New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-07
Mrs. Drouillard Says She
Paid $4,000 a Year for
Decrepit Mansion.
MAHOGANY PIANO
HAD "TINNY" SOUND
Owner Demands $3.50 Dam.
ages TO Furniture-Defendant
EX.Wife of Army Man.

Eighteen thousand dollars a year
rent for a furnished house in Fltth
Az. with carpets torn, chairs on tnelr
last legs" mahogany piano scratched
and its sound "tinuy," and other 1ur-
nishings in a state OF decrepitude'
were some Of the charges made by
Mrs. Ada Sorg Drouillard IN testi-
mony before trial and filed IN the SUI
prcmc Court yesterday. in an action
which is brought against her and Cap
tain James Pierre DrOuillard, her d.
vorccd husband.
The plaintiff is Mrs. Sarah J. A.
Hall, owner Of the property at zoos
Fifth av.. the furnished house which
the defendants occupied for three
wears. The plaintiff asks for $500
damages for injuries which she says
were done to the furnishings during
the occupancy Of the Drouillards. =.
With the exception of the breaking OF
4 plaster bust by her maid, Mrs. Droull-
lard insists that all the damage was
done before she moved into the house.
And she explains her taking posses
sion of the house with its antique
and i'm some instances "thrcadbare
furniture by saying that Captain
Drouillard rented the house and told
her she must live there.
Mrs. prouillard Is daughter Of the
late Paul Sorg. tobacco manutact-
urcr. from whom she inherited sew
cral millions. Captain Droulllard' INC
descendant of an old Southern family,
served in the United States Army IN
the Philippines. The wife obtained
.iivorce last November.
The testimony of Mrs. Droulll Hard.
which At times was given with re-
iuctancc. also went into some details
&C the life Of the heiress with her
military husband.
Mrs. Drouillard said that despite
their separation. for incompatibility.
in 1910. Captain Drouillard continued
20 call at his wife's home to sec their
child. and they even went to the
theatre together. When he left her.
said Mrs. Drouillard. she did not know
whether the captain was coming back
or not.
The examination of Mrs. Drouillard
before the trial Of the suit brought by
Mrs. HALL was to ascertain whether in
renting the house Captain Drouillard
merely WAS acting as agent for his
wife or whether he personally was re-
spohsible. From 1910 Mrs. Drouillard
said she paid the rent and the expenses
OF the household. The term OF rental
Of the house. which is opposite the
METROPOLITAN Museum Of Art, began in
October. 1909. and extended to No
vember I, 1912.
Mrs. Drouillard denied that she or
the members of her household were re-
sponsiblc for the damages enumerated
bv Mrs. Hall. and said that the plaintiff
had failed TO keep her agreement TO
keep the property in repair.
Her mental inventory" served her
in mentioning that some OF the draper
les Of this $4,000 q year house were
in shreds and that the bottom dropped
out of couch on the occasion of q
party At the Drouillard home.
As for some books. ivory and brass
miniatures and other articles which
Mrs. Hall said were missing, Mrs.
Drouilard said she did not remember
seeing them. 4 South American tea
set was also among the list Of missing
articles. according to Mrs. Hall.
Mrs. DrouilIard testified that the
large rug in the main hall had two
large holes I'm it which had been COW
cred up with iardnieres. The furniture
all through the house was on its last
legs" she said. 1t was worn so badly,
il looked as il it had been in the house
ten years. she added. A leather couch
had a large hole in it, and it was
necessary to hide the gap b. covering
il with \ silk rug. The mahogany
piano was out OF tune. it sounded
;inny. the keys were yellow and the
Ices scratched" The instrument was
in better condition when she left the
house. said Mrs Drouillard, than when
she took possession. A Louis XVI sofa,
she said. was spotted with wine
The witness explained that she had
nothing 10 do with renting the house.
Her husband rented the house, she
said. He told her that she would have
20 live there and that she had nothing
- g.v about IL