The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-11
Inquiry Into Dukes Case
Reveals Their Roost.
THEY FLEECE RICH MEN
This is Done Through BIackmaiI BY
Bogus Babies, Conniving Doc
tors, Marriage Certificates and
the Liberal Use Of Liquors
and Drugs.
Especial to News and Observer


New York Jan. 10.-The incarcera-
ton of the millionaire Brodie L. Duke
in an insane asylum to separate him
from two women, one of whom he
married, resulted today in the discov-
cry of a gang of women whose prey
has comprised the rich men of New
York Hundreds of thousands of dol
lars, possibly missions have been
If'eeced from the compromised wealthy
men through the use of bogus babies
Iconn. wing doctors, marriage certificates
and the liberal use of liquor and drugs,
IaccGrding to the information new in
the possession OF the district attorneys
OTfIce.
DR.. Edwin OsbaIdeston. d niesseur
iat No. West Sixty-third street, has
lcen ordered by the district attorney to
make complete report OF all the in
formation in his possession. He pro-
fesses to have been familiar With the
operations of the gang Of women for
six or seven years.
DR.. Ohaldeston was employed by
Alice l.. Webb, now the wife OF l3rod.e
l.. Duke, and Mrs. Agnes nespiaires.
her friend. to attend Duke at The
Hotel Winton after several weeks of
lsevere dissioatiQ&@
Ihe fact that he was called. by these
women led the district attorneys Office
10 comm unicate With him. and tie
revelations he made induced the Gls-
trict attorney to subpoena him as a
grand jury witness, supplementing the
subpoena with an order TO make Out
Ia ful report of the organized gang of
women and the list of their victims.
The names of these rich men, and
many of them socially prominent. vic
Uus Of the women, together with the
hist OF women said to have operated
for the common purpose of extortion
and Diackmaii, ale in the possession
OF the district attorney. DIR. Osbalde-
ston today told the full story OF his eX-,
perience in q professioEa! way. with
The victims aud the women, naming
them and giving dates.
Most of them, about six in all, he
said, live i'm The upper Tenderlcin,
Giving names aud addresses) and live
separately for purposes of business.
IOne of them. whose Names has al
ready been mentioned in The Duke
lease, maintains three houses of Ques-
tiona5le reputation. The others flock
about her.
1T has always been the object TO
marry the proposed victim rs they can
thea get t-nor. money. But if thcy
ca 1not get the man uiunk EN- ouSh =
stand for 4 marriage ceeTmOny. they
have no trouble ir raining off on him
a bogus baby 1 have known one raan
the president of d W orld-wide MACHINE
company. to lay $50 00,- To have I
bogus Daby disposed of and 20 hush
the b,ackmailcrs He knew he was
Icing robbed. but the scandal of an
exposure led him to pay the price.
Most of the victims who do not get
too drunk submit to the baby story and
pay up rather than have the notoriety
Of a blackmail prosecution.
Attorney john d. Lindsay says that
she suit to annul Mr.. Dukes marriage
was brought by direction of Lawrence
DuKe. Mr. Duke; son, "The members
CT the family" Mr. Lindsay says tried
to prevent the marriage when they
heard that it might be contracted. but
IA. led. Now they ask that it be set
aside on the grounds that Mr.. Duke
did not know what he was doing when
he married Miss Webb.
I'VE have placed II 1.-The facts in ON
possession in the hands of the district
attorney. Fe will decide if any crini-
nal act on viii be taken"