The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-19
A REMARKABLE swINDLE.

REMARKABLE SWlNDLE.
This story came out at the time OF
the Martinique disaster. in which 10000
lives were lost to France. But the
Partisan newspapers put the Marti-
nIque news on an inside page and
printed this story in their most con-
spIcuous columns. Nor were the Pa
risIans necessarily heartless in showing
less concern in the volcanic eruption
1000 miles away than in the social erup-
| ton In their own town A toy torpedo
beneath your feet may cause greater
perturbation of nerve ganglia than the
explosion OF a Krakatoa half around
the earth
The story. first OF all. will be told as
| IL was believed for twenty years by
the leading lawyers and bankers of
France; and. finally. the real truth OF
| the case will appear. Some time in
the '70s an American millionaire named
| Robert Henry Crawford was travelling
| I'm the south of France. At certain
railroad station he was the victim or
a stroke OF apoplexy. a Toulouse peas
ant girl. Therese Daurignac. who was
about To enter third-class carriage.
noticed Crawford's Sollapse. and, at
some personal risk. jumped into his
apartment. where she succeeded in re-
storing him to consciousness. perhaps
/
NAMED with him and nursed the man
during his convalescence. Some time
between 1878 and 1888 the American
millionaire died. and, according 10 a
will dated at Nice. September s. 1871.
he bequeathed his fortune of $20.OOOOOo
to Therese Daurignac. This immense
| fortune at once raised the status of the
Uaurignac family. which cSanged its
name to d'Aurignac. while the simple
Therese soon was married to- the son
OF NJ. Humbert. a native OF Toulouse.
one of the greatest jurists of his gen.
| Grafton. He was for some time the
French Minister of Justice. The
younger Humbert. husband OF Therese.
has been for many years the represen-
| tative OF the department OF Seine-et-
Disc in the French Chamber of Depu-
| ties. After the marriage took place the
/ couple established themselves in a
splendid Paris residence. and also
bought magnificent country place
near NarbOnne.
! But the Humberts were not left in
undisturbed possession of the American
millionaire's money. one day madame
/ received a call from two strangers
named Robert Crawford and Henry
| Crawford. who said they were nephews
OF the lamented Robert Henry Craw-
ford. As might be expected. they
| promptly produced second will. dated
the same day In the same year as the
other viii. which provided that each
nephew should receive a third OF the
estate. while the other third should go.
rot To- Therese. who had become the
beautiful Nine Humbert. but To- heri
sister. Marie. II was stipulated. how
ever. that the two nephews should in
vest In France enough money To pro-
vide Therese a monthly allowance of
$1,000 during her lifetime. or course the
beautiful Mime. Humbert was in des-
pair. There she was. threatened with
| an allowance cut down TO $4,000 month
| or facing expensive litigation in the
courts I'm behalf OF her rights. Why
! won't American millionaires be salts
fled with one wiil-at least. with one
will day, The Crawford nephews.
however. proved very accommodating.
7 hey We're already r'iilionaires I'm their
own right. and did not want more
money-which Is so like Americans.
But they did want 20 fulfill their I'M
cie's dying wish. That was Tor a Craw-
ford to marry a d'Aurignac. Just give
your consent and we Will not contest
the WILL" they said. So Il was ar
ranged that both nephews should he
suitors for the hand Of the fair Marie. !
the sister or Nine. Humbert. who in
good time should choose between them
and link forever the houses OF Craw-
ford and d'Aurignac. Meanwhile. IL
was agreed that the Crawford fortune.
consisting 81 rilt-edged bonds. should
he placed in a safe-deposit box. and
that Mime. Humbert. pending Marie's
choice 81 husband. should draw an
Income OF 100000 year. II Nine /
Humbert. who was To have the custody 1
of the key To- the safe. should take
more than her stipulated allowance.
she would forfeit all her rights.
The sister Marie now became the i
strategic point in the affair. She could I
not decide which nephew To marry
The nephews began a series Of law
suits 10 compel her 20 make a choice. \
but Marie is now over 90 and still I'M 4
wed As the S2O.O0O.OOO was tied up.
pending the execution OF the agree
ment. Nine. Humbert soon began a Sc
ries 81 loans from bankers and her
debts assumed enormous proportions. 4
Her promises 10 pay were accepted gem q
orally. for they were endorsed by Ma
rle an heir under the second viii. and l
the security 81 $4,000. 900 contained in /
the safe deposit box was considered /
unnH In epaea ~