Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-05-13
AN AMERICAN ADVENTURES.

a caDle dlSpatcn announces Inc Qeatn at
Nice of the celebrated adventures who was
sometime known as Fanny Lear and some.
times as Hattie Blackford Her real name
was Lizzie Ely, and she is said to have been
the daughter ofa Presbyterian clergyman,
and to have been born in Philadelphia about
1S47. A handsome and attractive woman in
early life, she soon went wrong. Some time af-
ter this episode, while visiting schoolmate at
Parkersburg, w. Va, she captured dissi-
pated young man by the name of Blackford,
and married him. Blackford died after q
short welded life of disagreement and jeal.
ousy. The adventures then entered upon
a systematic course of blackmail, and among
others nearly ruined celebrated lawyer by
sendiug a letter to his wife. The police
were put on her trail and she wss driven
from Philadelphia, her many dupes uniting
to export her sumptuously. In Paris she
became poor and dissipated, and lived with
her child under revolving conditions. Au-
daci,y and despair, pressed her ahead of her
class, and she finally appeared in St. Peters.
burg as the most extraordinary adventures
ever seen there.
Il was in the winter Of 1871 that she met
u..e night at ball the Grand Duke Nicho-
Ia ConS,mntinowich, Il cousin OF the present
Car AT that time she was woman of
extraordinary beauty. She had dark hair
il. 2,t&t protusion, and an imperial sort OF
irr,head broad, open, and white as ivory.
Her dark eyes flashed under her long lashes
and were all aglow with wit and kindness.
The nose was firm, yet Of that delicate aqui-
line which denotes resolution and courage.
The mouth was full and soft, the upper lip
small aud formed like bow. Her teeth
were as pearls and her complexion dazzling
ly fair Little feet, small hands and taper
fingers, figure such as fairy might envy
such is the description of the American
beauty who on that night stole the heart of
the Grand Duke Nicholas. She did not
stop there, but stole also the diamonds of
the weak young mans mother. The Grand
Duke was big, heavy. stupid young man,
fierce and brutal. The course of the true
love of the "G. D." as she delighted to call
him, with Mrs. Blackford did not run uni
formly smooth. When under the influence
of rage or wine mo beggar in his drink"
could he more foul in his language than his
Imperial Highness, nor did be conhne his
unmanliness to speech, for he frequently
beat Mrs. Backford, ant. one night, in fit
OF jealousy, he hlackened her eyes and
bruised her from head to heel.
The theft of the diamonds was finally dis.
covered, and the adventures was escorted
across the frontier. She then returned to
Paris, where for q couple Of years her vic.
toria, with Russian horses, was one of the
sights. In an evil moment, while at the
high tide of her dubious prosperity, she was
tempted to write book, and in the autumn
of 1875 she delighted the Partisan world by
a volume entitled lie Roman dune Ameri-
caine en- Russie.' The text of the romance
was, of course, her liaison with the Russian
Graud Duke, who figured in its pages as
the &c. D." Her book was suppressed by
the police, all copies on sale were seized ,
and she was ordered to quit Paris. But the
sensation was continued by the sale of her
effects. Some of the things were very hand.
some Her drawing-ro room furniture was
covered with black satin. relieved with
puffings of pink; her dining room chairs
were in crimson morocco, stamped on the
back with her monogram in gold. One OF
the objects that attracted the most atten-
ton was a book case in fine marguerite,
containing a number OF elegantly bound vol
umes. The busts aud portraits of the royal
family of Russia were included in the sale,
as was also the furniture of the celebrated
"weeping chamber" all hung with black
velvet sprinkled with silver, tears A large
portion of her wardrobe was also disposed
of including splendid Chinese embroidered
opera cloak.
Mrs. Blackford, on here expulsion from
Paris, betook herself to Italy, where her
charms soon entangled the young Count
Mirafior, the left handed son Of Victor
Emmanuel. But this time the fair Ameri'
can reckoned without her host, or rather
without her hostess, for the Count, who
was, of course, married man, was inform
ed by his mother that if he did not at once
return to his home and his wife he should
| be forthwith ordered off on military duty
while the police were charged with the task
of showing hs charmer out of his Majesty
dominions. However, the Italian authori
ties paid all the lady's hotel bills and SEM
her of in good style. Driven from Italy
Mrs. Blackford yearned to return to Paris
and was permitted to do so on condition o
her giving up to the French authorities al
the letters, portraits, heirlooms, etc., tha
were presented to her by the Grand Duke
Nicholas. All these curiosities we're for
warded to their rightful owners, the adVen
turess settled down to comparatively quie
life in the gay capital, and was soon los
sight of by the world at large.
| Geo. F. Butler, nephew of BENZ. F., diet
in Washington on Tuesday night. He wa