The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-07
Also Signed N Friends Name TO n Dis
patch Saying He Had Been Killed
I'm an Alleged Duel.
MILE. MANGIN SURPRISED
CASE INVESTIGATED BY THE AMER
ICAN CONSULATE AT PARIS.
Frank Statement by Durant Himself,
Who Said He Had QuarreIed
with His Sweetheart.

PARIS, March z, 1:20 a. m.-The report
that John Wilson Durant. OF Albany, N.
Y, who had been living during the last
two years In Paris with his mother. had
been killed at Ostend in a duel with a
Russian count was an invention OF his
own. Mr.. Durant is still alive. No duel
was fought. The whole story was a pure
fabrication. This was definitely established
last evening when IL became known that
two letters had been received I'm Paris from
Mr.. Durant, one dated Ostend, March 3,
and the other London. March 4. In the
former he asks the recipient TO make GER
tain personal arrangements and TO for
ward his mail to Glasgow, care sP. S.
Peat" Kelvinside, and In the latter he ex-
poses himself by saying. after requesting
that change be made In the arrangement
suggested in the first letter that his mail
be forwarded to London. you will under
stand that 1 officially died yesterday. Keep
up the illusion" These letters are in Mr..
Durants own handwriting. The evidence
originally appeared TO establish conclusive
ly the fact of a duel. The first clew was
the following death notice appearing in the
European edition Of the New York Herald:
"DURANT-At Ostend. Belgium, March
8, John MacWilson Durant"
The attention of the American consulate
was called to this and an investigation was
opened which revealed the following tele-
gram written in French that had been re-
ceived by Mr.. Durant's betrothed, Mile.
Laure Mangin. yesterday:
''Ostend undated My friend Durant is
dead. Count is very seriously wounded"
This was signed Louis Therriott de Gref-
fin,'' the name OF one OF Mr.. Durant's
friends. and the supposition is that Dursnt
sent the telegram himself.
Mile. Mangin, who was interviewed last
evening, said Mr.. Durant told her Of his
trouble with a Russian count at his hotel
and said he was going to fight him at
Ostend. He had also talked freely at the
hotel TO friends regarding the alleged com
ing duel.
Mr. Stevens, OF Boston, Mass. urged him
to abandon the idea and endeavored TO per-
suade him to return 10 the United States
with his mother Mr.. Durant replied: NO.
it is a question of honor, and intend TO see
IL through The count is coming from Nice
and the encounter will occur at Ostend-"
Throughout Saturday he was engaged i'm
making the final arrangements He shaved
his mustache and declined to recognize
friends whom he met accidentally. He left
Paris Sunday for Ostend, whence he sent
the first letter. and took the night boat for
London, sending the second letter on his
arrival there The hotel people assert that
some one telephoned Monday and asked
when Mr.. Durants body arrived.
Durant has been without occupation and
has lived extravagantly. He had an apart
ment at 80 Boulevard Saint Michael, 10
which he sent the death telegram addressed
to his betrothed. Mile. Mangin belongs TO
poor family. He introduced her among
his friends as his betrothed, and notice
appeared in lie Journal Feb. 16 announcing
the betrothal, in which il was stated tho
marriage had been fixed for the second
fortnight in March. Possibly he reconsid-
cred this intention and conceived the duel
story as a loophole for separation. When
Mile. Mangin, her sister and brother-in-law
were called on yesterday regarding the
matter the women expressed the greatest
astonishment at the absence OF any con-
irmation of the death telegram. Mile.
Mangin's brother-in-law. who declared him.
self better Judge Of Mr.. Durant. hit the
nail on the head by expressing his belief
that the telegram was stupid humbug."