Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-06-19
The Beautiful American
TEMPER.

The arrest of the young Grand Duke
Nicholas, of Russia, for stealing his moth
er's diamonds, at the Marble Palace in st.
Petersburg, and bestowing them upon
'sLizzie Feenix,'' a beautiful American
adventures, has been heretofore discussed
and commented on in various ways by the
press. A Philadelphia correspondent of
the New York HERALD in giving All
account of the young woman, says:
Her maiden name was Lizzie Ely, and
she is the daughter of prominent clergy
man of the Presbyterian Church, and one
of the company ofsnorthernersN who many.
years ago migrated to Missouri. He there
founded Marion College, about which has
been subsequently built a very p. osperols
and thriving town. When Miss. Lizzu
had at aimed the age OF fifteen she was
sent by her parents to a bOai ding school
in West Virginia, where she reillaillet
quietly for about one year. She Was There
considered a remarkably intelligent ere.
ture,-. possessing IL S ig.it and ttrlicattl
moulded figure, but at Lie slime Time SUI
erb health, while her disposition. tast,
and general accQnlpis nlelltS gained 70.
her favor and admiration. Then she had
love affair with a young mail named Black
AS usual in such cases the honeymoon
had barely passed when the two discovered
that they had made a mistake. Quarrels
were frequent, and subsequently wheir
separation was imminent, Blackford was
found one fine morning in his bed cold and
I, dead. Leaving at once every association
which this imfelicitous marriage had Great
ted for her she fled the South, came North,
and under the name of Lizzie Blackford
took up her residence in Philadelphia.
| Here she made numerous conuuestS. and
secured handsome amount IF money by
compromising a suit for breach of promise
with an unwary gentleman whom she had
entrapped. She is alleged to have led
many married and unmarried men astray,
bleeding them handsomely, and on one oc-
casiOn while walking with married man
was assaulted by his wife, who struck her
I in the face with 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 sweet, inno-
cent creature. She suddenly left Philadel-
phla and went to New York, where it is
stated she led a Similar life of gay adven-
| lures. So great was her fascinating influ-
ence and so marvellously we'll did she play
her part that she became engaged to a
young man, and, report says, married him.
At all events, she dropped at this time the
name Of Lizzie Blackford, and called her
self Mrs. Lizzie Feenix. Her career in
the metropolitan city, however, was ex-
ceedingly brief. The next heard of her
was that she had sailed for Paris in com
pany with a member of one of the best
known families in New York. It is said
that while i'll Paris she kept up her con-
slant dissipation and blackmailing system.
though somehow she moved for long time
among most respectable American fami-
lies. 1t is also stated that she avenged
herself upon all who offended her and who
refused to assist in the fulfilment of anv of
her designs. She figured also in other Eu-
ropean capitals, and at last it seems. has
made away with $175,000 worth of royal
! diamonds.
After the discovery of the robbery she
was escorted to the French frontier by a
| couple OF gendarmes, and at last accounts
was fourishing in Paris, with headquar-
| tors at the Grand Hotel. A reporter of
the Paris Gaulois, who interviewed her,
says:
She speaks pleasantly of the adventure,
and refers to the Grand Duchess COnstan-
tine as her mother-in-law.
| She declares that the only Jewels alb
stracted by the Grand Duke was decora-
| ton OF diamonds and emeraldS which
adorned the breast of one of those por-
traits of st. Nicholas, which wealthy fam
lilies in Russia cover with gems. it was
taken by an aid-de-camp of his Highness
| to the Monte-de- Plete, which obliged him
to break it up before lending 2,70O 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 robbie
ries at the marble palace had been commit
ted by the Grand Duke Nicholas.
H'And were you arrested ?' Iasked.
| Yes, and passed a week inthe palace
of Count TropoH. minister of police''
tsWith the diamonds ?"
ssOh, no; the Grand Duke had warned
| me on the previous evening, and had de-
| posted my papers and jewels at the Amer
lean legation, where the police were able
| to convince themselves that none of them
| had belonged to my mother-in-law.'
Miss Feenix declared that everything was
restored to her when she was conducted to
the frontier.
II was treated quite as a queen" she
said, and had an escort"
"Indeed!"
g"Yes, but only a small one-two gend-
| armes."