The Mysterious Heiress Huguette Clark

Huguette Clark age 104 is a woman who is holed up in a hospital bed. A recluse for most of her life, she is the daughter of one of the richest men America has known, William A. Clark, a copper mine king and a former U.S. Senator, only holding office for one term and known to have a corrupt reputation.

Huguette became the subject of an investigation by the District Attorney of Manhattan after several people who manage her 3 mansions reported that she had not been seen in decades; it was determined that Huguette was in the Doctors Hospital in Manhattan New York because she needed around the clock care, the hospital closed in 2004, and she was moved to Beth Israel Hospital also in Manhattan.

The reports caused the investigation into the two men, her lawyer (Wallace Bock) and her accountant (Irving Kamsler) who have been handling Clark’s estates and fortune. Huguette is said to be worth over 500 million dollars and being as frail as she is, it is suspected that they have been taking advantage of her generosity and mishandling her money, even selling one of her estates for 2 million dollars and a rare Stradivarius violin for millions as well. Huguette has no children but now that this investigation has taken place, her nieces and nephews have stepped in to protect her against the two men who handled her estate and have even placed a restraining order against Bock and Kamsler

Known for her generosity, Huguette’s former nurse stated that she was very generous with her gift giving, and it was not unusual for her to write a check to her caregivers for millions of dollars at a time. Seems to me though that people surrounding Huguette Clark have been taking advantage of this women for many years. After watching this story for awhile, it is a relief to know that her relatives have taken over her care, although it makes one wonder where they have been all this time, and why would they allow others to have so much control of her money.

Huguette Marcel Clark was born in Paris, France in 1906, she was the youngest daughter of Senator William Clark and his second wife, Anna Eugenia La Chappelle. Not much is known about Huguette except that she is very reclusive, so much so that a picture has not been taken of her since around 1930. There is much more known about her father, as he was very well known at the turn of the century as a tycoon, her father being one of the richest men in America during the gold rush, only second to Rockefeller. There is much mystery surrounding Huguette and her life.

Huguette owns three mansions that are still being cared for very diligently but they have sat empty for over 22 years since Huguette checked into her hospital room, where she now resides with only her rare french doll collection surrounding her.

William A. Clark-(January 8, 1839 – March 2, 1925) Born in Pennsylvania was a politician and made his fortune from mining and the railroad. He became a banker in Dear Lodge, Montana where he would repossess mining property when owners defaulted on their loans. He made a fortune in electric power, railroads and the mining business and was known as one of the “Copper Kings” of Butte, Montana. Clark built a multi million dollar mansion in Butte, Montana between the years 1884-1888 that is still standing today and is known as the Copper King Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Butte, Montana.

Clark was elected president of the of state constitutional conventions in 1884 and 1888 and wanted to become a politician, but his dream resulted in scandal when it was found out that he bribed members of the Montana State Legislature for their votes. The U.S Senate refused to elect him because of the scandal but he later became a one term senator between the years 1901-1907.

Clark died at the age of 86 at his mansion in New York, one of the 50 richest men in America.

In a 1907 essay entitled "Senator Clark of Montana," Mark Twain portrayed Clark as the very embodiment of Gilded Age excess and corruption. Wrote Twain:

"He is as rotten a human being as can be found anywhere under the flag; he is a shame to the American nation, and no one has helped to send him to the Senate who did not know that his proper place was the penitentiary, with a ball and chain on his legs. To my mind he is the most disgusting creature that the republic has produced since Tweed's time."

 William married Mary Louise Stauffer and they had 5 children:

Mary Joaquina (May) Clark Culver Kling de Brabant (Jan 1870-1893)

Charles Walker (Nov 3,1871-April 3,1933)

William Andrews Clark Jr.(March 29,1877-June 14, 1934)

Paul Francis Clark(Feb 1880-1896)

Katherine Louise Clark Morris(May 11,1882-unknown)

After Mary Louise’s death, William married a 23 year old girl, named Anna Eugenia La Chapelle and they had 2 children:

Louise Amelia Andrée Clark (August 13,1902-August 6,1919)

Huguette Clark June 9,1906- still living.

I don’t know how this story will play out but hopefully if these people have been stealing Miss Clark’s money, then I hope that they will have to pay for it. Taking advantage of the elderly in this manner is something that is so easily done because of the frailty and vulnerability of the elderly, Miss Clark being over 100 years old, it is apparent that she is in the dark about many of her finances and probably isn’t even aware of her own physical health.