The news & observer., 1905-12-21
LIES, SHE CRIES
XdRikF!
Mrs. Dukes Statement
of Her Case.
Tells a Representative OF the New
York American That the Suit
is a Result of Women's
Lies.
(New York American.)

New York American.)
Mrs. James b. Duke last night gave
a reporter of The American the first
Interview which has been given by her
to any one since the commencement
of her husbands suit. for divorce.
AT the conclusion of a day In court
I'm Newark. where the preliminary
skirmish In the suit was fought. Mrs
Duke telephoned TO her home in New
York to have her carriage i'm waiting
for her at the ferry, and it was dur
ing the trip to the city that she talk
ed with the reporter for the The
American. Mrs. Duke said:
81 have been reticent before this
simply because ] thought / would not
be believed If / told my side of this
trouble which has come between my
husband and myself No one has had
cause to know better than | the dis
advantage under which one labors i'm
any difficulty with a wealthy man.
II can trace all my troubles to two
persons. They are Maggie Smith and
her sister. Mary, one a housekeeper.
the other his cashier. 1t is the jeal-
ousy of these two women which has
brought all this on me. They have
poisoned my husbands mind against
me, until he is now ready to believe
anything if it is detrimental enough
to me.
Tales of Jealous Women.
''They have both been in my hus-
bands employ for long time-about
eleven years, / believe-and both
thought that the younger one would
eventually marry Mr.. Duke. When
he married me they were anything but
pleased. and almost Immediately they
began to tell things about me which
~ l. 20
love from me.
II have suffered many indignitieS
from people employed to obtain evil
dence against me. One of my most
faithful attendants was actually kid
mapped and persuaded to tell things
about me which are untrue. Mr..
Duke had ell of my servants under his
control but this one. / believed her
too faithful to be corrupted. but even
she was not invulnerable to the temp
tation of much money. 1t took them
several days to bribe her. though, and.
had they not kept her fOrcibly away
from me- / do not believe she would
now be ore of their witnesses. An
other servant told her one night that
her brother was outside and that he
wanted to see her on the street corner
She went out, expecting to see him.
but instead. Mr.. Duke met her on the
corner and took her to the home of his
lawyer.
II would not have married Mr. Duke
If / haG known that he would make
me suffer as he has. I do not believe
he would now if his mind was not
poisoned against me. He was suitor
Of mine for several years before l
consented to become his wife. He was
most devoted in his attentions, and
vowed that he would make me happy.
LAS for Mr.. Huntoon. whom my
l. T. =, i- fN16
enough TO be my father, and / have
never in my life thought of him as
other than an old friend of the family.
He has been known to me and all my
family for many years, and has always
been only a good friend.
Had a Chaperon i'm Saratoga.
'It is claimed that I was in Sara
toga in the company of Mr.. Huntoon.
That is an absolute falsehood, for
while l may have seen Mr.. Huntoon
few. times, it was always in the pres
ence of woman who was my chap
eron there, but who I now believe is
not the friend she once pretended
to be. She was with me during the
entire time 1 was in Saratoga, and
also with me many of the times l am
said to have dined alone with Mr..
Huntoon in New York. If she
were put on the witness stand
she would be compelled to
say that she was with me.
From things / have heard. know
that the, other side is telling stories
which are more than detrimental TO
me. The latest which has come to me
is a story to the effect that they be-
lieve / would not fight the suit II
settlement of a million was made on
me. That is positively diabolical in
its untruthfulness. If this sum should
be freely offered me / would not re-
ceive it under any consideration what
ever. / would not take a million dol
lars from Mr.. Duke and / would not
take one cent. / will most certainly
fight the case, for there is more at
stake i'm it than that. On its winning
depends my good name.
mo matter what Mr.. Duke says to
the contrary, do not want or need his
money. I am wealthy in my own
right. and was before / married him.
"I feel much hurt that Mr.. Duke
should allow servants tales to turn
him against me for | am very fond
of him and always have been. l am
anxious, however, that this trial shall
be over as soon as possible, for ! hear
tily dislike the notoriety."