New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23
THE HUMBERT SPINDLE
Hoo Gigantic Scheme Flom1shed
and Fell,

The gigantic swiRdling operations of Nine. HUM
bert, which came be known as the Humbert
millions' and which lasted over period of twenty
FIVE years. were possible because of the antauated
and complicated system of French judicial proceed
ure, which eaahied the Humberts to drag seem
ingly interminabe lawsuits through the courts for
a long course of years. The inception of this
swndle came with the death of Robert Henry
Crawford American, of imaginary millions
Nine. Humbert who Mile. Therese, of d'AUri-
gnac before her marriage to NJ. Crawford, at Nice,
in 1878, had been the nurse of Crawford. On his
death the Humberts produced will by which. as
reward for her careful nursing, the fortune of the
American, which rated at something in the
neighborhood of $50 o00,0o0 left to Nine Hum
bert
The Humberts We're about to eRter into the
possession of the estate when there appeared two
Americans-Henry and Robert Crawford-who pro-
dueed another will Of the dead millionaire made
also at Nice and on the same date as the one of
which Nine Humbert was legatee. By this will
Henry and Robert Crawford. who claimed to be
the nephews of the dead man, and Mile. Marie
dAurignac, the younger sister OF Nine. Humbert
received the fortune on condition of paying an an
nuity of $4,000 to Nine. HumbeFt. Immediately
the lawsuits began, contest to determine which
was the real will of Mr.. Crawford. The case was
carried through court after court. first side
and then the other being victorious. Hundreds Of
thousands of dollars were spent in counsel fses
and other legal expenses
Nine. Humbert in the mean time secured an
order Of court sealing the safe in which were the
supposed assets of the estate. Then began series
Of borrowings and business enterprises involving
millions of dollars The largest banks of Paris in
Guiding the Bank of France itself the Credit
FencieF and the GempsgEie Generale were called
upon and readily loaned money on the visionary
collateral, More than Sb,l00QQO was thus secured.
NJ HUmbert is an eX-Deputy Of the Department
Of the Seine, and his father was Minister of Jus
tce in M de Freycinets Cabinet of 1882 with their
new wealth the HumbeFts readily gained admit
| lance 90 the best society, They lived in mag
niheent house. Ne So Avenue de la erande Armee
near the Are ae Triomphe and they owned several
We'll kept country places. They also had their
own steam yacht. Nine HunbeTt was an art
conpoisseur and their art gallery contains rare
medieval tapestries, while among the paintings
were works by Corot, Meissonier and Zein Among
ner business enterprises Nine. Humbert founded
a life Insurance company. La Societe la Rente Via
gore which was Doomed" by the catholic organ
La Creix" and by the rural Catholic elargy, and
in which many poor psople invested all their saw
pgs
Though the Humberts had borrowed from many
persons, and from Girrard 4 Co, as much as
$4,000 FRANCS. The collapse came through debt
amount Vas so Prsteat in his demao T f64 [hs
ment and pressed his suit so closely that At last
ordered that he safe - the Hgm66erg home, whch
securities. b opeHed and the contents verified or
May I w the aumpetts diSapleared, and when
After three hours WORK the iocksmllh succeeded in
l6atheT jewel case, containing a brooch worth
about S. Thers were also some shares in an ex-
tnct gold mine and few newspapers. but OF the
5000 go there trace The authorities also
visited the country places and the steam yacht. but
with 10 better LUCK,
It was also found that the valuable paintings and
other works Of art in the galleries had been re-
placed by copies OF the originals, which had been
sold previously. Warrants for the arrests Of the
Hunberts were az oncs issued, and several lawyers
| and notaries at Paris, Rouen, Havre, Nantes and
elsewhere were arrested. charged with completely
| ~ the swindles. The numbers were arr,seed 10
Madrid on December q, 1902 and a few DAYS later
/ thsy were brought 10 Paris where they were held
| IN prison until their trial began