The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-03
SISTER FIGHTS FOR,
LEBAUDY ESTATE
Removal Of Widow as Admin
istratrix Is Sought in
Petition.
DRUG ADDICT IS CHARGE
No Marriage Ceremony Of Any
Kind, Says Kin-Child
Rights Doubted.

contest for the valuable estate of
Jacques Lebaudy, the eccentric French
millionaire who was shot and killed by
L. l., was set in motion yesterday, when
Surrogate Howell of Nassau county,
upon the petition Of Lebaudy's sister,
signed an order requiring his widow,
Margaret Lebaudy, to show cause why
she should not be removed as admins
tratrix Of his estate and her letters OF
appointment cancelled.
Nine. Lebaudy killed her husband on
January IL OF this year while he was
attempting to force his way into her
room at the country home, but aped
prosecution because she was able to con-
vince District Attorney Weeks that
Lebaudy meditated injury to their
daughter Jacqueline, IA years old.
Lebaudy left no will, and when his
widow applied for letters of administra-
ton several weeks after his death they
were issued to her. II Lebaudy's other
relatives fail to establish their claim
that they are his heirs Nine. Lebaudy
will receive approximately one-third Of
his estate and his daughter will take the
residue. Except for the place at West
bury. the estate consists wholly of per-
sonal property. and is worth anywhere
from $4,000. 900 to s1o.000.000.
The petition asking for Mrs. Lebaudy's
| removal and which was fled at Mineola
yesterday bears the signature of Nine.
| Maria Theresa Jeanne Lebaudy de FEELS,
, who lives in Paris. and was filed by
Major Henry A Uterhart as her attor-
ney Major Uterhart. who has been on
| overseas army duty for a year and a
| half received his discharge in Paris a
! month ago. Just before he left for this
country he was retained to represent
Nine. de FEELS by a firm of French law
yers.
| History of Lebaudy Riches.
| Lebaudy. who inherited a great deal
| of money from his father, who amassed
| 1t in the sugar industry. had only three
blood relatives living, Nine. de Fels,
Robert Lebaudy. a brother, and JacQue-
line Lebaudy, his daughter. If his sis
| ter. who makes the claim that Jacque-
| line has no heritable blood, Is able to
establish It by conclusive proof. she and
Robert Lebaudy will divide the estate
between them. 1t consists in the main
of mining properties. of which one IN
| Nine. de FEELS asks the removal OF
! Nine. Lebaudy on the ground that she
was never married to Lebaudy and can
not prove even a marriage at common
law. and on the further ground that she
is, a drug addict and, not a person tc
lwhom the law should entrust a consid-
cradle estate.
Margaret A. Lebaudy.' the petition
sets forth. rs not the widow and
Al 80
Of jacques Lebaudy: the value of the
said estate is far in excess of 5000. 900
amount estimated by her: the said Mar
garet Lebaudy is addicted TO the use OF
Vdrugs and has been for years so ad-
I dicted, and the use OF said drugs has
so impaired her heal I'D mind that
she is unfit to perform the duties of hei
Office or act as an Administrative"
The petition alleges further that ma
terial false statements of fact wer,
made by Nine. Lebaudy in her applica
ton for her letters. and that the princi
pal ones are: That che was Lebaudy
hwidow and'that Jacqueline was his child
that there were no persons other thai
herself and the girl to whom citation
should have been issued.
The order Is returnable next Saturday
and Ia directed to Nine. Lebaudy, to he
daughter and to the Fidelity and Deposi
Company, which is in possession of som
money and securities belonging to tn
estate. Upon the return OF the order
is likely that arrangements will be mad
for an early trial of the issues OF fac
: involved. and that Nine. Lebaudy's rep
resentatives will ask that the proof b
heard by Jury.
Settlement Oner Refused.
Major Uterhart said yesterday tha
the proceeding which has been begu
I follows upon considerable negotiatio
between representatives OF Nine Ia
: baudy and representatives OF Lebaudy
brother and sister, and that his siste
: decided to take her case to court afte
Mime. Lebaudy had refused a very lars
: money offer in settlement OF her intere,
: In the estate. He explained that IA
: baudy's brother and Ssister fully reco<
nize that she and Jacqueline should /
l provided for amply. but consider this
: since there was never a formal marriag
. between her and Lebaudy there was n
n marriage at all.
: Paul A. De Fere, Nine I,ebaudy's a
= torney. said yesterday that he had n,
= seen or been served with any papers, b,
d that he had no vestige OF doubt thu
Nine. Leoaudy and her daughter wou
r be awarded the estate finally.
c There can be no question but that u
relation of husband and wife existed
e he said. at began almost twenty yea
: ago and was continuous. Nine, l.
t baudy can bring plenty of proof and w
n have no difficulty in establishing h,
e rights"
h Jacques Lebaudy was notorious for h
eccentricities for many years before n
death and was confined several times
r. asylums. He was a keen business ma
I however, and added greatly to his patI
mony by shrewd speculation and invee
h ment. He used to call himself 'Er
peror of the Sahara" but always show,
irritation when any one found anus
Il msnt in the expression. explaining tn
}, he actually owned a tract in the desc
, which no country claimed and that
Z. intended 10 establish a small empi
l. there.
d Nine. Lebaudy told the authoriti
- after she, killed him that her life HI
a long been a torment and that for yea
n she had lived in deadly fear OF hi
W His never consenting TO a ceremonI
10 marriage was typical of him. He hat
any act which bound him in any wa
y never made a will and ever since ]
ID death there have been coming to lig
10 deposits Of securities and money the e
s. istenoe OF which he never connded
any one.