The morning call., 1892-09-18
4 RUSSIAN PRINCESS.
The Heroine of a Romantic
Lawsuit.
A GREAT FAMILY'S SHANE.
The Frinc.ss Constantine Gortschskof Charged
With Embezzling the Fortune Of Her
Mother.
Special correspondence of THE MORNING CALI.

For long time Parisians have been in
tensely interested in Princess Constantine
Gortschakotf because OF her garden parties
and musical soirees in the palace of the
Rue de Varennes, and now this Partisan
personality attracts attention because of
famous lawsuit between her brother Prince
Gregoire Stourdza, and herself.
Prince Michel Stourdza. Hospodar of
Moldavia, resigned his position in 1848, and
came to Paris, where he occupied tho
Stourdza palace, Rue de Varennes, today
the home of his daughter. In 1852, the
Hospodar returned to Moldavia. aud con-
tested the hospodarship of the country
with his son Gregory. Prince Coma de-
feated both aspirants, and again Prince
Stourdla returned to Paris.
Prince Gregory'S mother was Nine.
Rosati, but a long time after her death
Prince Stourdza had married Princess
Vogordes, and her daughter is the heroine
OF this romantic lawsuit. In 1868 the young
Princess StouIdZa married Prince Constan-
tine GOrtschakoff, second son of the famous
Chancellor of the Russian empire, but as
she was not devoted to her husband, she re-
solved to rid herself of matrimonial bonds
as soon as possible-that is, the Princessin-
tended only to wait for the death of her
dreaded father-in-law before taking ex-
treme measures.
The Chancellor died in 1883 and Princess
GOrtschak0n at once tried to provoke her
husband to sue for divorce. The Prince
showed perfect indifference at his wife's
attempts to scandalZe the name, and in
desperation the Princess herself asked for
a divorce from her unOffending husband.
1t has been enormously stated that Prince
Constantine G0rtschakoff figured as a hero
in numerous European scandals. He has
hoo, III tD1 Id ,tl l. ~
Prince Michael, whose conduct is pro-
nOuneed Infamous, but personally | think
nothing was ever proven against C0ustan-
tine. However. his wife petitioned the
Holy Syn0ds of Bucharest and st. Peters
burg for divorce. Her petitions were re-
fused because she could bring no grave
charge against Prince Constantine.
1t is said that the synod on the Bosphorus
accepted bribes ana that the Patriarch of
Constantinople pronounced divorce that
IS recognized as legal neither in Russia nor
Roumania.
Princess Gortschakof's father died in
Paris May s. 1884, and as the Stourdza for
tune is known 10 be enormous, great was
the surprise when at the death of Princess
Michel only 30,000.000 francs could be found.
Prince Gregory. Roumanian Senator and
general, did not live in Paris, and arrived
only for the funeral of his father. When
told of his modest inheritance he exclaimed
that he had been robbed, because the for
tune of his father amounted TO at least a
hundred millions, and sued before the
criminal court.
At the anniversary of Prince Michers
death all the family except Prince Gregory
were IN Baden Baden. Princess Michel
there owned a palace and intended to pre-
side over tue celebration Of the anniversary
service, but the night before she died sud-
denly. The dead Princess had worn, day
and night, leather belt containing Jewels
and papers representing a million dollars.
Prince Greg0ire St0uIdZa accused his sister
OF appr0DrIatlng the belt with It's contents.
Two Sisters of Mercy, who had cared for
Princess StourdZa in her last illness, gave
evidence that the belt was in its place at the
time of her death; that during the night
which followed her death Princess Gort-
schakoff was alone with the dead Princess,
and that when she was placed in her coffin
the Sisters noticed that the belt had dsap-
peared.
More than this, Prince Gregory attempted
to prove that when Princess StcurdZa's
death agony began her daughter sent
maid, Mary AnniSser. to PoTduier, an
artistic locksmith living in Paris. This
locksmith, it is said, had designed the four
steel safes in which the aged Princess
StOurdza had placed the yaluables which
she had been unable to conceal in her
leathern belt.
Prince Gregory affirmed that this lock-
smith sent a confidential workman named
Cornu 10 Baden-Baden, that be arrived the
evening before the neral; and that the
same night the locks of these four safes
were picked and all the treasures seized by
Princess Gortschakoff. The authorities
went to the palace in order to make the
customary inventory. and they found that
SI3000000 had disappeared )eayiHg no
trace behind.
Immediately Prince Gregoire began pro-
ceeding5 against his sister and made every
effort TO gain possession OF his share of the
mothers fortune.
Several times was he nonsuited in Paris,
but never did lie lose courage. Once the
Princess was condemned to pay her brother
$4,000 and 5000 as expenses for the law
suit. 1t is said that the maid who came to
Paris for the locksmith received a portion
OF the jewels belonging to the dead Prin-
cess, but that when Princess Gortschakoff
heard she had been called as witness by
Prince Gregoire she caused her arrest at
Frankfort for having stolen the diamonds.
The maids position was a difficult one,
because the diamonds were found in her
possession. + or nearly one year this servant
was imprisoned, and then her innocence
was proven and she was restored to liberty.
In Germany IL was supposed that the evil
dence of this maid would alone have con-
yicted the Princess. but the latteT's lawyer,
Nj. MeneSSon, completely outwitted the
counselors of Prince Gregoire Stourdza, for
then the existence of the belt and the more
famous millions could not be proven.
Neither brother nor sister seemed at all
wearied with such succession of lawsuits,
and Princess Gortschakoff appealed and
tried TO have the judgment announced set
aside.
Prince Gregoire was not contented to
plead in France, but carried his suit to Rou-
mania. At first he lost his case in Bu-
charest, but he appealed. a few days since
he won the suit, and all the millions of
Princess Gortschakoff will pass into the
Golfers of her brother.
II is sad to see such a name as GortschakGff
dragged through the courts and apparently
covered with shame. A few years ago no
name in Europe was more respected. Prince
Alexander for fifty years possessed great
power at home and abroad and was known
as the Vice-Emperor of all the Russas.
Prince Michael commanded at SebastopOl
and there crowned his name with glory.
The decadence began with the Chan
cellor's son, Michael, and with him great
was the fall in official and public eonsidera-
tion.
But it is strange that through all these
lawsuits Princess G0rtschakoff has been in
the Parisian social world ''Serene High
ness" and one of the hostesses most sought
after by the aristocracy of Europe.
BARONESS ALTHEA SALVADOR.
Paris Santpmbpr