The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-14
BY A BANANA PEEL
The Strange Story of Miss COrnelia
SeibleS of New Orleans.
ACCIDENT SPOILED HER LIFE
When She Broke Her Leg She Re-
fused to Marry the Man to Whom
She Was Engaged-How She
Was Found in London.


ago wandering in the streets of Lon
don, out of a fortune amounting 10
nearly $50, 1000. money to which she was
the only heir.
When Miss Cornelia Seibles was
about "a years old she was in New Or
leans for the first time. having come
here for the purpose of taking legal
advice with regard to her vast estate,
for she has spent long life of 81 years
in this work. One evening she acct
dentally slipped on n banana peeling
on ST. Charles street, in front of or
near the present site of the ST. Charles
hotel, fell. and after a few weeks con-
fnement from her injuries, found her
self a cripple. She was engaged to be
married to a leading lawyer of Missis
slppi at that time, and he would have
no protest on account of her crippled
limb but she refused 10 marry him.
claiming that she would not humiliat1
50 noble n spirit as this gentle'L1n
possessed by linking her life to his.
Had the marriage taken place, through
the influence of her husband. who was
at that time one of the foremost law
yers in the state of Mississippi. if not
in the South. she would doubtless have
secured the immense fortune.
The reports which came from Lon
don would indicate that Miss Seibles is
a woman of 80 many pcculiarlties as
90 border upon responsibility. This is
perhaps true. for during recent years
she has developed many Characters
tics which went far toward making
her a subject of ridicule or Of pity
During the last exposition in this
city Miss Seibles met with a Mrs Nc
Gregor. lady from Vicksburg, who
was also n visitor to the exposition
and who now lives in this city. Mrs.
McGregor furnished the PiCayune re-
porter with some very interesting facts
rega rding Miss Seihles' four or i've
years stay in this city. Mrs. McGreG-
or herself is an heir to quite n large
estate I'm Charleston, and on This ac-
count she and Miss Seihle~s became
very close and intimate friends. They
would oftentmes get together and talk
about their fortunes. Miss ScihlCs
sought for long time TO induce Mrs.
McGrcgOr to retire with her to s0mo
quiet place in the country, where they
would figure out their papers and sec
just how much money they had com-
ing to them. But Mrs. McGregor had
very little faith in the stories told by
her friend. She said that Miss Sci
bles, however, lacked a great deal Of
being a fool.
AS a matter Of fact. Miss Seibles
comes from q very intelligent German
family she had i'm her possession
when in this city n large bundle 81
papers. which showed hcr line Of an
cestors as dating hack to the family
temples, prominent in England. ON her
fathers side she had papers showing
her direct descent from the Sciblescs
Of Elberfelt Germany, a very wealthy
family. Besides this she had n will or
two which she had inherited from her
father at his death.
The story Of Miss Seihles told in this
city regarding her papers Is very in
teresting she said that upon the
death of her father i'm Gy.r.Eia. just
previous to the Mexican war. among
the other things to which she fell heir
was large iron box, which, during his
lifetime. was most carefully guarded.
There was an effort made to rob her Of
this casket. but she managed to retain
u. and the precious papers. which she
bore about wherever she went and
which she said proved her right TO the
vast fortune in Germany and England.
were taken from this receptacle.
There is moro or less mystery. II
seems, connected with her early his
tory in Mississippi she is said To be a
near relative of Justice L. .. c. La
mar Of oxford. Miss. but had very
little association with him. The prom
lncnt Mississippi lawyer already re-
ferred TO Is said 10 have been very
anxious TO marry her. as he had every
reason 10 believe that there would be
no trouble in collecting tho great for
tune. But after she had become Grip /
pied by the fall on banana pooling |
and would not marry her old lover I'M I
der any circumstances. she began /
making trips to this city consulting |
with lawyers regarding her claims I
she was an intimate acquaintance OF I
all the leading lawyers OF Nississippi /
just after the Mexican war She would |
spend months and months here. From I
here she went - Mississippi again, /
and Tor years backward and forward /!
all the time devoting her every energy /
TO the pursuit OF her great fortune. /
When at last she appeared in this city I
her health was falling. and she resort 4
"a more 10 tho use OF her Crutch.
Finally all her money was spent aud |
hen she began the double work OF try
nS 70 retrieve her fortune and raise /
nnds Tor tn" purpose of Carrying on l
her pursuit OF the millions. For this 1
purpose she went 10 New Orleans ana |
learned the millinor's trade. and in /
his way sought to save up money But !
ne returns were small, and 50 she be-
gan watching for estates sold for 4
aNes, end bought up great many |
OTIS Of out-of-f c-way places through /
1ut the city. For some of these she /
'eallzed considerable money. all OF /
which she turned over promptly to her /
lawyers in Europe. New York. s..
louis and elsewhere. She would visit 1
stores in the city. purchase a great 4
many remnants and going back 10 /
Mississippi, sell them. from which |
rafilc she realized considerable money. /
She bought several lots near the cr.nss-
ny Of the Illinois Central and Nissis-
.ippi Valley railroads. and she had al
'cady some property in Brooklyn. Miss.
These she sold and turned the funds
over To her lawyers. who were all this
line working. ar We're supposed 10 be
upon her case.
After a while she became more and |
more peculiar in her habits. She came /
gain t. the city several years after |
he exposition. rented "a small room on /
g. Joseph street. ate at the market /
ma saved up every cent she could /
t. She rt-.lu1H Vrr4 fhs. &C. .-..st.- -e.r.