Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-03-27
MATTERS IN THE GRACE CASE.
Acc.,ned Woman Looks After Her
financcS--Worth About $75 700.

Philadelphia, March 23.-Contrary
to published reports. Mrs. Daisy
Opie-Grace's fortune has not been
sGuandered. Sho still possesses
property worth approximately $75,-
600, embraced in real estate, bonds
and other securities. This fact is be-
lieved by Mrs. Grace's friends to be
2 complete refutation OF the declara-
ton OF attorneys for the prosecution
that the motive underlying the shoot
ing Of Mrs Grace's husband, Eugene
II. Grace, was to secure some ST.
600 life insurance, which the hus-
band carried OH his life, and which
named Mrs. Grace as the sole beneti-
ciary.
So far the Atlanta detectives and
the prosecuting attorneys have pro-
ceeded on the theory that Mrs. Grace,
having permitted her handsome, boy
ish husband to go through with the
fortune left to her by her first hus-
band, Webster II. Opie, and having
found herself at her financial ropes S
end, sought to recoup her resources
by numbering the man responsible
for the dissipation Of her fortune.
The theory thus offered is not
based upon tho belief that Mrs.
Grace sought to get rid Of her hus-
band who had impoverished her, but
rather that his death would be the
quickest means Of providing her with
large sum Of money.
It is quite evident that Mrs. Grace
and her attorney, J. A. Branch, OF
Atlanta who Is in Philadelphia with
her, now feel that they are in posi-
tion to satisfactorily answer the mo-
tive theories advanced by the prose-
cution.
1t was learned Thursday that Mrs.
Grace's visit to Philadelphia was
for three purposes:
To definitely ascertain whether Mr..
Grace, acting under the power of at
torney, which she had bestowed upon
him, had disposed Of her property to
creditors and relatives, as had been
reported in Atlanta; to register in
her name the real estate left her in
the will by her first husband, which
has continued in his name so far as
the books at the city hall showed
and to gather from her friends in
Philadelphia such evidence as will be
of benefit to her when she Is arraign-
: sed in court. 4, s..Si ,.ssi 5t,
IN all three or these quests Mrs
Grace has been highly successful
She finds that the only inroads made
into her fortune came from the in
come it produced and not from the
principal. She made the transfer
from Mr.. Opie's to her own name
within a few moments, and during
Thursday afternoon and evening and
Friday morning both she and Mr.
Branch were interviewing former
friends and relatives with view OF
ascertaining just what they know
that would be Of advantage to Mrs
Grace in her trial.
The statement by Mrs. Grace to
a representative while aboard the
northbound train Wednesday even
ing to the effect that she felt sure
her husband knew who shot him, and
that before he dies, if he has not al
ready done so, he would tell the
truth that would vindicate her before
the world, has rather displeased Mr..
Branch, her attorney. 1t has been
the policy Of the defense, from the
moment Mrs. Grace was arrested, to
keep her absolutely silent so far as
discussion OF the shooting or the
plans of her defense are concerned.
A Battle Of Lawyers Wits.
Atlanta, March 23.-The Grace
shooting mystery took startling
turn yesterday when It was learned
that John w. Moore, leading counsel
in the defense Of Mrs. Grace, had en-
gagged two Of the shrewdest private
!, detectives In the South to gather evi-
J dence to substantiate the charge that
Grace was shot by a person other
than his wife. The case has narrow
'}ed down to a keen battle of wits be-
tween the lawyers on both sides, and
when the accused woman reaches At
lanta Sunday night new features will
develop thick and fast