The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-15
THE DRAMA OUTDONE
BY FACTS IN THE LIFE HISTORY
ota Young Lady who OnosL Lived in Whssl'
IpE-BOmAnus stOry Of Paula de BrAneO'
which Has Before Been Only Hintsd
at-Is She a wealthy HOIrSIS7

ipE-BomRhue aeoFy OF FAnlAus nInuVl
which Has Before Been ouly Hintsd
at-Is She a Wealthy HSIrSIS7
Reference has once or twice been made
in the IS~TILLlsEScEH to the history Of
Mile Paula de BrRnco, noWth b wife Of DR..
L. E. Niles. Both the Doctor and his vile
are former Wheeling people, DR., Niles is
pretty we'll known in the city, Mile de
BIsuco was for some weeks early last
summer a teacher Of her own language,
the French, at the Academy Of the Vista
ton, Mt. de CbAntal, east Of this city.
While she was still in Wheeling, the IN
rELLldEScER learned something Of her
story, and investigated it with q view oil
publishing so much Of it as proved au'
thentic and Of public interest. This pur-
pose was abandoned for reasons which
may hereafter appear, Portions of her
story have been printed heretofore, but
those episodes which occurred in this city,
and which form important links in her
career, have never been related,
WHO PAULA DE- BRAScO Is.
Mile Paula dc BranGo is the daughter
Of a French couple who were living in
Brazil ut tho time OF her birth, Her
father, ROdriguerO d 0liverra de BranCo,
was ono Of the Wealthitht men In Brazil
but suffering reyerses, returned to France
10 preserve the remnants OF his splendid
fortune. To recover his lost estates, he
entered extensively into the gambling
operations OF Monaco, aud there lost oil
he had not parted with in Brazil. Like
many another sufferer from the same
cause, de Brauco took his life rather than
return and face the family his recklessnesi
had rendered penniless, This family con
sisted Of the wife, Gabrielle de Branco, 81
older daughter and q son, besides Paula
then a little girl Of seven years, They
were living In considerable style in lou
louise. With the few remaining trancl
left her, aud by the sale OF heI
jeWelry and costly effects Madame
de- BranCo managed 10 make bel
way TO Geneva, Switzerland, where she
took humble lodgings, her elder daughter
aiding in the support OF the family BY
singing on the vaudeville stage. Here
Hhe met q rowing player who won her al
ieCtions, and with him eloped, leaving hel
mother alone 10 battle with the world
her son, q young man, being a worthless
shittless character, giving to gaming when
ever he could scraps together q few coins,
In this strait, Madame de Branct
formed q disCreditsble alliance with q
member OF the French legation at Gene
va, a man oil whom her husband had been
Suspicious in his lie. To this man the
Young Paula took such q dislike that hel
mother, with the aid Of q Catholic priest
induced q wealthy and philanthropiC
EnQllshmaD, resident at st. julien, In sa'
yoy, not far from Geneva, to care for the
child. The boy about this time came 10
an untimely end.
PAULA CoMEs TO AMERICA.
Tho Engllshman referred to, Mr.. Tart
ford, sent Paula to the st. Julien Convent
School, and bore the expenses Of hei
maintenance and education there. Con
corning this gentleman's connection with
Paula's affairs there Is 4 difference Of
opinion. She herself ayers-Rnd there IL
no reason 10 question her sincerity and
honesty In making the statement-that
Mir. TralTord was her guardian. 81. Henri
Blanc, Of GGllipolls, Ohio, who claims
to be the executor and resid'
uary legatso Of MI. TrAlIord, SayI
that the latter was only led TO dc
what he did on the girls behalf, through
his goodness OF heart. In 1877, NJ, Blanc
says, Mr.. Trafiord informed him Of his In
tent!ons toward him, and when in 1875
Traaord died, he found that he had been
named In the will as te%sLamentafy execu'
tor rand residGary legatee. By this will Trat'
ford left Paula de Branco an annuity oil zoo
franco ($24O) to be paid by Blanc yearly.
When the latter reached st. Julien In
response to q cablegram which reached
him at Gallipolis, announcing TraGotd'a
death, he found that q man calling him.
self Francis Gillaume TralTord had set up
q claim 10 Traiord's estate, alleging that
he was his son. The estate, NJ. Blanc
asserts, 10 still locked up owing to the Iii.
cation, which Is very tedious, many vexed
Questions Of internationallaw havingenter.
edinto the cease. There are dark hints ofioul
play at the death OF TTatford, but these
have nothing to do with The present story.
Paula being left without resources, was
Obliged to leave the costly school at St.
Julien. NJ. Blanc, moved, as he says, by
her helpless condition, offered her q home
beneath his roof at Gallipolis, and she &C.
copied. In 1881 she came to America with
him. She herself, as heretofore stated, rs.
serts that she was kept In seCluslen for
several months at G~Rllipolis, and finally
escaped 10 the house Of Louis Baer, .
neiShbor. This, atory, however, NJ. Blanc
ridfcules, and the real truth can only be
oonjeCtured.
SIZE COMBS TO WHEELING,
Mile dc Branco went 10 Detroit at one
time, where she taught French In q Cath.
Ollie school. Afterwards she WAS an In
mate OF the family Of Congressman Hop
kinR, OF Pittsburgh, acting as governesS
and companion to hiG daughter. From
there she returned to Gallipolis.
A lady at Gallipolis became interested
In the young lady, who Is said 10 be OF q
Bingul&rly guilelets, frank and winning
~dispoeltlon, and 10 make friends wherever
she goes. Throughthe fundamentally OF
this lady, who was also q Catholic, Mile
de Branco secured q position as teacher OF
French at Mt. de Chantal, and abe came
here early in 1885 or late In 1884.
She made q favorable impression OF the
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