Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-10-28

But SHn q Very Readable
Story.
THE COUNTESS PouRrAIes
Beheaded in Japan by Order Of the
Mikado Because Of Jealousy on
the Part Of Her Husband.
A LIFE OF RoMAHcE.

NEw York, October PA wonderful
and startling story comes from Japan via
Paris. One Of the most beautiful women
America has ever produced has beea be-
headed there, through special edict Of the
Miksdo, secured through the praye, Of his
Prime Minister. The woman was the
Countess Pour.ales, nee 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 Was
as foliowss After the war there cane @
aristocratic mother and her most beautiful
daughter to New York from Georgia. The
mother and daughter brought letters 10
many New Workers, among whom were
1hurlow Weed, Hugh J. Hastings, Thomas
Murphy Henry Clews and others. The
daughter was so ravishingly beautiful that
she made a sensation wherever she went.
She had many suitors. The suitor most
favored was the Wealthy John Beecher. and
many New Workers remember their happy
marriage.
The Young wife.
During Mrs. Beechers carly married Life
no professional beauty received so much At.
ten,ion as she. Accomplished, graceful
,ivacious and with color more transcen.
dently beautiful than the loveliest rose, the
Young wife was always the center Of an I'd
miring group, lie toilette in the Park aud
at the Jerome Club House was always the
envy of every lady who saw it.
Every New Yorker remembers Mr.. Lloyd
Phunx's Irritation with Mrs. Beecher--
how she shot at him as he passed up his sii'
ter's steps on Fifth avenue, and how. aRcr
her husband parted from her, she fed 10
Europe in pursui, Of Mr.. PhGnix. The
newspapers were full Of il q, the time. 10
Paris, Mrs. Beecher, supported By her di.
vorced husbands money, generously given
her. began life Of luxurious pleasure. She
drove the handsomcst turnout on the Bois.
gave the most sumptuous dinners and wa
the sensation Of the gay metropolis. One
Of her first suitors was Count Pourtales,
formerly connected with the French lie.
CATION at Washington, whose first wife
was the beautiful daughter Of Ben Holiday.
Again Married.
Mrs. Beecher and the Court we're soos
married. Her transcendeni beauty was the
craze of Paris, and while the Countess was
the talk of The city she sailed with her hus.
band for Japan, where the Count Joined
the French legation. In Japan, ~ the
wife Of an attache Of the legation, the
Countess Pourtales was introduced 10 the
highest personages in diplomatic circles.
For time she lead court circles, but soon
she tired of her husband, a. she had tired OF
Mr. Beecher and began flirting with .
French officer
The Third Tins.
The Count now claimed that they were
not legally married and sailed Tor France.
abandoning the. Countess IN Japan. The
next steamer brought the Countess 10 Paris,
where she commenced most proaigats
life. About three months after her advent
in Paris she met a French colonel. WIN tell
in love with her. They were not married.
hut he returned TO Japan with her. Ariv.
ing as man and wife she again met hee
old friends in diplomatic circles. Her
propensity TO firt again manifested itself
and her third husband, 20 called, abaudoued
her. He said the Prime Minister Of Japaa
had been too intimate with his wife. This
wss no doubt true, for n soon m the Colonel
nsd gone the Countess became the mistress
4 hc Prime Minister, one OF the weal,hiss
rrd most influential men in Japan Here
he Countess had every luxury bot liberty.
The Prime Minister was 10 jealous OF her
lla, he world not le, her talk with any gsn.
r!emnn
Such a lie did not suit the Countess. 40
one day she ran away aud became the ma'
tess of another japanese oAcinl.
The affair 90 esssperated the Prime
Minister that he wen, 10 the Miksdo and
prevailed upon him to issue an especial
aiic, condemning the Countess TO be de-
capi,ated. Her fourth husband, socalled.
VAS imprisoned. Tbs news has nov cone
10 New York that the edict was carried out
and the mos, beautiful Georgia refugee Who
dazzled New York. and the lovely Countess
who bewildered Paris, was actually decapi.
ta,ed. In Japan, mobiles Of high rank con.
rider il heinous oHense for woman Who
has smiled upon them 10 ever sf:erwsrd
smile upon another. This strange custom
cost Countess Pourtales her life.