The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-14
MADAME BARABO.
SENSATIONAL LIFE OF AN ALLEGED
FRENCH COUNTESS.
Her Marriage to President Johnson's
Cousin and Subsequent Capers and
Abandonment-She Finally Mar
ries an Indian Chief.

ERIE, Pa, Nov. l4-The arrest of Henry
Martin, a young Indian Of the Mohawk
tribe, has revealed another sensational
'hapter in the remarkable career of ali ad
ventures, who disappeared from here under
highly romantic circumstances two years
ago The Indian has been arrested in Cali
fornia for an attempt to blackmail
one Sayonna, an alleged Indian princess,
and the veritable wife of Juanita,
Canadian chief of considerable
renown The trial OF the blackmailer has
developed the fact that this Indian princess
(Sayonna) is none other than Nine Baraboo,
Of this city, and that the threat to expose
her true name and character unless she
paid the Indian 5000 was his offense. I'm
der cross-examination the Princess Say
onna" admitted that she was from Erie and
that she had had been the wife of black
smith here; also that she subsequently mar
riel Mr.. Andrew johnson, IA full cousin
Of President Andrew johnson, while living
at Erie.
Nine. Barabo claiming to be a countess in
her own right, came to this city from France
twenty years ago as the wife of 4 black
smith, who lived n miserable life with his al
lodged blue bloodcd wife Her claims to no
bility soon made her conspicuous person
age and she succeeded in obtaining a posi-
ton as teacher Of French at the Erie acad-
envy, the principal OF which at that time was
young man who has since become well
known-Judge Albion Tourgee. Under
Mr. Tourgee Mime Barabo, or the
countess" as she insisted that the faculty
should call her, taught fer some time and
was finally dismissed because of her AFRO
gance in requiring an autocratic ohesance
upon entering or quitting her presence The
madame was ever hungering for notoriety,
and on one occasion horsewhipped magis-
trate for presuming to give Judgment
against her, declaring that the French no
bility were superior to any American law.
Guests who slept at her house were put to
bed in an antique bed which she said had
contained the headless trunk of her grand
father after the gendarneS had done with
him.
After the death of Barabo the countess sue
ceede1 in winning the heart Of Andrew John
son, of this city, a cousin of the president,
and very wealthy Old man aged 81. The
old gentleman was passionately devoted &c
her, and fully believed in her nobility, not
countess himself but making all his servants
address her IS such. With wealth at hel
| command, the countess held quite :
little regal court, her receptions being
attended by tho best society, but in few
| years this magnficence came to an cad quit;
| abruptly, \ son of her aged husband getting
possession OF some OF her secrets, followed
| them up until he laid the whole story of hci
| life with all its receptions, before his father
Shocked at the dnplcity0f his dashing bride
| Mr. johnson left her ami never returned. Hi
| fine residence on Walnut street was madt
over to her, and for some time she existed
solely on her former grandeur
In the spring of 1882 a party of Indian
came to Erie from Canada 30 play lacro>s
on William L. SCOTS property. Anon,
them was Chief Juanita. The countess wa
present at the exhibition, and sought an i'll
| PRODUCTION to the chief She dazzled hin
with her bold and brazen beauty, and al
though he was old enough to be he
father, she accepted his attentions an
consented to become an Indian bride
She disappeared at the time the In
dian left, and, as it now appears, she wa
welded by Indian rites when the party re
turned to Canada, she being gaily attired a
an Indian princess. Having succeeded il
/ getting the chief to convert his property int
cash, she left him a much poorer man tina
she found him. The young Indian arrpste
is the son of that chief who logged her frol
Canada across the continent to Sacrament
in the hope of making her disgorge some O
his fathers money. A daughter of Ill
countess still lives here, following the W
cation of teacher