Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-03-30
BY ROBERT TALLEY
NEA Service Writer

BUFFALO N. Y, March 20
Stranger still than the practice OF
primitive Indian witchcraft that
resulted In the murder OF Mrs.
Clothilde Marchand In metropolitan
Buffalo in 1890. is the story Of the
secret romance OF her husband and
his Indian-EiTl model.
Henri Msrchand, SO. art director
of tho Buffalo Museum of Natural
Sciencse and world famous as an
artist and sculptor. al carrying
on a clandestine love affair with
an Indian reservation girl. Lila
Emerson. Both OF them admit
it.
II was the dark eyed Seneca
models jealousy for Mrs. Mar
chand that led her. 50 the state
contends al her murder trial, to
play upon the supersations Of
Nancy Bowen. aged pagan Indian.
until Nancy slew Mrs. Marchand
in her Buffalo home, using a To-
cent hammer as a tomahavk.
Lila convinced Nancy that Mrs
Marchand had bewitched old Sas-
safras Charlie, her husband, and
thus caused his death.
Lila and Nancy we're charged
With first decree murder and Mar
rhand. after his love letters TO
Lila had been discovered, was jail
cd as a material witness.
Closeup or the Lovers
Here is a closeup OF the principals
I'm this queer romance.
Henry NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., art
ist and musician. Born IN Paris
in 1877. the son Of a woman who
would have been a countess had
the monarchy lived A descendant
Of General Jean Gabriel MsTohand
OF Naroleons staff. Graduate Of
several European academies, pos
SCISSOR OF many medals for art. in
Guiding gold medal and grand prize
awarded at Paris Exposition. Came
70 America 80 years ago, 70 Buff
falo five years ago.
Lila JimerSon-A Seneca Indian.
IS years old and looking every day or
il. Tall. thing. flat-chested, sallow
and said to be in advanced stages
vi tuDCIIuAOcAs. DONQg EfClA GCE1ss
in appearance. Has spent entire
life among Indians on reservation
near Buffalo. six grades in an In
dian school. Worked as berry pick
or for cannery.
Lila No Pocahontas
Lila lacks a lot OF being q 20
cahontas. Why Marchand ever
fell for her remains unexplained.
Alienists have pronounced her
sane, but with a witch complex"
When I talked with her in the
Erie county fail she wor a cheap
black dress with soiled lace collar.
Her long black hair was braided
and tied in a club knot on the
back OF her head. She wore large
shoes. visibly In need OF repair. and
cotton stockings that wrinkled
around her sparrow-likc legs. She
appeared in court in the same garb.
Marchand had a cottage near the
reservation and Lila had posed as
hts model for sor1e time. but, &c
cording 70 her story. their real
friendship did not begin until
September l.. 1923. Lila wanted 70
30 to the village and Msrchand
offered to take her in his car. She
used her.
Caveman Lover 10 Indian
More auto rides followed. the TO-
nance grew. Marchand. with en-
tree TO every art salon in Europe.
apparently enjoyed playing a cave
y-~@~~ e. w@w4vrrTffwHn n%4@~H
GIRL. Then they began making
overnight trips out OF town togeth-
CT.
HE said he could get along bet
ter with an Indian girl than he
could with a white woman" Lila
says.
she chased me: I didn't chase
her" replies the highly excitable
and vpluble little Frenchman.
AS the affair continued the In
dian girls jealousy caused her 70
scheme to get rid OF Marchand's
wife, District Attorney Moore says.
TIE witch rlot with superstitious
old Nancy followed.
Asked for Wife's Hair
Months ago. Marchand has re-
called since his wife's murder. Lila
asked him TO make her a present
Of a lock OF Mrs. Marchand's hair.
A friend advised him against IL.
however. saying 1t smacked Of
witchcraft. Marchand insists he
knew nothing OF the Indian plot
against his wife.
With his wife and children,
Marchand lived in Buffalo near the
museum. Lila lived in a little
cabin on the reservation. 80 miles
away. with her aged father and
mother. The former IS an Indian
farmer. the latter an old squaw
who can hardly speak English.
In their dilapidated and crowded
cabin. Lila had a rickety old piano.
She had never taken a music les
son but she played by ear" She
learned on the piano in the little
church OF the reservation that the
Christian Indians attended.
Ancestor Was White Woman