The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-09-03


be returned in despair to Versailles, and
mourned so bitterly over his troubles, that
he became almost frantic, aud was the
subject of general conversation. At one
time he succeeded in gaining access to the
queen, and, bursting into tears, with clasp
ed hands, exclaimed:
Madame, / am ruined if you do not
purchase my necklace. l shall throw my
self into the riyerp
The queen, exceedingly displeased,
said:
Rise, Boehmer! l do not like these
'rhapsodies. Should you destroy yourself,
] should regret you as mailman, in
whom had taken an interest, but should
not be responsible for the deed. Let me
never see you behave thus again. COP
The queen was interested in the unfor-
tunate mans troubles, and some time af-
ter this, through Madame Campan, in
quired what disposition he had made Of
the necklace. He said that the grand sui.
tan at Constantinople had purchased il,
for the fayorite sultana, The queen ex-
pressed much qualification that Boehmer
had got ex:ricated from his troubles
Soon after this, Marie Antoinette's infant
son was baptized. The king purchased
of Boehmer, as a baptismal present for
The child, diamond epaulette and buck
les. AS the crown jeweler delivered
them to the queen, he slipped into her
hands petition, containing the following
sentence:
"I am happy to see your Majesty in
possession of the finest diamonds in Eu-
rope; and entreat your Majesty not to
forget me. ''a
"What does the man meau," said the
queen" as she read this note. He must
be insane"
} A few days after Boehmer called up
on Madame Campan, and anxiously in-
quired if she had no commission for him
from the queen, adding, "To whom must
! apply for an answer to the letter l pre-
senled her?"
"To no one," Madame Campan replied,
her Majesty could not comprehend its
meaning"
"That is impossible" said the man,
trembling; "the queen knows she owes
me. three hundred thousand dollars for the
necklace"
Man, you are crazy" said Madame
Campan, "did you not tell me yourself
that you had sold il at Constantinople."
"The queen requested me-" he replied,
"to state that to all who enquired upon
the subject, as she did not wish to have
it known that she had made the purchase.
Cardinal Rohan took the necklace in her
name. l have all the promissory notes
signed by the queen"
"It is detestable plot" said Madam
Campan. The poor man, delirious with
fright, hastened to the cardinal. RohaD
seemed much embarrassed, and was dis
posed to ay-nothiug. He then hastened
to the queen, who was at the Little Tri-
anon. She was very much alarmed, and
told tho story to the king. He immedi-
ately sent for the cardinal. Rohan said,
trembling in every nerve, that the Count
ess Lamotte had brought him letter
from the queen, requesting him to pur-
chase The diamonds for her, and that he
had done so, supposing that he was con-
ferring favor upon the queen.
"How could you suppose" said the
queen, "that l should have selected you
for such apurpose, or that / could have
employed such character as the Count
ess Lamotte|
+ 81 see that | have been duped," he
said, and drew from his pocket letter
directed to the Countess Lamotte, and
signed in the name of the queen. Still
there were circumstances which exposed
the cardinal very strongly to the suspi
cion Of having been an accomplice in the
fraud.e He was arrested, and his trial
through various interruptions, continued
more than year. The enemies of the
queen took tho ground that he was limo
cent, and that the queen, with the infa
nous Lamotte ms her accomplice, had
duped him. All France was agitated
with the contest. The cardinal appeared
at his trial, in the utmost pomp Of eccle
siastical robes, and was treated with the
most marked respect. He was finally &C
quilted by majority of three votes
This was regarded as virtual declaration
that the queen was guilty. A friend WHIT
called upon the queen Immediately afte
the decision found her weeping bitterly
The Countess Lamotte was brought t
trial. 1t was popularly understood tina
the queen was tried, in her person. Th'
dissolute beauty appeared before judges il
the most costly robes. 1t was clearl,
proved that she bad received the necklace
and that she had sold the separate dia
monds, here and there, for large sums o
money. The populace were taught to be
lieve that the queen was her accomplic
in this Infamous deed, sharing, with heI
the money. The Countess was foun'
guilty, and was doomed, with horrid bar
barity, to be whipped, on the bare bach
in the courtyard Of the prison, to hav
; the letter V branded on each shoulde
with hot iron, and to be imprisoned fc
life,