New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-18
Publisher the Daughter of
Louisiana Planter and
Slave, Is Charge.
81, 100000 CONTEST
LEADS TO INQUIRY
Church and Parish Records
Searched, Says Report Filed
with Surrogate.

To the sensational developments in
the proceedings to freak the will OF
Mrs. Frank Leslie, widow OF the maga-
zine publisher, there was added yester-
day the allegation that Mrs. Leslie was
a daughter of Charles Follin, of
Louisiana, and that her mother was q
negro slave.
1t was this phase Of bitterly fought
case that Surrogate Fowler sought a
few weeks ago TO keep from being pub
ished when he heard counsels' argu-
ments in his chambers behind closed
doors. The new allegations, however,
were introduced in the Surrogates
Court yesterday in the form Of an &C
counting
This document served the double
purpose of showing how 1880 was
spent for detective service, and also
made public for the first time one OF
the contentious OF Arthur Leslie, a
grandson Of Frank Leslie, in his effort
to vacate the decree granting probate
to Mrs. Lesle's will and to obtain per-
mission to come in as u party in in
terest, his intention being TO contest
the will. The S1.0S0 was spent in an
investigation Of the history and pedi-
gree of Mrs. Leslie, lho had assumed
the title of Baroness de Bazus, to
which, sh. said, she was entitled be-
cause ot her descent from a noble
Fr.nch Huguenot family.
If the allegations are true, under the
laws of Louisiana Mrs. Leslie, who
was born IN New Orleans, would be
barred from inheritlng any property
except from her mother. 1t is contend
ed that the lawful heirs are the next OF
kin of Mr. Leslie, and that, so far as
is known, there are no next Of kin OF
Mrs. Leslie.
The accounting filed by William Nell
son Cromwell and Louis II. Cramer
executors under the will of Mrs. Leslie
who died on September Is, 1914
shows an estate valued at Sl,746,55O
exclusive Of six parcels of real estate
Most of this estate was left TO Mrs
Carrie Chapman Gait for the further
ance of the suffrage cause. Filed with
the accounting is this statement:
"a proceeding has been instituted in
the Surrogates' Court by one Arthur
Leslie to vacate the decree admitting
the will TO probate and to permit him
to come in as party to the proceed
ing. The general nature OF the clf i'm
was that the decedent was an illegiti-
mate child of one Charles Follin and
a negro slave and that she left no
heirs-at-law or next of kin on the
part of her mother; that her estate
had come TO her from her husband
Frank Leslie, and under the statutes
of distribution and descent of this
state the heirs-at-law and next of kin
of the decedent were the heirs-at-law
and next Of kin Of Frank Leslie, the
husband.
"The executors, through their coun-
sci, have investigated the facts alleged
in said petition, affidavits and court
records. and through their attorneys
have appeared in such proceedings and
entirely protected the interests of the
estate therein. The matter has been
presented TO the Surrogate, and the
Surrogate has reserved decision, which
up TO the time of the making Of this
account, had not been rendered. A
notice has been filed with the executors
bv Loretta L. Hollander. Florence L.
Weisbrod and Frank Leslie stating
that they intend TO make claims similar
10 said claim of Arthur Leslie"
The name OF Mrs. Leslie appears in
who's Who" and also in the
"Women's Who's Who" Neither OF
these publications refers TO her mother
In one it is mentioned that Mrs. Leslie
was educated at home by her father in
French, Spanish, Italian, German and
Latin. Miriam Florence Follin was
the name given her by her father, and
she used this name in her literary
work, writing several books and con-
tributing to several European maga-
zines. One of her works was "Are We
All Deceivers?"
II was with great difficulty that the
family history Of Mrs. Leslie was
traced. j. L. Mott, of New Orleans
formerly connected with the Depart
ment Of Justice, was one of the inves'
tigators. II was learned that Charles
Follin. Mrs. Leslie's father, was a
wealthy planter before the Civil War
and that DR.. Aristes Follin. a brother
of Mrs. Leslie, lived near New Orleans
Beyond that no record Of the brother
was obtainable. Old church records
parish papers and birth and death GER
tiicates were examined.