The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-01-12
Sanity Of Brodie L. Duke is Ques-
toned and He Was Commit.
ted For Examination.
He WAS RECENTLY MARRIED.
He Is Member Of the Family Which
is Widely Known In the
Tobacco Business.
His Relatives Claim That He 10 Not
Mentally Competent To Manage
His Own Anairs--MarrIed
Against Their Wishes.

New York, Jan. 9.--Growing out Of
the opposition of his family to his
marriage to Miss Alice webb, of Chi
cago. last month, proceedings have
been taken which resulted in Brodie
l.. Duke, half brother of James B.
Duke. being committed for examina.
ton as to his sanity. He was taken
from Bellevue hospital to q private
sanitarium.
Mr.. Duke is a member Of family
which is widely known in the tobacco
business. His relative, James B. Duke,
is president of the American Tobacco
Co. r. l.. Duke is So years Of age,
and for the last three years has not
been engaged in any active business.
He has large estates at II, original
home Of the Dukes in Durham, N. c..
and also in Florida and in California.
He obtained a divorce from his wife
last March in North Carolina, alleging
desertion.
Incidents followed each other quick.
ly in the affairs Of Brodie l.. Duke.
who was committed to sanitarium
on account of his mental condition.
They eliminated in the siege Of the
house of George II. Mallory, Mrs.
Dukes attorney. by woman who said
she was the lawyers client. He re.
fused to have her admitted, and for
five minutes she tried to gain an en-.
trance.
The Bellevue hospital authorities
have deposited with District Attorney
Jerome bonds. stocks. notes and
checks, said to have a face value Of
$50 900, found in the pockets of Mr..
Duke when he was taken into custody
at the instance of his relatives on the
ground that he was not mentally COM
petent to manage his own affairs. Mr..
Dukes commitment to a sanitarium
was signed by Justice Wyatt, Of the
court Of general sessions, and DR..
Gregory, acting superintendent of
Bellevue hospital, said that Duke was
afflicted with type of dementia.
George II. Mallory, a lawyer, said
he had been retained by Mrs. Duke in
connection with some contracts in
Texas lands, in which she was inter
ested before her marriage. However,
he declined to admit to his house q
woman whom the servants said gave
the name OF Duke.
Mr.. Mallory was averse to entering
into any discussion of the transac.
tions. There are among the papers in
the temporary custody Of the district
attorneys Office three promisory notes
for $4,000 each. said to have been
made on December last by Mr.. Duke
to Miss Webb, four days before their
marriage, and due in three, four an
five months. Mr.. Mallory said he had
an idea they were to be used In con.
nection with the financing OF the Tex
as-Cuba Tobacco Co., of which Mrs.
Duke was president before her mar.
rage.
Mr.. Mallory said he had no informa-
ton as to the list of securities found
In the possession Of Mr.. Duke. Among
them were bonds of the cities of New
Orleans and Durham, N. c., stock Of
the Commonwealth Cotton Co., and
various bank stocks in Durham and
other southern cities. The face value
Of these securities was $4,000, with
notes and check bearing face value
OF $4,000 additional. Among the doc.
uments In the case Is the prospectus
of the Texas-Cuba Tobacco Co., which
is said to have thousands of acres OF
arabic land at Nacogodoches. In con-
nection with this enterprise further
capital seems to have been necessary.