WILL IN DISPUTE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1935, Page 13

WILL IN DISPUTE

FORTUNE LEFT TO DANCER. SUM OF £320,000 IN QUESTION. “Theft of affection” is the ground on which a London man, Mr. Henry LeroyLewis, among others, is contesting the will of Mme. Marie-Delphine van Baele, who left £320,000 to a young Chilean dancer, Sendt Louis Sadza de la Cuadra. Mme. van Baele died in October, 1932, at the age of 77. The Chilean dancer was then 22. She had been engaged to Mr. Rutgers Leroy, a wealthy New York lawyer, and uncle of Mr. Leroy-Lewis. Two hours before the time fixed for the wedding Mr. Rutgers Leroy died, of heart failure, but he had left his fortune to his fiancee. CRUCIFIX SCENE. Maitre Saint-Aubin, on behalf of Mr. Leroy-Lewis, declared at the hearing of the case that his client had brought the action because he considered the money had gone to an unworthy heir, who had exploited an old woman’s enfeebled state of mind. • “Mme. van Baele,” said Maitre SaintAubin, “was jealous and once had her Chilean friend followed. He was traced to the house of a countess. “There was a scene, but De la Cuadra produced a crucifix and swore that he had only gone to see the countess to lend her 200,00(1 francs, which she badly needed. At preliminary inquiries, added Maitre Saint-Aubin, it had been elicited that Mme. Van Baele was ill in hospital when she signed the will, and that a quantity of champagne was drunk, while several nurses were sent away from her because they remained sober. “GAY LIFE” STORIES. . Witnesses testified that the aged widow and the young dancer led a gay life, indulging in champagne and dancing and going to night clubs, from which they often only returned at four or five in the morning. It was also alleged that the dancer often obtained large sums of money from his protectress, sometimes by threats, and that he was expelled from Monaco. Largely, however, as a result of Mme. van Baele’s own efforts, he was afterwards permitted to return. It was declared that she had herself admitted having paid something like £3300 for this privilege. Two witnesses stated that Mme. van Baele suffered from hallucinations' and, in spite of her age, had believed she was about to have a child.