Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-14
smell DI.h Of scandal.

An interesting case is pending in the Or
pbaDs' Court in the City of Washington, be.
fore Judge Purcell The circumstances are
as follows; Application was made to the
Court, year ago, for the appointment of a
guardian for the children of Lieutenant Bar
ney of the navy. Mrs. Barney had been
divorced from her husband by q decree of an
Iowa Court, and subsequently died. Her
nearest male relative in Washington, Mr.. De
Kraft, appeared before the Orphans Court
in behalf of the children, declaring that their
father was an improper person TO have the
custody Of them. Counsel for Lieutenant
Barney stoutly resist this application, and
some curious developu eits Have taken place.
Evidence of Bsrney's bad conduct toward
his wife has been produced: it is asserted
that be DETAINED her character after her destb,i
and testimony has beeh' produced to show
thatA tAhe Neglected his children during his
wife's lifetime and afterwhtd The whole
family resided in Paris for a considerable
period, aud seem to have been extremely,
fashionable on limited means.
Among the papers offered in evidence by
Lieutenant Barney, but ruled out by the
Court are several from his wife, addressed
to bis mother, and dated at Paris, from July,
1858, to May, 1885, These epistles are pub
lished' in the Wsship gton Star, and give
some curious pictures Of fashionable Amer
I Of July 81, 1853 Mrs. Barney writes:
81 can not tell you how comfortably and
with how little trouble we move along in
Paris. Here we have nothing but pleasant
and happy associations while in Washing.
ton, when think of our past prosecutions,
l can not make up my mind ever to live
there with contentment1 In my heart l
despise it, and wish that the money we have
wasted and fooled away in improbable show
and recklessness, we had in Europe to spend
with profit and qualification. to ourselves.
Chase tells me am, becoming quite a
PaTisienne. 4 The children attract
a great deal of attention, and their fluepdy
in French and English surprises the people
here. Little Clay just begins to talk-she is
sweet and pretty as can bei and furnishes a
wonderful contrast to Miss Hebe, who is all
spirita and impudence, y 4 81 u u
n MARY E. BARNEY
In another letter Mrs Barney gives us
this little bit of scandal about the Emperor
Napoleon: ..sar.. r. ..-.,- ~
"Report ssys the Emperor has bestowed
himself upon the Countess Walewski, q
charming and beautiful little woman, whose
/ husband, bigh at Court, is son and perfect
resemblance of the FIRST Emperor Astonish-
ing to say this person is great friendof the
Empress, who is charmed that the Emperor
at last confines himself to the ladies of the
Court for his chers d;nis." ~.
Mrs. Barney describes q "terrifc"' card
plate;w she had just ordered in Paris:
~ 'I have had quite a hourishipg card plate
ordered. 1t is quite European in style, and
if people at home could see it, they would
really exclaim with Woodruff. Isn't it ter
rifcT had thought it advisable to inclose
some of these cards to Woodruff, Linton, De
Kraft, &c, &c, but to spare them further
agony we have determined not to officially
notify them that Samuel Chase Barney
really belongs to the navy of the United
States ,'.,, -.