The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-07
Eugene C.. De Larimand Joins
Army of the Beyond.
Field Marshal of France: Mem.
Der of Noble House.
HE SERVED UNDER CUSTER,
Exiled From His Native COun.
try for Political Reasons.
He Breathes His Last in His
Adopted Home.

Eugene c. DeLarimand, veteran
! of the armies of France and the
United States, soldier of fortune,
French nObleman and later an exile
from his native country, died Thurs
| tel in North Topeka. He was 6S wears
old and has lived in this country since
1877. He came to Topeka twenty
years ago and lived most of this time
at the Union Pacific hotel. His death
was due to a cold from which he was
unable to rally because of a vitality
weakened by long standing case of
rheumatism. He was a well known
! character in North Topeka but rarely
came south of the river.
Eugene c. DeLarimand was born at
Lyons, France, August 26, 1847. He
received his academic education in
Switzerland and later went to Saint
Clare military academy in France. He
was descendant of nobility, his faith
er having been a French count. The
estate occupied by his family was es-
tablished by the Romans at the time
of Caesars conquest of Gaul.
Eugene Joined the French army and
became a field marshal, the highest
position in the French military world.
He left home when quite a young man
on account of parental objection to a
Later he became identified with the
Republican party and was forced to
leave the country.
The military instinct asserted itself
again and DeLarimand became a SOL
der in the United States army. He
was a musician and belonged to the
band of the Seventh regiment He
was with Custer in Montana for a
while, where he contracted rheuma-
tism and he was retired on a pension.
He went to Hutchinson, Kan, shortly
after his retirement, where he played
in the Hutchinson band. After a short
stay at this place he went to Kansas
City, living there but a few months
before coming to Topeka, which was
in 1895. He stayed at several places
on the North side for about year but
finally moved to the Union Pacific ho-
tel, where his death occurred.
Returned to France.
When his father died several years
ago Eugene went back to France
When the estate was settled he got
about $4,000 in money and left the
rest of the property to his brother,
who now occupies the parental estate.
So far as known DeLarimand has no
living relatives in this country and it
is thought that the brother in France
is the only connection. The French
government, at the time DeLarimand
was in that country, offered to. re-
instate him in the army but the old
soldier had become thoroughly Amer
icanized and turned down the oppor-
tunity with the statement that he
American army than a field marshal
in the army of France.
He returned to this country imme-
diately, with his share of the estate
but soon lost ali Of it through the
wileS of mine promoters, sheep ranch
swindlers- and other fraudulent pro-
meters. Due to the efforts Of A. w
Lacey and Charles Curtis his pension
was increased to $50 a month and
this was his only source of income
no ia Cfa a IN, hS,fo in
North Topeka.
DeLarimand was an inveterate
bookworm, spending practically all his
surplus money for books, and most
of his time was spent in his room at
the hotel. According to Fred oiland.
who was an intimate friend of the old
man, he has not been south of the
river for seven years., His trips, after
to short walks about North Topeka,
rarely extending farther than Laurent
street on the north and the kaw river
on the south. He had a library in his
and three thousand dollars.
He Left No VIII.
The old F'renchman had intended
to make a will bequeathing his books
to his friends, out death came too
soon, and the only thing he did be-
fore he became iii, three weeks ago,
was to name "A. v. Lindell, of the
Shawnee State bank as executor. De-
Larlmand has been keeping a diary
for many years, but short time be-
fore his death the book was given
away, and Mr.. Lindell this morning
had not been able to locate it.
The old soldier was eccentric, say
his friends, but everybody who knew
him liked him. ''Gene was fine old
said A. w. Lacy this morn
ing He helped me in the store here I
several years ago and he used to hang |
around here quite a bit" De Lari- |
mand also worked as a pookkeeper in |
Voilard's clothing store for a while |
about a year ago. He has owed some |
to Mr.. Voiland for some time, |
and several weeks before his death he !
told Voiland that he had sent so much |
money to Belgium and France during |
the war that he would have to post |
oone payment for a while.
DeLarimand had been in poor |
health for many years, suffering al
most constantly with rheumatism, and |
his feet were twisted out of shape by /
the disease. About three weeks age
he contracted bad cold, and in his |
weakened condition could not with I
stand the rnvages of the malady. His /
death occurred at 1890 Thursday
at his rooms. The funeral
will be held at 2:3O Sunday afternoon
from ConwelPs chapel. The inter-
will III in,