Unveiling The Horrors Within: The Fall of Madame LaLaurie

The Horrible Tale of Madame LaLaurie, The Elite-turned-Tormentor of New Orleans

After Madame LaLaurie was exiled from New Orleans for her heinous acts, her mansion became one of America’s spookiest haunts.

Wikimedia CommonsWhen locals barged into Madame LaLaurie’s mansion following a fire, they found her enslaved workers either hideously disfigured and barely alive, or dead and abandoned.

In April 1834, a catastrophic fire erupted at the lavish New Orleans abode of socialite Madame LaLaurie and her husband. Residents rushed to their aid—only to uncover the depths of her twisted malice.

The two-story house at 1140 Royal Street, which appeared exquisite from the outside, hid ghastly secrets. For years, Madame LaLaurie had mercilessly tormented innumerable enslaved individuals. As volunteers entered to extinguish the flames, they discovered a cook chained to the stove and disfigured, enslaved people in the attic.

The grotesque discoveries forever tarnished the image of Madame Delphine LaLaurie, once esteemed in high society and now infamously dubbed the Savage Mistress of New Orleans.

The Woman Behind the Monster: Who Was Madame LaLaurie Before the Infamy?

Before her notoriety, she was Delphine Macarty, born on March 19, 1787, in New Orleans. Raised in luxury on a 1,344-acre plantation, her mother was renowned for extravagant gatherings.

At 14, Delphine married her first husband, 35-year-old Ramon López y Ángulo de la Candelaria, in 1800. But tragedy struck when, five years later and while pregnant, her husband died in a shipwreck off Cuba’s coast.

Public DomainA portrait said to depict Madame Delphine LaLaurie.

She later married Jean Paul Blanque at 20, bearing four children, but this union also ended tragically with Blanque’s sudden death at 50 when Delphine was 28. Her financial woes eased somewhat after her father’s death in 1824, from whom she inherited a considerable estate.

In 1826, Delphine embarked on a romance with young chiropractor Dr. Louis LaLaurie. She married him in 1828 after birthing their son, despite their restless marriage featuring frequent separations and reconciliations. They purchased and completed a stunning home at 1140 Royal Street — the future LaLaurie Mansion.

Public DomainAnother potential depiction of Madame LaLaurie.

Little did anyone suspect the horrors she would soon unleash within those walls.

The Dark Rumors Circulating Around the LaLaurie Mansion

With Louis often away, Madame Delphine LaLaurie mostly managed the household, overseeing her children and numerous enslaved individuals. Whispers of her severe treatment spread, suggesting she far exceeded the already cruel legal punishment limits in New Orleans.

Public DomainThe LaLaurie Mansion, as seen in a 1906 postcard.

Though she appeared kind to enslaved people publicly, locals noticed they often seemed particularly wretched. A lawyer’s investigation reportedly found no mistreatment signs, but Madame LaLaurie’s actions soon blatantly revealed her cruelty.

When a 12-year-old girl named Lia pulled too hard while brushing LaLaurie’s hair, she chased the girl, whip in hand, onto the roof. Lia fell to her death trying to escape. LaLaurie attempted to cover up the incident by disposing of Lia’s body in a well, but numerous witnesses prompted an investigation. Consequently, LaLaurie was convicted of illegal cruelty and forced to forfeit nine enslaved people—only to repurchase them through family and friends.

More unspeakable horrors brewed in her mansion, unbeknownst to anyone, until the fateful fire in April 1834.

Unmasking The Terrors Within LaLaurie Mansion

When flames erupted on April 10, 1834, locals rushed to help extinguish them. As Madame LaLaurie and her guests fled, volunteers stumbled upon a ghastly scene.

In the kitchen, a frail 70-year-old cook was chained to the stove. She admitted to starting the fire, aiming either for a desperate suicide or to expose the abuse within.