The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-01-28
MRS. MAVERICK.
May be Released From Her
English Prison.

In Order to Defend Her Title to Mil
lions of Acres of Land in West yir-
gInia-Her Release Will Be Asked
ON the Ground That 1t will be Neces-
sary to Save Her For tune.
WASHINGTON, Jan "a. Mrs Flor
ence e. Maybrick and her mother,
the Baroness e. Won Roques, Will
lose all title and interest 10 2,552, 302
acres Of land 10 Kentucky, Virginia
and West Virginia, valued at about
81. 500, 900, unless Mrs Maybrick Is
released FROM prison in England in
time to testify 10 a suit COW pending
in West Virginia.
Baroness Won Rosque and Mrs.
Maybrick, 10 their declarations filed
In the suit, assert that their attorney
In the United States, w. d. Arm
strong, fraudulently secured their sig
natures to deeds purporting to be for
only, small portion OF the Kentucky
lands, when, in fact, he secured deeds
for the entire holdings OF the Baron
ess and her daughter, paying them
OuiJ CosOOo.
1t is set forth that the signatures
Of the Baroness and Mis-. Maybrick
were secured while Mrs. Maybrick
was IN the prisoners deck 10 Liver
pool court on trial for her life and
when the Baroness was 10 halfcraz-
ed state because of the accusation
against her daughter.
Suit has been begun 10 the Chan
Gerry Court, Richmond, Va, by Hay
den & Yarrell, to recover the lands,
which, 1t is alleged, Armstrong frau
IDENTIFY decided to certain citizens OF
Virginia. The Attorney-Genera Of
West Virginia has brought suit
against the Baroness Won Roques and
Mrs. Maybrick to take away their
title 10 valuable coal lands in West
Virginia, and the suit will soon come
up in the Circuit Court of 9abell
County.
Mrs. Maybrick's attorneys here
have been making strenuous efforts to
have Ambassador Choate secure the
release OF Mrs. Maybrick in time to
allow her to appear in court and thus
protect her property interests. They
have precedent for this action 10
which the United States, as special
act OF comfy, permitted an English
Earl imprisoned in the penitentiary
at Canyon City, Col, to return to
England in order that the estates to
which he was the only heir might
not lapse.
n
The Engllshman was prisoner in
1878. and was Informed that unless
he appeared in England he would
lose title to his estate. He appealed
to Queen Victoria, and she instruct
ed the British Foreign Office to take
up the matter. 1t did so and at the
request OF the Foreign Office the Sec
rotary OF State secured from the Col
orado authorities pardon as spe-
cial mark of favor to the British
Government.
This precedent is to be used 10 the
case OF Mrs. Maybrick. Ambassador
Choate will be asked TO represent to
the Foreign Office that unless Mrs.
Maybrick can appear and testify In
the suit. not only will she but her
mother be deprived of their interets
In vast estate.
Attorney Hayden, ia writing Am.
bassador Choate at London, said:
"The Baroness and her daughter
employed one David W. Armstrong
then an attorney at Lexington, Ky
to adjust and settle these disputes
and dispose OF their property. Arm
strong, representing that it was for
the convenience of all concerned that
the title should be vested in some one
in the United States, induced them to
make conveyance for this purpose to
one Harrison L. Groom, dated Sept.
IA, 1887.
son August I. 1889, while Mrs.
Maybrlck was awaiting the verdict of
the jury In her case, deed was pre-
sented to her by an agent of the said
Armstrong, which she supposed to be
for a portion of the Kentucky lands.
The consideration expressed ia the
deed was 81. but Mrs. Maybrick was
informed that the purchase price was
$40, 900, and that her signature be-
came necessary because the purchaser,
the Kentucky Union Land Company,
was raising captious objections to ac-
| eepting a conveyance from Groom.
Armstrong turned over to the Bar
oness Won Roques only $4,000, re-
tanning the balance for service, ex-
penses and so forth. 1t subsequently,
developed that Armstrong had receiy-
ed $S5, 900 for the property and that
he had sold portion of the Virginia
lands Tor $25, 900, Groom conveying
the same. 1t is also claimed that an.
other portion of the Virginia lands
was sold to syndicate for $3.50, 900.
This suit is brought in Richmond
Va, for an accounting from Arm.
strong, and to set aside the convey.
ance to Groom. Armstrong in bis
answer to the suit admits receiving
$85, 600 for the Kentucky lands, but
claims the deed to Groom was made
for valuable consideration Depo
sitions and affidavits of the officials Of
the Kentucky Land Company have
been filed, showing that Armstrong
represented himself at the sale as the
attorney OF Baroness Won Roques and
Mrs. Maybrlck, and that Groom was
dummy employed to facilitate the
transactions.
The Baroness and her daughter de.
ny that Groom ever paid them one
cent for The property
Ambassador Choate Is to be advised
Of the extreme necessity existing fol
the testimony of Mrs. Maybrick tc
| preserve her rights before the proper.
ty Is placed beyond the reach Of her
self and her mother. The State oil
West Virginia is pressing its suit 10
the hope that before Mrs. Maybrick is
released her case will be tried and a
verdict given the state
The lawyers have entered the ap-
pearance Of the Baroness Won Roques
in the several suits, but the Baroness
refuses to leave her daughter and
come to the United States to attend
the trial.
Efforts have been made from year
to year to postpone, the suits 10 the
hope Of Mrs. Maybrick's release. The
patience Of the courts have been ex-
hausted and further postponement
cannot be had.
1t Is estimated that the property
| after all settlements have been made
will even yet yield to the Baroness
Won Roques and her daughter about
So, 200, 900.