Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1905 — TALE IS SENSATIONAL [ARTICLE]

TALE IS SENSATIONAL

Which Tells of the Doings of Brodie L. Duke and the Woman He Marrisd. SUIT FOR ANNULMENT BEGUN Woman In the Case Alleged by Those Investigating to Have a Very Lurid Past, Indeed. New York, Jan. 10.—Announcement la made that Laurence Duke, son of Brodie L. Duke, recently committed to a sanatorium on the order of a magistrate, has taken Initial steps to secure the annulment of his father’s marrige of Miss Alice Webb. What turn the investigation by District Attorney Jerome may take is not | yet certain, hut It wag said that there would certainly be no immediate arrest in the case, the Investigation having not reached a stage where a criminal prosecution involving such action was possible. Woman Has a Po*t. This Ruit, together with the revelations of the past life of the woman calling herself Alice Webb, furnished the sensation of the day in connection with the latest romance in the marriage of the well known member of the millionaire tobacco family. These revelations show that Alice Webb has been known at various times as “Mrs. Hopkinson,” “Mrs. Murat Mastcrson,” ngain as “Miss Webb,” and then as “Mrs. Powell.” She has figured in common law marriages and divorces. She Kepi lied Company. Detectives employed by Rrodie Duke’s son and brothers have placed evidence In the hands of District Attorney Jerome showing that for some weeks prior to her marriage to Duke cr. Dec. 10. they had been living at the Hotel Wltiton, a Raines law hotel at Park avenue and One Hundred and Tenth street. With them was Agnes D’Esplaines. Mrs. I Hike’s “companion,” who at one time, jt is alleged, was the housekeeper for the resort known as “the House of all Nations.” and who has run other places in New York which have been under the eye of the police. The D’Esplalnes woman and the Webb woman appear to have been friends for years.

Married During a Spree. According to the detectives, these two women and sundry acquaintances, male and female, had one grand spree at Duke’s expense while at t,he Harlem hotel. Everything was charged to Duke, and the nurse who was summoned to take care of the old man collected nt the bar the bill for his services. It was while these goings on were nt their height that Duke and the Webb woman went to church on Dee. 19 and got Rev. Coe to «marry them, a “Dr. Hirst’’ and one “C. W. Thompson” going with them as witnesses. Litigation Hr gin* Over Duke. New York, Jan. 12.—Frodie L. Duke is now in an insane.asylum. His wife has applied to one supreme court judge for a habeas corpus for his release, and the Duke family has applied to an other supreme court judge in a suit the object of which Is to put Rrodie and Ids affairs in the hands of a committee. Tlie Duke family will also criminally prosecute some persons not now named for conspiracy to bring about Ilrodie’s nmrrlnge.