The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-15

Ills Lawyer. VINO Is Looking Up Her
Past-Nhat Duke Wrote Not Dhulged.
Mrs Brodic L. Duke emerged yesterday
from -eclusiou and told the story OF her
life. with gaps here and there, 10 crowd
Of newspaper reporters who met hor by
invitation al the Office of her counsel, Levy
& Ungcr She saId she was 81 years old.
She is rather plain looking. stout woman
with sharp blue eyes and dark hair, She
wore a brown velvet skirt and jacket and
chinchilla muff and stole
She said she was born near Buffalo 1857
or 1881 and that her father, William was
corporation lawyer who retired with for
tune at the ago Of SO. His father, Thomas
Smith Webb she continued, was the
father Of Freemasonry in America. My
mothers name was Helen Chapman. At
the age of u IlS79 or 1880 | came TO New
York for my health. | lived in the board
ing house kept by Mrs. Desplaines's mother
and that Is how / came to know Mrs. Des-
PLANES occupied the entire second floor
OF the house with my maid and my pre-
ceptress. continued to live there until l
was I0.' lss3-t.
where did you go them asked a re-
porter.
hfH DUhc De-lIifu anu 'uiHVh W ''
Unger "You continued to live In New
York he Said
-Yes | did" said tho woman.
"How about the Hopkinson episodeF
: asked one Of the nquisitors.
-Oh that was schoolgirl escapade,
was the reply Il was ia short dresses
when that happened I1ss7 1t ia true that
] ran away with Hopldnson and went
through some sort of marriage ceremony,
but the courts afterward decided 1888
that it was no ceremony at al. The de-
cision was made when | made an appica-
ton for alimony."
Mrs Duke said that she went TO Chicago
in 1893 and took up the business of pro-
noting at which she made great deal OF
money in partnership with Taylor. she
married Powell in 1897 and got divorce
from him year ago on the ground OF
adultery.
Concerning the row that she had with
Murat Masterson, an Arizona mining man
in her fiat in West Thirty-sixth street, this
CITY in MAY 1890 she declared that Master
son shot at her. not she at him, and that he
had come TO her room drunk to try and get
some papers away from her
Coming down to her meeting with Brodie
J.. Duke, she said
Our acquaintance grew out OF bust
ness transaction pure and simple. had
gone down TO TIE xas and. taking up some
land there, had made great success IN
growing tobacco by new process.
needed flh,oU 10 COIlDlttS lIlt pun
chase price. 1t was to borrow this money
that | came East last fall
Il had talked this scheme over with
James y. Duke. 1t was at his suggestion
that | talked the matter over with MIR.
Glenn. the expert of the American To-
baoco Company He wanted to make
contract with me, but refused his terms.
I was told by my friends that Brodie
j.. Duke had nothing to do with the trust,
40 | concluded to communicate with him.
] To him ut D1r N "a nd ha aDgIgpraI
that he would see me within week. |
could not wait that long, 80 | 'phoned him
that he would have to come sooner. His
secretary answered and MIR. Duke came
on Immediately, getting here on Thanks
giving Day or the day before. he was
greatly impressed with my tobacco propo-
sition and agreed to raise the money
necessary for the purchase OF the land.
ON the third day after he met me he
proposed marriage The proposal was
entirely unex pected and | never was so
dumfounded in my life | told him was
business wo an and was not thinking
OF marriage at all. He persisted, however.
Every time | saw him he renewed the pro
posai Finally l consented ! offered
10 sign an agreement waving all
claims to his property in case OF
his death except the proceeds Of our
tobacco scheme but he would not
hear OF it. This offer was made in the pres
ence Of a witness whom | can produce.
Mr.. Duke said, I believe in you. and even
if my family does make trouble for you
/ will stand by you. | will find way to
give YOU stocks and bonds in my lifetime
and they can fight over what Is left
Mrs. Duke denied that either she or Duke
was intoxicated at any time Immediately
prior 10, at or after their marriage. They
were going to Texas together, and Duke,
she said, wanted her to 60 as his wife.
i want 10 say also that l did not profit
financial by this marriage. | brought
Mr.. Duk ore than he had have always
been sue ful in business aud in this to-
bacco sell 10 all Texas is back OF me.
Moreover am the land ard immigration
agent of the Southern Pacific Railway, and
here are my mileage books TO prove IL.
If you think my husband was not sane
or competent when he married me wish
you would read this letter which he wrote
TO his aged father, Washington Duke,
three days before he was taken from me.
He dictated this letter to the stenographer
at the Park Avenue Hotel and IL was from
her notes that was able TO get copy OF IL.
The letter which she says Mr.. Duke
wrote was az follows.
PARK AvENrB HOTEL. New York. Jan. :, 1905
My DEAR FATHER; | have felt considerable
ing my short visit home. and drop you these
few lines to inform you that the now respon,
sibilities which have assumed has not caused
me in tho least 70 disreg gard or forget my
= obligations 20 you.
The little woman OF my choice has proven
all that / could anticipate or expect, IN fact.
the more / see and know OF her the more
delighted am at what havn done and want
10 assure you that when Wa come homo and
YOU know her you will agree with me that
have made no mistake.
We expect to leave the latter part OF the
week for Texas. whore she has some con-
siderable interest which requires her atten-
ton which interest is con genial and Identical
with my own ] hope that what ! have done
will have no tendency 10 humiliate OF trouble
YOU and trust at the be ginning OF the New
Year will bring into your life very many
pleasant "reminiscences OF the past, ns II has
done TO me. l am, sincerely and truly yours.
BBODlR l.. DUKE.
When asked II she was ever in an orphan
asylum in Buffalo the woman said: Not
that remember, and am sure / would re-
member it if | had ever been in such a
place"
is it true that you are In business
with Mrs. Desplaines backing disorderly
housesy"
1t ia not ! never had any business
relations with her She acted as a COM
ramon to me aud paid her for what she
did. felt sorry for her because she has
not been IN very good circumstances
lately
Mrs Duke said that when her husband
returned from Durham he told her that
his two daughters. Pearl and Mabel. had
made n fuss over the marriage, but
he had told them that they would have r.
receive his wife or leave the house ue
also told her that he had set his son Law