The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-02
TITLED "BEATS."

and Do Not Pay for Them.
PARIS. Aug. Public curiosity has been
aroused to an unusual degree by the libel suits
instituted by Nine Allouard-Jouan and II.
Stubenranch against NJ. Worth, which were set
for hearing day in the police court. AS the
plaintiffs will appear only by counsel, CORE
spondent has interviewed all parties to the suits
stimulated by a desire to place all the facts
before the public. He first called at Worth's
great house in the Rue de Ia Paix, and met NJ.
Worth, jr.
1.-THE hearts of good many fair Americans
who get their dresses in Paris" said the CORE
spondent, shave been futtered by The recent
disclosures about those circulars of yours"
'No doubt" replied NJ. Worth, land your
paper is largely the cause of their excitement.
To any other should decline to say anything
In the first place it is mere Matchmaking affair
In the next though the name of Worth has been
made so prominent, it does not specially concern
either my father myself. We do not even
know the persons prosecuting. | merely act as
the mouthpiece Of twenty one members repre-
senting a syndicate of $50 or 200 dress makers.
think it only fair that stress should be laid on
these facts, as we have been much damaged by
the very personal articles published about US
lately. Now to the circular. could name
the person who communicated it to the press,
but have no absolute proof and prefer to re-
frain. 1t was a dress maker, however; and it
was communicated out of spite. The circulars
were confidential. In London and New York
merchants long ago formed mutual protection
agencies"
Correspondent-What sums do Paris dress
makers lose by bad debts ane fraud every year!
Worth-Well, they do about $50, 900, 600 francs
worth of business yearly, and within the last
ten years have lost probably from 1000 900 francs
to 10, 600, 900 francs per anntm. sometimes find
myself couple of hundred thousand francs the
loser in twelve months We are often accused
of being thieves and robbers vet there Is not
single dressmaker in Paris who makes over 10
per cent. net profit on his capital People talk
much nonsense about u.s. however. You hear of
dresses that cost ST., 500 or 0O0 I venture to
say that not four dressmakers in the city ever
made any at such prices Naturally, put lace
| dresses out of the question. If you come to
lace. have dresses up stairs worth $25,000 but
you might as we'll speak Of jewels as lace Just
before the Princess de Saean's ball we had sew
cal million francs worth of jewels in the house.
orrespondent-Do the lists denouncing your
shaky customers contain names Of princesses,
duchesses, countesses, as stated!
Mr.. Worth-Some of each yes but 1 doubt
whether there are quite as many as an
nounced.
"Did you lose much by your American Gus.
tomers9"
mo; and we are very DESTROYS to keep them"
I'm what way are you most often swndedW
80, in all sorts of ways Here is an example:
lady, let us say, with high sounding title,
belonging to Croatian family, calls, or orders
her dresses and pays something on account.
few days after she bolts off to Croatin.
We sue her in Vienna. That costs us 1000
francs or so. We get Judgment in our favor,
and on trying to enforce it find that the woman
long before her visit to Paris had been placed
under control of a conseil judicaire so that she
could not contract legal debts. Here's another
case: A Princess, known to every body in Paris
society, is introduced to u.s. The Princess So
wife of an American millionaire who pays her
own bills honorably. We bow. The Princess
has the dresses. She refuses to pay and
putting execution into her house we find that
her furniture all belongs to her upholsterer.
What do you say to that? And please mark, the
Princess in question is of such celebrity that
society grovels before her. l could give other
instances, but these will do"
Your correspondent next unearthed M. Stu
benranch journalist, better known as Arnaud
He claims one hundred thousand francs dam
ages Nine. Allouard only asks one hundred
and twenty thousand francs.
Can you tell me anything about the case?"
said the correspondent
"You have read what the papers say" replied
NJ. Stubenranch. 81 could not let myself be de-
famed Ny name printed at the top of the
list among the swindlers Surely one may pay
his bills irregularly without being a rogue The
names which followed mine would amaze you.
Actresses of Paris are down, the greatest of all
among them. Numbers of Americans, Rus
sian princess, the wife of an exMinister, the
wife of an eminent architect, and many others
are also denounced OF course | don't expect to
get one hundred thousand francs damages. That's
all CANNON But trust that Mr.. Worth will
be condemned to pay nominal sum- | prose-
cute to defend principle"