Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-02-17
The Counters de Bocarme.

We find in our foreign journals
some account Of the recent proceed
ings of this celebrated woman,
whose connection with the murder
of her brother by the Count de
Bocarme has given her such world
wide notoriety. A civil process has
been instituted against her by rela-
tive OF her family, in order TO pre-
vent her from squandering her estate
by wastlul extravaganza. The case
was tried at Tournay on the 18th Of
December. 1t appears that the
widowed Countess, who had better
conceal her unfortunate celebrity in
the retirement of the cloister, is
possessed by perfect monomania OF
extravagance. The desire Of
splendid establishment and of play
ing the lady of a great house, was
one of the causes OF the pecuniary
embarrassment and the act OF
poisoning which brought the Count
10 the scaffcld, though it ended with
the acquittal of his wife. In less
shan eight years she has run out her
inheritance, and as a widow now,
has nothing but the property Of her
brother who was murdered, Of which
in one year she has made way
already with about a third part.
After her discharge from prison in
June, 1851, she Travelled wherever
there was a chance Of making a
sensation, appeared in the different
European capitals and watering
places, was three weeks in Paris.
made an excursion on the Rhine,
returned to Brussels in season for
the September celebrations, where
she attracted universal attention by
the magnificence of her dress, and
took a house for the winter which
bad been the residence OF the Span
ish Minister, in one OF the most
fashionable quarters o! the city.
In the spring Of 1852, she passed
a month with one child and her
servants at Chaudfontaine and Spa,
and in the summer resided at Peru
welz in the house of her unfortunate
brother, keeping up a great state
with equippages, pleasure horses. and
so forth, and receiving frequent visits
from strangers. When she went, as
was her daily custom, to the dismal
spot where her brother lost his life,
she appeared on horseback in an
Amazon's dress, an equerry ac-
companied her, a servant in livery
went as an ouirider, an open car.
riage followed with her children and
their attendant, while guard in full
uniform waited for them at the en-
trance to the chateau, and then
Joined the procession. In July she
took another excursion to Spa and
the banks OF the Rhine. and after
travelling a month, returned to Peru
velz, in order TO be present at the
sale of the Bitremont estate, which
as she gave it everywhere to be
understood, she intended to pur.
chase. Still, about lis, 900 francs o
her husbands debts remain unpaid
though she has used up $4,000 francs
of the property left by her brother
and il is calculated that, after paying
the interest on the capital, and othel
liabilities, her clear income will hard
ly amount to 1000 francs. In orde
to protect her and her children from
poverty, and TO spare her tamil,
another painful spectacle. one of he
relatives, M. Baugnies. has made ap
plication te=the Court to place tn
spendthrift- under guardianship
The decision was postponed 10
eight days, leaving the public j
anxious expectation of the result
Whether the career Of the Counties
is. caused by inssnity or folly, pre-
senls curious physiological; problem