Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-18
NURSE, DENYING
SHE WE'D DURYEA,
DISCUSSES WILL
Has No Fear Bequest of $780,
900 TO Her Can Be Set
Aside.
SAYS ENGAGEMENT WITH
DURYEA WAS UNDERSTOOD
She Disclaims Helping to In
crease Fortune Left Him
by Father.

For the first time since the death IL
Waiter r. Duryea, on Friday last, Miss
Eleanor Peregrine. a trained nurse.
who devoted twelve years of her life
to nursing him after he had sustained
a broken neck. to whom he bequeathed
the bulk of his estate, v~ariously esti-
mated at from $500, 900 to 81, 200, 900, has
talked of her relations With the in
valid.
The interview was granted at the
home in Montclair, where Duryea died,
and which under the will goes to Miss
Pereerine. Miss P~eregrine is between
80 and 40 years Of age, and is good
looking, with dark hair and large
brown eyes.
In the first place ! want to say that
Mr.. Duryea's fortune was not as large
as stated" she said. In fact it has
been greatly exaggerated in the public
prints. On the death of his father he
received hardly more than half a
million dollars"
But it has been stated that your
EFFORTS have largely increased IT,. Miss
Peregrine was told.
snored the Suggestion.
Miss P~eregrine ignored tne sueses-
ton and continued: Owing to Wal
ter's invalidism he was Isolated fron,
BUSINESS circles and prevented from
entering many profitable enterprises. so
,ne fortune is now probably less than
1t was twelve years ago"
now about the story that YOU were
married to Mr.. Duryea % she was
asked. -
Miss Peresrine's eyes flashed as she
answered.:
want to settle that report at once
ana Tor all time. ! could have bee,
married to Mr.. Duryea. II was his
wish. But I never would consent 70 :,
marriage, although ] did not refpsa
MIN outright. and it was generate
understood that We were engaged T.,
PROOF Of the fact that we were nor
married you can find on file at tbe Of
nee or r. II. Crawley & Brothers reaI
estate dealers in Montclair. n 5aed
signed by me in which, as provided nv
the New Jersey law, l furnish an aa,,
oaVit that / am Unmarried"
no" about an engagement WITH
some other sentlemane' was the newt
query. "e next
once more the eyes nashs1, this time
a little bit angrily.
l nave just told you that II VS.
generally understood that Mr.. Dnryea
ana l were engaged. although I womb
not consent to a marriage. Therefore
now could there be any other?
! appreciated Mr.. Dg,vsa's friend
snip and his death has besn n ereat
personal loss to me. Any bedu..t that
may have been made me was The re-
suit OF calm and deliberate Thought
and after full consultation with lis
lawyers" rs
10 you expect a contest Of the
Will Miss ~Peresrlne was asked.
Does Not Fear Contest.
slowly and carefully Weighing her
words, the nurse answered.. Il ID not
fear that his wishes will be upsel Inv
n action at court by any of his ,eja-
tives."
on were not on friendly ,ernls with
Mr.. DURYEA'S r~elatives?." was SUE test
ed TO Miss Peresrine.
l cannot answer that question. she
replied. Il was always sorry there
were differences between Walter nn1
his sisters and tried frequently to bring
them together i'll better relations. hui
the contest over the fathers estate
had left bad feeling. There were some
things Mr.. Duryea could not forgive
s about ler own family, Miss
Peregrine would not say anything. THE
notoriety thrust upon me is distaste-
full" she said, land. if I can prevent
it, none of my relatives shall be SINH
larly afflicted
Miss Peregrine admitted that Mrs.
Grace Duryea Sprigg, of Essex Fells.
sister of the dead man, had called at
the Montclair home on Tuesday night.
accompanied by a lawyer, but abso-
lutely refused to discuss what took
place at the meeting. Miss Peregrine
would not even say she had talked
With Mrs. Sprigg.