The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-06
BEHIND TIE SCENES.
European High Life and the Foibles O
Iitled People.

European High Life and the Foibles of
Titled People.
Marquise de Fontenoy in New York Recorder.
King Humbert of Italy, whose recent
mysterious trip to Milan has given rise to
much speculation throughout Europe, UNI
dertook the journey solely for the purpose
of attending the death-bed of his illigitimate
son Alphonse, to whom his fair friend the
celebrated Duchess of Lltta gave birth
just a year prior to the Kings
marriage with Queen Marguerite. In
deed the duchess had hoped that her preseu-
tation of a son to her royal lover. coupled
with her own marvellous attractions, would
prove sufficient to break off the projected
match between HumberU and Princess
Marguerite, but her expectations were
disappointed. Humbert, however, con-
tinued his intimacy with her after
his marriage, and at length his wife, Prin-
cess now queen Marguerite, was forced, in
sheer self defense, to appeal to King Victor
Emmanuel, declaring that either she or the
duchess must leave Italy. The duchess ac-
cordingly, was ordered to travel abroad
and it was not until three years ago that
she returned to Italy and took up her resi-
dence at Milan and at Rome.
The duchess record is an extraordinary
one, and her name figures in a sinister man
ner in several Of the darkest pages of mod
ern history. Her intimacy with Napoleon
III. was of the most audacious nature. and
was the cause of Empress Eugenie's
sudden and hurried visit to Scotland
in 1868. On one occasion she was
expelled from France owing to an attempt
having been made by some Italian emissa-
ries of Manzini to assassinate Napoleon
while he was honoring her suburban villa
at PaSsy with midnight visit. 1t was
only with much trouble that the empe-
ror's equerry. Gen Fleury, succeeded in
preserving his master from injury.
A few months later, however, she had man
aged to persuade the sovereign thai
she was innocent of all completely IN the at
tempt on his life, and was in consequences
permitted to resume her residence at Paris
and also her visits at the count of the
Tulleries. The Empress Eugene neverthe-
less got her revenge, for on being appointed
regent after the departure of the emperor
for the seat of war in 1870 she signalized her
accession to executive power by clappipg
the MlIanese duchess into dungeon at ths
Castle or Nlncoanes on the charge OF being
In the pay Of Prince Bismarck as a spy. The
duchess was kept imprisoned there for six
weeks, and did not secure her liberation
until the fail of the empire and the proclama-
ton of the republic.
Princess Constantine Gortchakoff, the
daughter-in-law of the famous chancellor of
the Russian Empire was pronounced guilty
last week by the Paris tribunals of having
robbed the corpse of her mother of a vast
amount Of jewels and valuable securities.
thereby defrauding her brother
Prince Gregory Stourdza, the
sum of over $1,000 900, due to
him under his mothers will The issue of
the trial has created a sensation throughout
Europe, and in particular at Paris, where
Princess Constantine has figured for several
years past as one Of the most brilliant but
dlssolute monddlnes, AMI where she has
rendered herself celebrated BY the magnif~
cence Of her entertaIuue
Seldom has a more cold-blooded con-
spiracy been revealed in the Paris law
courts than that Of " hich the princess has
just been declared guilty. condemnation
whico, by the bye, will deprive her Of q
goOdly portion Of her ill-gotten wealth.