The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-10
A ROMANCE OF A CENTURY.
The Strange Mutations in the Lives
and Fortunes of Family.
From the BaltLmore American.


Mr.. Ferdinand 9. Dugan of the firm of
Willis, Dugan, HAZEL, Reynolds & Wy
man has been appointed a special deputy
by the Orphans court to go to Paris and
take the probate of the will of M. Emile
Ducatel, who died there on June in the
S4th year of his age.
The mother of the deceased was one of
the refugees from the island of San Do
mingo during the revolution of 1890 Her
maiden mime was Pinaud She married
M. de Brucour, with whom she came to
America, having saved their fortune and
nearly all their valua bles After some
little time, in about 1893, the refugees
were invited back to San Domingo BE the
existing government and were promised
security for their persons and property. M
de Brucour and his wife returned under
these conditions On landing the Inflated
husband was brutally murdered by q
nnm Der of natives in the presence of the
wife. In fighting over their booty seven
teen of the negroes were killed. Nine
de Brucour then made her escape again to
America with her uncle M BoissOn and
his family. They settled in the vicinity
of Baltimore on the Philadelphia road
where five of the family died in short
time from priyations to which they were
utterly unaccustomed, having lived in the
greatest luxury and wealth in the West
Indies.
During this time Nine de Brucour had
a most romantic episode in her otherwise
hard life. A young Frenchman met with
q serious accident near the home of NJ
Boisson, was carried there and nursed by
the young widow Nine. de Brucour.
He straightway fell desperately in love
with his fair attendant, proposed and was
refused. Finding that his opportunities
were in vain he made will and left her
his whole fortune, which was very large.
This will was never recognized in France
owing TO the orders of the times.
Shortly after this Nine de Brucour
married Idme Ducatel, They had seven
children, one of whom was Emile, who
recently died in Paris. The other chill
dren were Hippolyte, Achille, camille,
Julius, Polymmia and Palmyra, nearly ali
of whom or their descendants are men
toned in the will.
Emile Ducatel began his business career
in New York. At his fathers death he
returned to Baltimore, settled his affairs
and then went to havana where he en-
tered into business relations with NJ.
Manguaga. After making a com fortable
stay in Baltimore went to live in
France. M Manguaga died and
left Emile Ducatel his entire
fortune, amounting TO several millions
Of dollars. On learning Of his good
fortune NJ. Ducatel started for Havana,
but before he reached there the surviv-
ing partner of his benefactor had by I'M
fortunate speculations lost the greater
part Of his inheritance. With the re-
naming portion, few hundred thousand
dollars. he returned to Paris, where he
lived until his death.
M. Ducatel had several relatives in Bal
timore, among whom are Mrs. w. Chew
van Bibber, DR. Ferdinand r. Chatard,
MIR. Cumberland Dugan and Mrs. Robin
sou, nee Dugan, who was chief mourner
at NJ. Ducateps funeral, and who is the
great-great-granddau Of NJ. Bolsson.
the uncle with whom Nine. Ducatel, then
Nine. de Brucour, escaped to America
after the murder Of her husband IN San
Domingo Mrs. j. b. Read Of Savannah
was also a relative