The news & observer., 1905-01-10
AMAZED To HEAR
He IS MARRIED
Brodie Duke Has No Re
collection of 1t.
WILDER THAN FICTION
Mrs. Duke, Nee Miss Webb, Summoned
to Appear Before the District At
torneY Does Not MateriaIize.
Mrs. Desplaines Opens AS
tOundinq Possibilities.
Especial to News and Observer)


New York, Jan. 9.-Lawrence Duke
the son Of Brod.e L. Duke. who was
taken from his bride, Mrs. Alice Webb
Duke, at the Park Avenue Hotel on
Friday by his relatives and committed
To a sanitarium. visited his father at
the sanitarium today and asked him
point blank why he had married Miss
Webb. Duke, whose health is already
much restored by the treatment ne has
received, told his son that he had no
recollection whatever of marrying any
one. He said that he was amazed 10
find that he had been married, and
that he did not recall going to NM
lister with Miss Webb, or even asking
her TO marry him. This statement, it
is said, will be used as the baS S of an
action to be brought by the Duke fam
iiy TO have the marriage annulled.
Mrs. Duke and >her friend and COM
panion. Mrs. Agnes DesplaineS, were
both subpoenaed today to appear be
fore the district attorney. Mrs. Duke
failed to respond. Mrs. Desplaines,
however. did go TO the district attor-
ney's office. she denied that she had
ever conducted the notorious House OF
All Nations. She said:
Il ran hotel in the Tenderloin
Ice. Afterward / was subpoenaed to
appear before the Lexow committee
and l did appear and testified. But is
an outrage to say that | ran the House
of Al Nations | am the friend and
companion Of Mrs. Duke.
= $1,000 .-->.--LIoy 'rney Met
she met Nm. Duke first through an
advertisement which had been inserted
l. n Western newspaper for some one
81. a.
rich woman then and still owns tobac-
co lands in Texas. At the very second
meeting between Mr.. Duke and Miss
Webb. Mr. Duke told her that he was
very fond Of her and that he had al
ways wanted to marry a woman with
business ability. He said to her: 1
like your methods little girl, and L
want you to marry me-. She replied: I:
You are a member of a prominent
tamily and your relatives would sure
iy object to such marriage Duke
then said he was free TO marry whom
he liked and that no member of his
family would dare to question his con-
duct. He said ne would have her in
spite of the world. that he wanted her
worse than he had ever wanted wo-
man in his life and that she must
marry him. SO she married him.
That's all there is 10 it, save that a
more loving couple never lived
Mrs. DesplaineS didn't go before the
grand jury she was allowed to go on
her pledge to return on January Is. at
which time Mrs. Duke will be able to
appear
Ii was learned today that Brodie l..
Duke is not a brother but half brother
Of Benjamin y. and James 3. Duke.
1t Was a week ago that the peculiar
ccnd tons leading to the marriage
were investigated by the family. Last
Wednesday night n member of the
Duke family who lives out of town ar
rived in the city and went to the Hoff-
man House. Re had not been in the
room very long when the telephone
rang. He took up the receiver and a
woman's voice sa d This is your new
siSter-in-!aw. [ called you up to tell
you that / have married your brother
Brodie, and that we are very happy.
The member of the family at the
Hoffman House said that if this was
true he was glad they were happy. but
had no comment to make on the sit
Uation.
Doubted His Bliss.
Well. said the wonlans s Yo &C. j
want YOU to know that We are very
happy MIR Duke is here and wants
to tell you so himself"
Mr.. Brodie Duke then came to the
telephone and was asked by his rela-
tive if it was true he was married
Yes was the response. This lit
lie Texas girl has got me and got me
good.
Are YOU sat sfied,'' was asked
Il don't know whether / am or not,
vas the response.
There was a break in the talk at this
point and the man at the Hoffman
House end could hear two women
taking TO Brodie Duke. Then Mr..
Duke called through the telephones:
YES. it's all right; I'm satisfied"
That ended the talk
lie Appeared Da1ed.
Shortly after the marriage Duke
went to Durham. \. c., and friends
II no saw him there say he was in q
.azed cond ton. He tried to wind up
his affairs in that place and when he
left he took a lot of stock with him
and arranged to have 100000 worth
of stock he owns in local corporations
sent to this city. The detectives alsc
learned that Duke and the two women
v, ..nt To a number OF down town banks
with stock and tried to raise money
on IL but were not successful
NfAJpnTtGE