The San Francisco call., 1905-01-15
MAY Be REPUD|ATED By HER HUSBAND
Alleged InCOInpe-
tent Begins to
Doubt Her.

NEW YORK, Jan. 14.-Mrs Brodie I.
Duke, whose marriage to Brodie L.
Duke. a half-brother of the president
of the American Tobacco Company,
was followed by her husbands commit
ment to sanitarium and proceedings
to inquire into his sanity, made a
statement to-day Of the circumstances
under which she met and married
Duke. Mrs. Duke declared that she
wanted to be set right before the pub
lie. She told how she met Duke as the
result of an effort to secure loan on
tobacco lands in Texas, and said that
she was dumfounded when Duke pro-
posed marriage to her; that Duke had
promised to give her stocks and bonds,
but had never done so.
Mrs. Duke said that she had been
largely interested in tobacco raising in
terests near Redfeld, Tex, that she
was formerly in business in Chicago
and that she was land and immigra-
tion agent of the Southern Pacific Com
pany. She had required the sum of
SIS, 500 to pay for the Redfield land. as,
although she had possession of it, she
did not have a clear title, because the
land belonged to the bankrupt firm of
Sully & Co., which could not deliver
deed to her. Her first introduction to
to obtain loan from him to develop
her lands at Redfield.
"Mr. Duke came up and saw me In
New York, and three days afterward
he asked me to marry him." said Mrs.
Duke. Il was dumfounded at the re-
quest, but he insisted that become his
wife, and l finally consented and we
were married on December 10.
When Mr.. Duke asked me to marry
him we discussed his family affairs.
The fact that he had been twice mar
ried and had four children made me
realize that it would be unpleasant for
me to marry him and enter into his
family. However, | told him that
would sign an agreement not to accept
any of his property in case of death.
only securing for myself my own prop
.erty at Redfleld. In reply to this Mr..
Duke said:
"I believe in you now, and I will
never doubt you any more. / shall trust
you and will find way to give you
what is left after my death the children
can fight over If they want to-"
did Mr.. Duke give you any such
stocks and bonds?" was asked.
mo, he never did.
Mrs Duke then told of her marriage
by Rev. w. W. Coe in New York. They
lived in a hotel until Duke was taken
away, she said.
"I have nothing to fear in Texas"
she said. Il am not afraid to go back
there, and while l have no knowledge
of any Indictment against me there, /
can conceive of no reason for one. This
property Of mine in Texas I have i'm
proved by building houses for tenants
and have made it self-supporting. l
also have raised a crop of tobacco"
Mrs Duke produced a letter which
she said was written by her husband
to her father in which he wrote of her
in affectionate terms.
Mrs Duke said that she was born
near Buffalo thirty-Seven years ago,
and came to Mrs. Desplaines' boarding
house in this city when u years old.
Her mother she said. was Helen e
Chapman, daughter of the professor
of languages in the University of New
London. Her grandfather was Thomas
S. Webb, the father of Free Masonry
in this country, she declared. She also
told of her marriage in 1885 to George
w. Hopkinson, which marriage, she
said was annulled, and of her marriage
in 1897 to Edward F. Powell and her di-
vorce from him in 1908.
After conference with his attorney
to-day w. G.. Bramham, private secre-
tary to Brodie l.. Duke, gave out the
following statement:
Mr.. Duke will have nothing to do
WITH MS WlIe unlll all the CnhISSS
made against him are thoroughly
cleared Mr. Duke is as sane as any
man living and in my opinion he will
be released from the charge of insan-
ity. Mr.. Duke told me yesterday h9
would not see Mrs. Duke or any oW
her representatives. If any of ths
charges against Mrs. Duke prove trus
he will have his marriage annulled.'
NACOGDOCHES, Tex, Jan. 1.-THE
specific charge of swindling made
against Charles e. Taylor and Mrs.
Alice Webb-Duke grew out Of trans
action in which the pair, II is alleged.
borrowed $4,000 from the president of
the Commercial National Bank, they
having made alleged false representa-
tions and having given alleged false
recommendations. No effort has been
made to secure the return Of either Of
them toe Texas. but District Attorney
Imboden says that he is willing to CO.
operate with the New York authorities
If they desire to send Mrs. Duke back
| to stand trial.