New-York tribune., 1910-05-26
RICH PED[ER HER SLAVE
Paris Witnesses Tell of BENJAMIN
Hart and Nine. De Bic.
ONLY DAUGHTER CUT OFF
Even a Marchioness Shocked at
Expatriate's Mode Of Living
and His Sentiments.

The testimony OF several witnesses taken
before the American Consul General at
paris IN the contest over the will of Ben
iar,in Hart was filed in court yesterday.
Kart who in his early life had been a ped
er left an estate valued at more than
81 noo ono Most of this he bequeathed to
Gabrielle Antoinette De Bic. for whom he
maintained two fine houses in Paris, where
Hart was "bouievardier.' His wife,
whom, he divorced, and his adopted daugh-
ter Mrs Isabelle Guillaume. wife OF
member of the French diplomatic corps
are contesting the will.
The testimony tended to show that Hart
lad intended to leave all his property TO his
adopted daughter, who one witness said
was his chief interest in life All OF the
witnesses told of the great influence that
Nine De Bic had over the old man. and
how his social standing was affected. espe-
cially among the Americans in Paris One
witness said that Nine De Bic was ex-
perienced I'm mesmerism and through Its
use had made Hart practically her servant
Hart did not like the United States, where
he made his fortune, it was testified. be-
cause America was too much ruled by
laws: ii was too strenuous and had not
enough freedom.
One of the witnesses in behalf of Mrs
Guliaunfe whose testimony was flied yes
terday, was the Marchioness Of Anglesey.
She had known Hart twenty years and he
consulted her frequently about his daugh-
ter as to the payment Of a dowry to the
latter on her marriage. The witness quoted
Hart as saying that his daughter was
his chief interest in life and in talking
about NJ Guillaune's alleged anxiety about
~,I,I pnccs
LAS I meant to leave her everything, I
think they were too eager to fix things.
The witness said that she replied to Hart:
''If Bella is to marry a Frenchuan [ sup
pose you will have to conform to the Gus
toms of the French people. AS you have
offered a settlement, they want to have it
settled
The n1archioness told of Harts extrava-
CANT mode OF living and of the influence
Nine De Bic had over him. In answer TO
the question whether she ever met Nine
De BE, the Marchoness of Anglesey re-
piled:
Good heavens, nevert'
Hart had told her that he did not care
for his relatives IN America and that he
was never going to return there. He ex-
plained his friendship for Nine. De Bic by
saying that he did not want to be alone.
The woman. the witness testified, kept him
from his friends and tried to estranse him
from his daughter. On one occasion, when
the latter called on her father, Nine. De
Bic treated her with extreme rudeness and
It was later adduced that Nine. De Bic was
Mrs. Guillaumes bitter enemy.
Edward Tuck. whose home in this city Is
at No Z East 61st street, but who spends
most Of his time in Paris. testified that
Hart lost his American friends through
his relations with the De Bic woman. He
said that Hart. who was proud and austere
before, became like child in the hands OF
Nine De Bic
John Campbell. maiordomo in the Hart
home, said of Nine. De Bic:
| She was a big intriguante and the big
gest adventuress that ever 1 met in my life
and I have run up against a good many
The old man was her servant She studied
only how sne could get his fortune