after a costly legal battle over a real estate deal with william s. king and the financial downturn of the panic of 1893, menage's real estate empire collapsed and he fled the country to avoid prosecution on charges of embezzlement. the charges against menage were eventually dropped after several key witnesses had died or become hesitant to testify against him. he spent the later portion of his life working in real estate in the new york city area and never worked in minnesota again.