The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-01-14
DUKE ISSUES STATEMENT:
 TO FIGHT COMMITMENT
WILL PURSUE RELENTLEssLY
 THOSE IRRESPONSIBLE

Son Who Instigated Proceedings For- bidden Access to Him Some Years Ago--Learns of. Shocking Charges
 Against His Wife for First Time
 VIII Have Them Probed--If True He
 Will Try to Redress Wrong Done Him New York, Jan. 1S-After his appear
 ance in court at Brooklyn to-day, where it was decided to hold an inquiry as to
 his sanity on Thursday, and his return to Amityville, Brodie l.. Duke held a
 two hours conference with his private
 secretary, w. c. Bramham and Lawyer
 Champe s. Andrews. When seen later
 Mir. Bramham and MT. Andrews said they lad had a long talk with Duke
 and that he had message to give to to the public, both as to his sanity and
 to his future plans in fighting his com mitment to an asylum. MT. Andrews also announced that he had been retain ed as MT. Dukes attorney. The state
 ment issued by Attorney Andrews said
 in part:
 By special apoointment I had Drs.
 Graeme M. Hammond, Edward b.
 Fisher and William L. Browning, re-
 cent president Of the Kings county Medical society, examine into MT. 1 Dukes condition.
 | MT. Duke learns for the first time to-day through the press of an appeal which his wife, or those representing ! her. have taken. He desires to say that l the question of his sanity he wishes to 1 have determined at the trial on his writ
 of habeas corpus and hopes that those representing his wife will not press the
 appeal. He prefers to have the issues 1 tried wherein his liberties are at stake by those whom he has retained to rep
 resent him in all his actions.
 He also learns to-day for the first l time of the shocking charges which | have been made freely agamst his wife. He has retained me to probe these 1 charges. to the bottom and if they
 should prove false to take immediate steps to redress the wrong done him and his wife.
 If they should prove true he will do ! the best he can to redress the wrong done him. He expresses confidence in his ability to satisfy any tribunal conn potent to try the issue of his sanity, that he is fully able to discharge all l the duties incumbent upon man in
 his station of life.
 | While he regrets to bring his fam ily's name into So unfortunate an af- fair, he deems 1t only proper to state that some years ago he forbade his son,
 Lawrence, the petitioner in the commit mern proceedings, any access to him. "He intends, if he is discharged, to l pursue as relentlessly as the court will permit those who have been guilty of depriving him O. his liberty and at tempt to deprive him of his honor and reputation
 The statement added that Duke fully approves of every action of MT. Bram-
 ham uo to the present time.
 MT. Andrews said that Duke had | been under a great strain for several days, owing to the fact that he knew nothing of what was going on outside, but now he is contented and in good spirits. 0 | The lawyer @dflIlOuIlCeu lIldC illS SiCilt would not see Dr. Maurice L.' Stern, who had been retained by Mrs. Dukes counsel, and who obtained a supreme court order, allowing him to be admit | ted to Dukes presence. @
 Duke will not see his wife at this time, MT. Andrew said. He has writ ten to her and believes this will answer
 every purpose. ag ,sg | Among other developments in the
 Duke case today was the appearance of Mrs. Agnes Desplaires, who has
 been mentioned prominently in eonnec-
 ton with Mrs. Duke besore Assistant
 District Attorney Perkins. She visited the district attorneys office in re- sponse to subpoena.
 The woman was with MT. Perkins for some time. but the attorney de- clined to discuss the nature of the conversation. a& .F54.A.