The Osceola times., 1884-12-13
THE STORY OF A COUNTESS.
The Companion oil . Blacksmith and the
Bride of an Indian

The Companion oi . Blacksmith and the
Bride Of an Indian.
The arrest of Henry Martin, a young
Indian of the Mohawk tribe, has reveal
ed another sensational chapter in the
remarkable career of an adventures
who disappeared from here under high
ly 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 yeriiable wife ofJuanita, a Canadian
chief of considerable renown. 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 $1,000 was his oiiense
Under cross examination the princess
Sayonna' admitted that she was from
Erie and that she had been the wife of
blacksmith there; also that she subse.
quently married Mr.. andrew Johnson,
full cousin ofPIesident johnson, while
| living at Erie.
Nine Barabo, claiming 10 be countess
in her own right, came to this city from
France twenty years ago, ,ac wife of
humble blacksmith, who led 4 mis.r
able life. with his alleged b,ue blooded
wife. Her claims to nobility soon made
her conspicuous parsonage, and she
| 1AI ia, lt,f fas,
teacher of French at the Erie Academy,
the principal of which at that time was
a young man who has since become well
known as Judge Albion Tourgee. Un-
der Mr.. 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 auto
cratic obeisance on entering or quitting
her presence. The madame was ever
hungerjng for notoriety. on one occasion
horsewhipped magistrate for pTesum-
ing to give judgment against her, de-
clariug that the French nobility 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
dllNi SuiiiNNiii~ iiA' uDHf
with him.
After the death of Barabo the Countess
succeeded in wiDnii 9 the heart of Andrew
johnson of this city, cousin Of the
President, and very wealthy old man,
aged 50. The old gentleman was pas
sionately devoted to her, and fully be-
, lieved in her nobility, not only deterrent
ially according to her the title of coun.
| l. L,,,,aalf hut, oil inor oil hi. nj
address her as such. With wealth at
her command the Countess held quite a
little regal court, her receptions being
attended by the best society. But in
| few years this magniiicence came to an
, end rather abruptly. A 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 all
its decep,ions. before his father. Shock.
ed at the duplcity of his dashing bride
; Mr.. johnson left her and never reiuIn-
i ed. His fine residence on Walnut Street
,, was mace over to her, and flr some time
she existed solely on her former grand
/ eur.
/, , In the spring Of 1882 party of In
! dians came to Erie from Canada to play
, la crosse on William l.. Soott's property
!, Countess was present at the exhibition,
and sought an introduction 10 the chief.
4, She dazzled him with her bold and
brazen beauty, and, although he was old
: enough to be her father, she accepted
, his attentions and consented to become
: an Indian bride. She disappeared at
the time the Indian 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 prin-
, cess. Having succeeded in getting the
Chief to convert his property into cash
, she left him a much poorer man than
, she found him. The young Indian ar
rested is the son Of that chief, who dog
ged her from Canada across the cOuti-
, nent to Sacramento, in the hope Of max
, ing h disgoree some of the money. The
Countess still lives in Erie, following the
vocation Of teacher. Philadelphia Tmes.