The Washington times., 1919-08-15
FOR !
WIDOW WHO
SLEW OVER
MINIATURE

= CHICAGO, Aug. 15.-Mrs. Vera
Trepagnier, Of New Orleans, who
formerly was a war worker in Wash
ington, convicted of the murder Of
Paul Frederick Volland, an art pub
Usher, today stands sentenced to
serve from one year to life impris-
onment in the penitentiary.
Her plea for new trial was de-
MED, but she wac allowed fifteen
days TO prepare an appeal to the
State supreme court.
Mrs. Trepagnier, who is sixty
years old, shot and killed Volland in
his private office in Chicago last May
during 8 quarrel over royalties for
the reproduction Of q 100-year-old
miniature Of George Washington. II
was al she had left Of a once large
fortune. She claimed Yolland had
defrauded her.
Tragedy for Three Women.
The death OF the publisher was a
tragedy in the lives of two other
women besides Mrs. Trepagnier.
One was Mrs. Gladys Volland. a
mature beauty of forty. She had
helped him TO success, only to dis
cover that riches brought lncompati-
bIlity
The third was Miss Gladys swartout,
twenty-five, a beautiful young mo-
sician. Had Mrs. Trepagnier not killed
Volland this girl would have become
his bride.
He Choked Her, She Says.
size cholIed me-" Mrs. Trepagnier
said when she was arrested, immedi-
ately after the shooting.
~In my State men may lie, gamble,
cheat in business, but they do not lay
hands on women. cannot deny
shooting Paul Volland: he choked me.
DO not remember hring. but recall
HIS saying, You've killed me- His
fingers relaxed from my throat and he
fell before me. Then grew faint and
fell too.
Il had not meant to shoot him. He
had robbed me, felt Of the only
dear thing left to me. He had evaded
me for two years"
she Net Hin In Capital.
Mrs. Trepagnier came to Washing
ton from Louisiana and met Paul
voIland here. she says:
From December IS, 1917, until oc-
tober %, last year, she was clerk
In the loans and currency division OF
the United States Treasury Depart
ment. She then made her home with
Mrs, Grace Purdum, 1927 Ninth street
northwest, Washington.
She Is q native OF Belfast, Ireland,
where her father was a shfpbuilder.
She was educated by tutors who i'm
parted to her a love for art She
young girl.
Married wealthy Sugar Planter.
Old Ellis Trepagnier. who owned
the largest sugar + plantation in
Louisiana went wild over the fresh
spolor and winsome ways of the little
Irish lass. They were married.
When speculation swept away the
sugar planters great estate. he died.
The. servants went, then the house
and the furniture.
influential Democrats obtained for
me a position in Washington" she
tells her story. 1T was there I met
Paul Valland."
Kept Miniature In Vault.
In a safety deposit vault in
Washington bank Mrs. Trepagnier
naQ placed Tor safe keeping the
miniature OF George Washington,
famous for many years as the "Trum-
bull miniature" For generations it
had been in the possession of the
family Of the late Col. John r. Trum-
bull of Louisiana.
II had been given to Nine. Trepag-
snIer at that period Of her married life
when she Vas affluent
when ] was first introduced to
1ir. Volland in Washington I was
told that he was one OF the country's
greatest experts and appraisers on
works of art" said Mrs. Trepagnier.
Il showed him the miniature. He
knew its history.
He Asked Publishers Rights,
Mr.. VoIland told me that he would
like to acquire the publishers rights
OF reproduction. We came to no
agreement then. But in February,
1917, Mr.. Yolland met me in Philadel-
phia- He returned TO Chicago with
the miniature. after promising to send
me a contract and $500 as advance
royalties.
TT was not until April that heard
from him again. Then I received a
contract, but no money I read the
contract and saw there was no men
tion Of the clause 1 had asked him
70 insert, which provided that in
event OF my death the royalties were
20 go to my grandson, Ellis TrepaZ-
nier.
lnstead there was a clause to the
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