Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-11-21
THE STORY OF A COUNTESS.
The Companion of n Blacksmith, the
Wife of a Cousin of President ohm
son and the Bride of an Indiana
Remark BILE Career.
Erie (Pa.) Cor. Philadelphia Times

Wife of Cousin of resident ohm.
son and the Bride of an Indiana
Remark able Career.
Erie (Pa) Cor Philadelphia Times.
The arrest of Henry Martin, q
young Indian of tie Mohawk tribe
has revealed another sensational chap
ter in the remarkable career of an ad
ventures, who disappeared from here
| under romantic circumstances two
years ago. The Indian has beeA ar
rested in California for an attempt tC
black1nail one Sayonna, an alleged
Indian princess and the veritable wife
of Junanita, Canadian chief of con
siderable renewn. The trial of the
blackmailer has developed the fact
that this Indian princess Sayonna-
is none other than Nine. Barabo, OF
this city, and that the threat to expose
her true name and character unless
she paid the Indian 5000 was his
offense. Under cross examination
the Princess Sayonna'' admitted that
she was from Erie and that she had
been The wife of blacksmith here
also that she subsequently married
Mr.. Andrew johnson, full cousin of
President johnson, while living in
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 a humble black
smith, who led miserable life with
his alleged blue blooded wife. Her
claims to inability soon made her a
conspicuous parsonage, and she sue
seeded in obtaining position as teach
err of French at the Erie academy, the
principal of which at that time was a
young man who has since become
we'll known, Judge Albion Tourgee.
Nine. Barabo, or the countess" as
she insisted that the faculty should
call her, taught for some time, and
was finally dismissed because of her
arrogance in requiring an autocratic
obeisance upon entering or quit
ting her presence. The madam was
hungering for notoriety, and on one
occasion horsewhipped magistrate
for presuming to give judgment
against her, declaring that the French
nobility was 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 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, cousin
of the president and a very wealthy
old man, aged 80. The old gentleman
was passionately devoted TO her, and
fully believed in her nobility, not only
deferentially 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 little legal court, her re
ceptions being attended by the best
society. But in few years this mag
niticence came to an end rather
abruptly. A son of her aged husband,
getting possession of some of her Sc
crets, followed them up until he laid
its receptions, before his father
Shocked at the duplicity of lis dash
ing bride, Mr.. johnson left her and
never returned. His fine residence on
Walsut street was made over to her,
and for some time she existed solely
on her former grandeur.
In the spring of 1882 party of In
dams came to Erie from Canada to
play la crosse on William L. SCOTS
property. Among them was Chief
Juauita. The countess was present
at the exhibition, and sought an intro
duction to the chief. She dazzled him
with her bold and brazen beauty, and
although he was old enough to be her
father. she accepted his attention and
consented to become an Indian bride.
She disappeared at the time the In
dams left, and, as it now appears, she
was welded by Indian rites when the
party returned to Canada, she being
gayly attired as an Indian princess.
Having succeeded in getting the chief
to convert his property into cash, she
left him much poorer man than she
found him. TIE young Indian arrest
ed is the son of that chief, who dog
ged her from Canada across to Sacra-
mento, in the hope of making her
disgorge some of his fathers money.
A daughter of the countess still lives
IN Erie, following the vocation of
teacher.