Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-15
MRS. DUKE Tells
Of COURTSH|P
SAYS NEW YORKER SHOWED
GREAT HASTE
Sister-in=Law of the Tobacco King
Makes Detailed Statement of
Business Relations of
Family

NEW YORK, Jan. 14,-Mrs Brod'e
l.. Duke, whose marriage to Brodie l..
Duke, a half brother of the president of
the American Tobacco company, was
followed by her husbands commitment
to sanitarium and proceedings to in
quire into his sanity, made a statement
of the circumstances under which she
met and married Mr.. Duke, today. Mrs
Duke declared that she wanted to be set
right before the public. She told how
she met Mr.. Duke as the result of an
effort to secure a loan on tobacco lands
in Texas and said that she was dumb
founded when Duke proposed marriage
to her; that Duke had promised to give
her stocks and bonds, but has never
done so.
Mrs Duke said that she had been
largely interested in tobacco raising
interests near Redfield, Texas; that
she was formerly in business in Chi
oago, and that she was land and
immigration agent of the Southern
Pacific company. Mrs. Duke then
stated that she had required the sum
of $18,500 to pay for the Redfield land,
as, although she had possession of it,
she did not have clear title because
the land belonged to the bankrupt firm
of Sully & Co., which could not deliver
deed to her. Her first introduction
to Mr.. Duke was the outcome of her
attempt to secure a loan from him to
develop her lands at Redfield
"Mr. Duke came up and saw me in
New York and three days afterward
he asked me to marry him." said Mrs.
Duke. II was dumbfounded at the re-
quest, but he insisted that become his
wife and l finally consented and We
were married on December 10.
when Mr.. Duke asked me to marry
him we discussed his family affairs
The fact that he had been twice mar
ried and had four children made me
realize it would be unpleasant for me
to marry him and enter into his family,
However, told him that would sign
an agreement not to accept any of his
property in case of death, only securing
for myself my own property at Red
field. In reply to this Mr.. Duke said
4 believe in you now, and will never
doubt you any more. l shall trust you
and / viii find way to give you While
am alive stocks and bonds, and what
is left after my death the children can
fight over If they want to-
did Mr.. Duke give you any such
etoolx ond honds oii WAS asked
mo, he never did"
Mrs Duke then told of her marriage
by Rev, w. w. Coe in New York. They
lived at a hotel until Mr.. Duke was
taken away. she said.
~ have nothing to fear in Texas" she
said. II am not afraid TO so back there
and while have no knowledge Of any
indictment against me there, l can con-
ceiye of no reason for one. This prop
eIty of mine in Texas l have improved
by building houses for tenants and have
made 1t self-supporting. l also have
raised crop of tobacco"
Mrs, Duke produced letter which
she said was written by her husband
to her father, in which he wrote Of her
in affectionate terms. Mrs Duke said
that she was born near Buffalo thirty
seven years ago and came to Mrs.
Desplaines boarding house in this city
when ~ years old. Her mother she
said. was Helen e. Chapman daugh-
ter Of the professor OF languages IN the
University Of New London. Her grand