St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-03
FATE OF A FLIRT.
afrs. John Beeeher. Once F7irtGti0us Belle
of Nelr York. Put to Death
New York Letter.

of Nrlr York. Pat 20 Death
New York Letter.
News has reached New York that's woman
whose escapades have at different times
startled and shocked the good people Of three
continents has at last met with a dreadful
fate in Japan. This woman was known to
New Workers sixteen or seventeen years ago
as Mrs. John Beecher, afterwards as the
Countess Pourtales; later, to the Parisians,
as lady Of fashion, and finally, to the i'm
perial circles of Yokohoma, as the favorite of
the japanese Prime Minister. She was a
daughter of respectable Georgia family and
was brought to this city, blooming girl. BY
her mother, just after the close of the war.
Apparently the family had saved some mean
from the wreck, caused by the war, for the
mother and daughter were able to live in good
style at the Astor House, After awhile they
moved to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and there
the daughter met Mr.. John Beecher, at that
time a wealthy member of a well known
wholesale liquor firm, who lived at the hotel.
1t was not long before she became Mrs.
Beecher and the young couple left the hotel
10 occupy a luxurious home. Mrs. Beecher,
soon after her marriage, manifested most
flirtatious and hayward disposition, which
finally so compromised her reputation that
Mr. Beecher was forced TO seek a divorce.
This, in course Of time, he procured, and
shortly afterward the community was startled
by the announcement that Mrs. Beecher had
shot Lloyd Phoenix as he was ascending the
steps of his sisters Fifth avenue residence.
She subsequently
WENT To PARIS,
where she had not sojourned long before she
became the Countess Pourtales. 1t was sails
she met the Count on the steamship in which
she sailed from New York The Count had
been attached to the French legation at
Washington and had married daughter of
Ben Halliday, but had been for sometime a
widower. The first countess died on a rail-
road train while nearing Chicago, whittier
she was journeying. After their marriage
in Paris, Count Pourtales returned to his
post in Washington and carried his bride
with him, but the fame Of the Countess es-
eapades having preceded her, the couple
were not wellreceived. and the Count, at
his own request, was speedily recalled. From
Paris they went to Japan, and there the
Countess conduct was, in essential respects
similar to Whist it had been as Mrs Boeeher
in New York, and the Coun finally
ABANDONED HER IN DISGUST.
Eventually she openly became the mistress
Of the Japanese Prime Munster, and in
course of time, attempted to play as free
with him as she had done with her husbands.
But among the other barbarous customs of
that country is one that Furnishes infdelity
with death, whether the offender be wife or
mistress. AS the story comes from those
distant shores, one night two masked men
entered the wretched woman's house, seized
and bowstrung her, then put her body into a
sack and flung it into the river. The infor-
nation is undoubtedly true, and 1t has been
known for some time to a number Of per-
sons in this city, but has not heretofore
gained publication.