasion horsewhipped a magistrate for
lrcsuning to give a judgment against
har, declaring that TIE French nobility
were superior to any American law.
Guests who slept at her house were put
to bed III an antique bed, which she said
had contained the headless trunk of her
grandfather, after the guillotine had
done with him.
After the death of Barabo the COun
tess succeeded in winning the heart Of
Andrew johnson, of this city, a cousin
OF the president and a very wealthy old
man, aged eighty two. The old gentle
man WAS ~passionately devoted to her
ana fully believed i'll her nobility. not
only d~eierentially according her the title
OF Countess himself, but making all his
servants address her as such. With
wealth at her command the Countess
held quite a little regal court, her recep-
tons being attended by the best society.
in Il few wears this maGnificence
came to end rather abruptly. 4 son Of
her aged husband getting possession of
some Of her secrets, followed them up
until he laid the whole story of her life,
with ali OF her receptions. before her
father. Shocked 1T the Implicitly of his
dashing bride. Mr.. Johnson left her and
never returned His fine residence on
Walnut street was made over TO her and
for some time she exists solely on her
former grandeur.
In the spring Of 1882 a party ofIndians
came TO Erie from Canada 10 play la
crosse on William l.. SCOTS property.
Among them was Chief Juanita. The
countess was present at the exhibition
aud sought an introduction TO the chief.
She dazzlcd him with her bold and brazen
beauty aud although he wa old enough to
be her father, she accepted his attentions
and consented to become an Indian bride.
She disappeared at the time the Indians
left and, as it now appears, she was
welded by Indian rites when the party
returned to Canada, she being gayly attlr-
CT as an Indian princess. Having sue
ceeded Ia getting the chief to convert his
property into cash, she left him a much
poorer man than she found him. The
young Indian arrested is the son Of that
chief, who doggedhcr from Canada across
the continent 10 Sacramento, in the hope
ofmaking her disgorge some of his fathers
money. \ daughter of the countess
still lives III Eric, following the vocation
OF teacher.