The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-29

out into the world by his father with
TIE injunction that he would get no
money from him as gift but that for
every dollar that he earned of his own
another would be added. Mr.. Lawrence
Duke disappeared from the ken II
North Carolinians until he became
the ostensible central figure in the
proceeding to declare his father an
insane man.
Enter Miss Webb"
According to Attorney Andrews and
Private Secretary Bramham, the first
knowledge that Mr. Brodie Duke had
of the existence of Miss Alice Webb
was about Thanksgiving of last year
when he received a letter and tele-
grams seeking to interest MIN in the
! purchase of valuable tobacco options
in NacodocheZ, Texas. Failing to get
reply as soon as she desired Miss
Webb afterwards called Mr.. Duke on
the long-distance telephone from New
York and as the result of that inter-
view he went to the city to meet her
for a conference involving the organi-
Zation of an independent cigar bust
ness in Texas.
Miss Webb proved to be an extra
ordinary woman. She was young in
appearance. dark brunette. of good
figure, not beauty but of a vivacious
and attractive personality. In con-
verSation she was convincing and intel
lectual: in the discussion of business
and the details of the tobacco bust
ness thoroughly Informed. The op-
lions which she was said to hold APP
peared to be of great value and she
explained that she had approached
Mr.. Duke because she felt that he
would be especially interested in the
formation of an independent tobacco
concern. To take up the options and
-. ,srz.,N too.
Of the company on a tangible basis
would require $4,000. That was the
sum on which Mr. Duke was TO get iii
on the ground floor.
Married in Good Faith
Mr.. Duke is said to have gone slowly
and with care. Attracted as he
was to Miss Webb. he did not lack for
ordinary business caution. He made
investigation i'll various quarters. Miss
Webb he learned had been engaged
| in business in Chicago in the firm of
Taylor and Webb. His information
from that city was that she was a wo-
man of fine business sense and re-
Sponsiblity. She was known we'll at
the Oriental Bank in New York. al
though it does not appear that the in
stitution positively endorsed or gave
her a character. She was known by
Morse, the partner of the famous Sui
~. NiiS VI 1OllOil, DN GdRdil. dIlOlHSf
of the Sully firm. by Mrs. Pagan. by
one Thompson, known as responsible
person.
These negotiations took time and
Mr.. Duke naturally saw much of Miss
Webb. Finally he agreed to go into
the scheme she proposed. The options
had formerly belonged to the assets,
of the Suliy firm and on its dissolution
in bankruptcy were bought in by Mrs.
Pagan. Mr.. Duke and Miss Webb saw
the latter and it was agreed that the
options could be had at the price
stated and Mr.. Duke paid down $4,000
TO bind the trade. 1t was these options
on Texas tobacco lands known as Red
Plains which figure il IL later chapter
of the adventures Of Miss Webb-Duke
Continued intercourse with what
Attorney Andrews styles an utterly de-
prayc, INSCRIPTIONS and shrewd wo-
man finally eliminated in propose
of marriage by Mr.. Duke and the
wedding took place at once. on De-
cember 18th. the pair stopping at the
hotel at which Miss Webb" had here
tofore resided. the Park Aveune. Dur
ing Christmas week or just before Mr.
Duke left his wife in New York and
returned to Durham to see his family
rejoining his wife early in January.
From the statements of his attorney
and secretary. it would appear that
up to his marriage that Ny. Duke hai
remained sober and had first agreed ~
Il business and then a marital part
nership only after the exercise of a
sound caution. Upon MS return from
his trip to Durham. however, he be-
came intoxicated. his friends believe
through the design and connivancc of
his wife fer the purpose OF extracting
money and securities. and While he
was still able to be UP and about on
the streets he was in an intoXica ted
condition on the 9Th of January whoa
his arrest in his room al the hotel
started the sensation which has since
figured SO prominently in the press re-
ports
The Capture at the Park Avenue.
Al about eight o'clock on the 9Th IT
January. Mr.. Duke was sitting in his
room. fully dressed and while intoxi-
Gated still master of his faculties. His
wife was with him. Without warming
detectives came to the door. They
forced their way into the room. Mr..
Duke protested and his wife screamed
to no purpose. He was seized and
taken forcibly from the room and
from the hotel. Outside he was placed
in close carriage and driven TO Belle
yue Hospital. He demanded an eX-
PLANTATION. the charge against him.
His captors would give no information.
Dazed, both by the startling character
of the arrest and by the additional
fact that he mad been drinking. Mr..
Duke succumbed to the rapidity OF
strange and powerful events. 1t was
scarcely wonderful that when he, was
later visited at the hospital by two
famous New York doctors, DR.. Carlos
r. Mcdonald and DR.. Alien Mccain
Hamilton. ne should have been in
state bordering on stupor. The doc