The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-24
4 SENSATIONAL LAWSUIT
Mrs. Dauphin, a Wealthy New Orleans
Woman, Charged With Ptf'ry.
HUSBANDS FORTUNE VANISHED

Ne VIA President % the Lsuisisns Los.
tory ssd She % Accused az Stealing
ss3oy 80 Of ais Estate q Securities
Wsrs raksa Bssvsa Yssrs Age -
stsstling Charges.
New Orleans, La.-Tbe GEand Jury
q few days ago announced an indict.
ment In blink for perjury. Now 1t 10
announced that the indictment was
against Mrs. Rosa La Branche
Dauphin. widow Of Maximilian
Dauphln. for many years President OF
the Louisiana State Lottery. and that
It was not made public In order to en-
able the District Attorney to get the
necessary regulation papers from Gov.
ernor Heard and arrest Mrs. Dauphin.
who Is said to be III in or'near New
York.
The indictment IL the result Of one
of the most bitter and sensational cases
ever tried In Louisiana. Mrs. Dauphin,
born Rosa La Branche. Is OF an old
Creole family. and Is worth $500.OO0 or
more. Dauphin, who was President
Of the Louisiana Lottery Company.
died In 1891. He was supposed to be
in good circumstances. but not
wealthy, and his estate was inven'
toried at 100000, his widow and q
friend being executors. There We're
other heirs. including Dauphins
mother.
The estate was settled up. and the
widow, as legatee. came into posses.
sion of the rest Of the property. after
the other heirs were paid. Eleven years
after the settlement. among the effects
OF judge Porche. an ex-Justice OF the
Louisiana Supreme Court, who had
been Mrs. Dauphin's lawyer In the
probate case. an old and badly worn
paper was found, giving q list OF
large number Of bonds which appar-
emily formed q part Of the Dauphin
estate, but which had not figured In the
inventory.
Mrs Dauphin was called on to ex.
plain. She failed to appear before
Louisiana court on the ground OF III
health and nervousness; but piece by
piece, the trouble, buried for eleven
years, was brought to light. and from
single fossil bone the whole animal
was reconstructed. Dauphin had never
possessed bank account. He kept his
money and securities In box In his
room, and was u much weal.hier man
than many supposed. FrOm that box
his widow, II is charged. had stolen
from the estate and secreted $214.OOO
in gilt-edged securities and $4,000 In
cash. In order to cover up her work
abe sold the bonds, invested and rein
vested the money In new securities 30
that no trace could be found OF 1t. fol-
lowing the example of her husband in
keeping no bank account, but having
frequently 100000 In cash with her.
She proved good speculator and In
creased her fortune.
BY diligent investigation Judge Laza.
rus, counsel for the heirs. succeeded
I'm tracing every bond for more than
twelve years past into Dapphin's
hands, then into Mrs. Dauphin's pos
session, where they had no right to be.
and finally to the present holders. The
case was SO clearly proved that the
court awarded judgment against Mrs.
Dauphin for $3sS.066, the entire
amount. Her handsome home here
was seized, only to find that she had
removed everything Of value. The mat
ter was laid before the Grand Jury.
and the result was an indictment for
perjury In the case, delivered before
q commissioner In Mississippi. Mrs.
Dauphin win be brought back to New
Orleans for trial.