Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-07
DuRANT STILL LIVES.
The Reported Duel Was Only
 Scheme to Fool His Betrothed.

Scheme to Fool His BetrOtneu. Paris, March 1.-The report that John Wilson Durant of Albany, \. 1., who had been living for the last two years in Paris with his mother i'll the Hotel Tremoille had been killed ill Ostend in duel with a Russian count was an invention of his own. MT Durant still is alive.
 No duel was fought. The whole story was a pure fabrication. This was definitely esta blished last evening when it became known that two let ters had been received in Paris from MT Durant, one dated in Ostend on March 3, and the other in London on March 4. In the first he asks the re- ,cipient to make certain personal ar engagements and to forward his mail to Glasgow, care of ''P. $. Peat" kel- vinside; and in the last he exposes himself by saying, after requesting that a change be made in the arrange ments suggested in the first letter, and that his mail be forwarded to London: You will understand that I officially died yesterday. Keep up the Illusion v These letters are in MT Durant's own handwriting.
 The evidence originally appeared to establish exclusively the fact Of duel. The first clue was the following death notice appearing in Paris pa- per:
 "Durant-At Ostend, Belgium, March 3, John MacWilson Durant."
 The attention of the American con- sulate was called to this, and an 1n- vestigation immediately was started, which revealed the following telegram, yo- ceived by Ar Duran't betrothed, Mile Laure Mangin, yesterday morning: "Ostend (undateD.-My friend Dur ant is dead. Count is very seriously wounded.
 LOUIS THERR1OTT DE GRIFFIN.
 The signature is the name of one of MT Durant's friends, and the suppo- sition is that MT Durant sent the tele- gram himself.
 Mile Mangin. who was seen last evening, said Mir Durant told her of his trouble with a Russian count in his hotel and said he was going to fight him in Ostend. He also had talked freely in the hotel to friends re- garding the alleged coming duel.
 Throughout Saturday he was en- gagged in making the final arrange ments. He shaved his mustache and declined to recognize friends whom he met accidentally. He left Paris on Sunday for Ostend, whence he sent the first letter, and took the night boat for London. sending the second letter on his arrival there.
 Up to last evening all the informa- ton tended to show that he had car ried out his alleged intention, and been killed. Doubts arose when a rep resentative of the Associated Press, who had started an investigation in Ostend, received dispatches asserting that there was no trace of a duel in Ostend, that nothing of the sort had been heard of by the police, doctors or hotel people, and, moreover, that no death had occurred there of any per son named Durant or Carter" the name under which MT Durant had an nounced he would travel, or of any other American. s Investigation in Paris then brought to light the receipt of the two letters, which revealed the fact that Mir Dur ant was responsible for the whole dra- matic story,
 London, March 1.-John w Durant and his mother were found last even ing ill the Euston hotel. When inter rogated on the subject of the report of his death in a duel in Ostend. lie was greatly taken aback and exhibited ex. treme nervous agitation at the revela- ton of his scheme. Finally, resolving upon frank statement, he explained that he had had a serious quarrel with Mile NIangin, his betrothed, and had determined to break off relations with her. He said he considered the best exit from the difficulty would be to die at least officially, and that his trouble with the Russian. which was real, of } fered the easiest solution of his en tanglement. Therefore he took ad vantage of this method of announcine his death.
 The story of the duel said that Dur ) ant had insultel the wife of Russian count, and that when the count's nephew was sent to Durant the Amer , ican killed him with bottle in res , taurant. This was supposed to hay, occurred in January. Later, it ap peared the count sent seconds to Dur , ant, and the duel was arranged.
 Durant is a native of Albany wher. his father was a wealthy broker
 
 cember Durant is said to have i'm pressed many by his queer actions He is about 2S years old.
 Paris, March Additional detail i, continue to come out concerning th nature of the false report circulate, by John Wilson Durant of Albany. N : Y., that he had been killed in a due near Ostend by a Russian count Barol Eon Steege called at the Americal . consulate after the news of the affai :. had been published and volunteere, the information that Durant had aske, him to act. in the capacity of his sec :. ond in the duel, but that he laughingl declined the invitation, making ligh of the affair.
 FIRE IN STAMFORD JAlL.