The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-28
LOVE IN THE ORIENT.

Beautiful American Woman Beheaded
Because of Japanese Jealousy.
NEW YORK, Oct 27.-Truth publishes the fol-
lowing;
IA wonderful and startling story comes to us
from Japan via Paris One of the most beauti-
fui women America has ever produced has been
beheaded there through special edict of the
Mikado secured through the prayers Of
his Prime Minister. The woman was
the Countess Pourtales, formerly Mrs. John
Beecher OF New York. The decapitation was
caused through the Japanese Prime Minister'S
love, jealousy and revenge The story of the
Countess Pourtales as follows: After the
war there came an aristoeratic mother and her
beautiful daughter to New York from Georgia
The mother and daughter brought letters to
many New Workers, among whom were Turlow
Weed, Hugh j. Hastings, Thomas Murphy,
Henry C1ews and others The daugher so
Savishingly beautiful that she made a sensation
wherever she went She had many suitors. The
suiter most favored was the wealthy John
Beeeher and many New Workers remember
their happy marriage
During Mrs Beeehers early married life no
professional beauty received so much attention
as she Accomplished, graceful vivacious and
with color more transcendantly beauti-
full than the loveiest rose, the young
wife was always the center of an ad-
miring group. Her toilet in the park and
at jerome clubhouse was always tie envy of
every lady who it Every New Yorker re-
Mrs Beecher; how she shot at him as he passed
up his sisters steps on Fifth avenue, and how
after her husband separated from her, she fled
to Europe in pursuit of Mr.. Phoenix. The
newspapers were full of it at the time In
Paris Mrs. Beecher, supported by her
divorced husbands money, generously given her
began life of luxurious pleasure She drove
the handsomeSt turnout on the Bots, gave the
most sumptuous dinners, and WAS the sensation
of the gay metropolis. One of her first suitors
was Count Pourtales, formerly connected with
the French legation at Washington, whose hrst
wife was the beautiful daughter of Ben Holt
day.
Mrs. Beecher and the Count were soon mar
ried Her transcendent beauty was the craze of
Paris, and while the Countess was the talk of
the city she sailed with her husband for Japan.
where the Count joined the French legation. In
Japan. as the wife of an atJache of tho legation
the Countess PouRties was introduced to the
highest personages in diplomatic circles. For o
time she led the court circles, but soon she tired
of her husband as she had tired of Mr. Beecher,
and began flirting with French officer.
The Count now claimed that they were not
legally married and sailed for France, abandon
ing the countess in Japan. The next steamer
brought the countess to Paris, where she com
menced a most prohigate life. About three
months after her advent in Paris she met a
French colonel, who fell in love with her They
were not married, but he returned to Japan with
her Arriving as man and wife she again met
her old friends in diplomatic circles. Her pro
pensity TO flrt again manifested itself, and her
third husband so-cAlled abandoned her He
said the prime Minister of Japan had been too
intimate with his wife
This was no doubt true. for rs soon as the col
Onel was gone the countess became the mistress
Of the Prime Minister, one of the wealthiest and
most influential men in Japan. Here the Count