The morning news., 1891-01-28
Welded AND DESERTED.
THE RICH FRENCHMAN AND HIS
UNFORTUNATE WIFE.

ton Man, Struck Her and Otherwise
Abused Her-He Claims That She
Was a Woman Of Bad Reputation.
A story nearly three columns long in the
Richmond VA) Times Of Wednesday gives
what is called romance in real life"
about q beautiful French girl, who was won
in Paris, welded in London, and deserted
in Richmond. all before she was 20 years old.
Leon d. Gensste, a lawyer of this city, is
said to have figured conspicuously in the
affair. While the Uife's story is a heart
rendnR tale Of mistreatment, the family's
side Of the story. as told by the lawyer,
takes out most Of the romance and gives
the tale the rancid flavor Of a bad French
novel.
The unhappy woman told her story In an
| interview that filed nearly two columns of
Times. Her father, she said, was a soldier,
and her family an eminently respectable
one. By chance Paul CassIgnenl, minor son
| Of M. z. Cassigneul, owner Of lie Petit Jour
nal Of Paris, one Of the most valuable news
| paper properties in the world, and grand
SON and heir, by his mother, of M. Fl. Mari
noni, principal owner of lie Figaro, and a
wealthy iron manufacturer beside. met and
| fell in love with herself, Marie G. Saucre,
| the heroine of the romance. NJ. Paups
| parents, the Times interview relates, OBJ
/ jected to the young Frenchman's fondness
for the girl, who was not yet, she said,
| 20 years old. But the Young man
was persistent, and finally the girl con-
sented TO elops with him to London, he TAX
ing with him the unexpended portion of
| his liberal allowance, and she (her parents
approving Of the step taxing her dowry of
$4,000. They went to London and were
married by Catholic priest. and at once
IaA for hte trry f.f
complaisance on the part of the young
mans parents that was expected, the young
| couple found them absolutely unforgiving
and unproductive.
When the newly married pair reached
| New York, a Virginia land agent from
Richmond sold them farm in Coochland,
on the James river, some forty miles out
from Richmond.
This was in September of 1899. The two
lived We y happily until their scant store Of
money, sadly depleted by the purchase of a
picturesque but unremunerative farm, gave
out. The young mans family refused TO
give him money, but his grandfather,
M. Marinoni, sent him 81, 200 at one time
$500 at another. This was soon spent, and
finally, over year ago, the young French
man, having been accustomed all his life to
have about all the money he wanted. be-
came dissatisfied with poverty. He told his
wife be wanted to leave her and 60 back
nome, DuG 6Qe WOuIQ not near TO IT,
Meanwhile, her story goes, representa-
tive Frenchman at Washington, !" who owed
the Cassigneul family $50 900, had been di
rected by his creditors to employ some one
so secure a separation. Lawyer Leon d.
Geneste was the man employed He met
M. Paul and wife by appointment in Rich
mond, at Ford's hotel. Here. she says, Law
yer Geneste tried to force her to sign some
papers, and when she refused struck her in
the presence of her husband, VINO did not
interfere. The lawyer abused her till she
threatened to cry out and alarm the hotel.
when he gave up trying TO force her
to sign the divorce papers aud told
her to remain at the hotel while he
and her husband drove around in a car
riage. She refused to be separated from
her husband, and went with them in the
carriage. The lawyer told her that d.
CassigIieul M. Paurs father, was very i'll
and wanted to see his son. But she refused
to be separated from her husband. The
three drove up Broad street in the carriage
till Fifth street was reached and then Law
yer Geneste and NJ. Paul jumped out and i,
leaving thepoor girl in the carriage, offered
the colored driver $50 to drive away
with her. But she was too quick and
jumped out on the pavement with them.
This, she said, made them angry and they
abused her fearfully and struck her in the
street. A policeman came up to arrest the
two men, but. to avoid a scandal, she says
she told The officer a falseh )od and he went
away. They all got back into the carriage
after this, and finally, she says, her hus-
band opened the door and escaped while
Lawyer Geneste held her hands and kept
her in the carriage. NJ. Paul, she says, ran
to the depot near by, and took the train for
this city. The lawyer detained her in the
carriage till her husband had made good his
escape and then left her.
She went to the real estate agent through
whom the farm In Goochiand had been
bought, and he and his wife cared for her,
the latter being very kind to her. The sor-
rowing woman had been left without a
cent, and with only the Goochland farm tc
depend on. This was all last April She
said that her faithless husband decided the
farm to Lawyer Genests, though iU hal
been bought with her own dowry, and that
now he has brought suit TO take that from
her. She will, however, defend her in
terests in court
Lawyer Geneste last night told the fam
ily's side Of the story, which is radically
different from that of the woman 1t is in
effect as follows: M. Cassigneul pere wrote
to him that his son Paul was disgracing the
family by living shameless life with a
woman near Richmond. He wanted Law
yer Geneste to arrange for his sons return
, home. Tee son had expressed willingness
to come back, but the father would not send
his son the money necessary to pay his
debts and return home for fear that the
woman's influence over him would thwart
the plan. So he sent the necessary money
to Lawyer Geneste, and wanted him to ship
, the young man home like SO much bag
, gage.
, Mr.. Geneste met the pair in Richmond.
: The young woman, he says, was not averse
} to parting with NJ. Paul, and was solicitous
/ only in regard to a settlement upon herself
Their conference was held in the public
parlor of the hotel, and there were neither
blows nor abuse. The woman never inti-
mated to him that she was married to "
Paul. He did not learn of the marriage at
that time and the woman was reported by
him as III. Pauls mistress. 1t was arranged
that NJ. Paul should leave that night to re-
! turn to France and give up the woman, the
lawyer to settle all bills and arrange for the
woman's return to France a few days later.
They drove about town for some time, pay
ing bills It was arranged that NJ. Paul should
deed the farm TO Geneste.
, Finally, NJ. Paul was left at hotel to
wait for Mr.. Geneste while he arranged for
the woman's return to the farm. She did
not want to go back alone, and SO Mr..
) Genesis got Mr.. Parsons of Richmond to
} accompany her home, and arranged that
Mrs. ?. rsons should remain with her at tho
, farm till Mr.. Geneste could get his clients
pvoll lafa ad Sxxox tSNE O.