£250,000 FOR A NURSE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7852, 14 July 1911, Page 10

£250,000 FOR A NURSE

Miss Eleanor Peregrine, a beautiful nurse (says the correspondent of the "Daily Mail'" on May 16th) reaped the reward of her 12 years - * care of Mr Walter Duryea, a millionaire invalid, to-day, when his will was read. The document bequeathed to her two-thirds of her late patient's estate. She inherits *£lo,ooo at once, and a like sum on trust, as well as the benefit of a town house, a magnificent country estate, a steam yacht, and the remainder of the Duryea , fortune after <£lo,ooo is divided among relatives, servants, and charitable institutions. The nurse's share is valued at <£200.000. Mr Duryea lived in Jersey City, and had been in his youth a handsome athlete. Twelve years ago, while diving into shallow water, he broke two vertebrae of the neck, and became totally paralysed. Two famous American surgeons operated on him. removing sections of the vertebrae which pressed on the spinal cord. This restored sensation to his limbs, but he lived in constant terror of a fall, the shock of which would ended his life. Tie spent his days in a specially-built wheeled chair, under the constant supervision of Miss Peregrine. It is understood that he wished to marry her, but that she refused. The patient's chief recreation bocame business speculation, and although already well off, he increased his fortune by a large amount