Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-17
The Russian Diamond ScandaI-The
Beautiful American Temntpr.


Beautiful American Tempter.
The arrest of the young Grand Duke
Nicholas, Of Russia, for stealing his
mothers diamonds, az the Marble
Palace in st. PETERSBURG, and bes;rw-
ing them upon Lizzie FeeniX, -
beautiful American adventures, hae
been heretofore discussed and coue
mented on in various ways by the press
A Philadelphia correspondent q The
New York Herald, in giving an ac-
count of the young woman, says:
Her maiden name was Lizzie E,y.
and she Is the daughter of a prominel.
clergyman Of the Presbyterian Church
and one OF the company Of northerncr"
who many years ago migrated 20 No
souri,. He there founded Marion Col
lege, about which has been subsequent
ly built very prosperous and thr.T-
| ing town. When Miss Lizzie bad al
tained the age Of fifteen She wa sen.
| by her parents 20 n boarding school 20
West Virginia, where she remained
| quitely for about one year. she was
there considered a remarkably iDtel,-
| gent creature, possessing slight and
delicately moulded figure, tut q, TIE
same time superb health, while her
| disposition, tastes and general accom-
| plishments gained for her favor and
admiration. Then she had "a love
affair with young man named Black.
ford eloped with and married him
| As usual in such cases the honey
moon had barley passed when the Two
discovered that they had made mi--
take. Quarrels were frequent, and sUh~
sequently when separation was i'm
minent, Black ford was found one tiEy
! nnrninfv it, htu haA nnll
Leaving at once every association
which this infelicitious marriage had
created for her she fed the South, came
| North, and under the name of Lizzie
Blackford took up her residence in
Philadelphia. Here she made numer-
Gus conquests, and secured handsome
amount of money by compromising a
suit for breech of promise with an un-
wary gentleman whom she had
entrapped. She is alleged to have led
many married and unmarried men
astray, bleeding them handsomely
and on one occasion while walking
with n married man was assaulted by
his wife, who struck her in the face
with a parasol. During all this time
she led very dissipated life, but it did
not seem TO affect her health, and she
constantly seemed in public a sweet,
innocent creature. she suddenly
left Philadelphia and went to New
| York, where II is stated she led a SINH
lar life Of gay adventures. So great
was her fascinating influence and 50
marvellously well did she play her
part that she became engaged 10 IA
young man, aud, report says, married
him, At all events, she dropped ~
this time the name of Lizzie Blackford.
and called her self Mrs. Lizzie Feenix
Her career in the metropolitan city
however, was exceeding brief. The next
heard of her was that she had sailed FOR
Paris in company with q member ~
one of the best known families in New
York. 1t il said that while in Parss
she kept up her constant dissipation
and blackmailing system, though some.
how she moved for long time among
most respectable American families. i;
| is also stated that she eavengeged herself
upon all who offended her and who r.
| fused 10 assist in the fulfillment of any
of her designs. She figured also u
other European capitals, and at last, l.
seems, has made away with Sl7j, ,0r0
worth OF royal diamonds.
After the discovery Of the ROBBERY she
was escorted 10 the French frontier by
Ia couple of gendarmes, and at last ac-
counts was fourshing in Paris, with
headquarters at the Grand Hotel. A
reporter of the Paris SaulOiS, who iu-
terviewed her, says:
She speaks pleasantly of the adven.
| ture and refers TO the Grand Duchess
Constantine az her mother-in-law.
She declares the only jewel distracted
by the Grand Duke was decoration Of
diamonds and emeralds which adorned
the breast of one of those portraits Of
St. Nicholas, which wealthy families
in Russia cover with gems. 1T wa,
taken by an aide-de- camp of his High
ness to the Monte-de-Plete, which
obliged him 10 break it up before lend.
ing 2,760 roubles on it. That occurred
few days before the departure of the
colonel for the Khiva expedition. The
unfortunate officer was thrown into
| prison, and then only were the police
convinced that the frequent robberies
at the marble palace had been COM
mitted by the Grand DuKe Nicholas.
And were you arrested ?n | asked.
Yes and passed week in the palace
of Count TropOff, minister of police. ;"
with the diamonds?n
Oh, no; the Grand Duke had
warned me on the previous evening,
and / had deposited my papers and
jewels at the American legation, where
the police were able to convince them
selves that none of them had belonged
to my mother-in law"
Miss Feenix declared that everything
was restored TO her when she was con
Quoted TO the frontier.
" / was treated quite as Il queen" she
said, land had an escort ~
Indeedr
" Yes, but only a small "ne-two
gendarmes,"
4 ShiId's PiRythinE 1000 Years OId