The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
Tho Iaces Of a Princess,
What Il Costs to supply Russian NOble-
woman's WardrObe-LHeea Two Huu-
tIrel Years Of Age,

woman'S WartlrObe-LHeea Two Huu-
dred Years Of Age.
The suit Of Madame Olga de NIaluta
FralofF against the New York Central
and Hudson River Railroad Company,
whicll%a first begun In February, 1870,
in the United States Circuit Court in
the Southern District OF New York, is
again on the calendar for trial. This
case presents sbino points Of singular
and romantic interest. II may DO re.
membered that the plaintiffs attorneys
sued the railroad company for s75, 900
damages for the loss Of certain laces or
lace dresses taken from the trunks or
baggage Of tho Baroness de FraloH
while on n journey from Albany to
Niagara in November, 1869. The case
was tried but was not decided in Feb
ruary, 1870. the jury disagreeing MS to
the amount Of damages which should
he paid by the company, six deciding in
favor Of the full amount claimed by the
plaintiff, and six varying in their opinion
from g, 900 to $1,000.
In her deposition the lady said "My
name is Olga de Maluta dc FralOf. My
maiden name is ManzirefE. 1 am n
resident OF Russia and have estates in
different countries, My husband is in
the active army of Russia, n colonel OF
dragons, OF the Cavalry of the Grand
Duchess Catherine. l think he has
been made n general lately.
al am Of the highest and Oldest
aristOcracy Of Russia, of the Princes Of
Tartary. l am the adopted daughter of
the Princess Manzireif, my aunt, now
dead"
She said the lost laces were inherited
from her grandmother and four Aunts.
They were all antiques. None were Of
mesh or pattern now made. They
were all from two to two and q half
centuries old.
az left six of my trunks in London,
and brought six with inc. 1 had many
valuAbles besides my jewels, such MS
cashmere shawls, fur cloaks, Siberian
sables, toilet OF crminc furs, and one
Of astrakan, white cashmere opera
cloak embroidered with gold, and twelve
or fourteen hats from Paris, dresses Of
velvet, OF silk, and Of muslin. Several
handsome silk dresses, made in Paris,
ready for the lRces to be sewed on them
when worn. My dresses were always
made i'll that manner. l also had six
dozen pairs Of dress kid gloves md four
dozen pairs Of riding and travelling
gloves,
: II valued tho lacesat 100000. l Ind
the lNces complete for five different
dresses. Each set peculiar, and all its
laccs complete for the skirt, corsage,
hair, and mantilla, and for some tunics,
and for others, points or scarfs.
The lady described the six dresses sic
wore ms follows;-
"NTy bridal dress Ind three flounces.
Each ilounco was two feet in width. II
was of NIechlin lace; sometimes
through mistake called regency lace. !
do not mean it was made in Mechlin,
not by any means. 1t was of the Mech
lin mesh. antique Malines it is some.
times called. There was in this set nil
the lNces for tho corsagc, tho hair, and
mantilla.
Inc second ureSS was OF Olu point
d'Angleterre. Two Aounces, q cape or
flchu, and some smaller laces. II was
Of the Elizabcthan period. The Queen
of England is the only person in the
world who has any lace like it.
"Tle third dress wasof Flemish lace,
also very old, two flounces two and n
half feet wide, also laces for the corsage,
mantilla and llnir. The small laces OF
this set were very valuable.
"The next dress had five flounces Of
point d'Aloncon, not modern point, nor
tho point which was revived by Napo.
leon l., but the antique lace made two
hundred years ago, first in Alencon.
"The fourth dress was Of some Rus
sian lace, like that made in tho lace
schools Of Russia established by Peter
the Great.
"The fifth dress was OF Flemish lace,
and the laces OF the sixth dress were
similar, but I nm not sure they were Of
tho Flemish stitch"
New York lace experts who had seen
and examined the dresses confirm her
statements MS to the quality and value
of the laces, and the loss is heavy even
to n Russian princess.