New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07
TOPICS IN PARIS.
THE UNHAPPY DE LESSEPS FAMILY.

vrprAxors HUSBAND AND HIS DEBTs-A STORY
or THE B1RoNs-A GREAT ART SALE.
Paris. June a.
roto seems unkind indeed to the De Lesseps
family Barely a week has elapsed since the
napers announced the sale by public auction OF
tho chateau de la Chesnaye. which has been
tbe,r home ever since the second marriage OF the
.cr.nd Francois" and where all his children
excent his sons Charles and Victor have spen:
the davs of their childhood. And now, before the
widowed Countess has had tine to recover from
The grief which must necessarily be caused By
the breakup of so many old and happy asso-
cations there comes the ncws OF the divorce Of
ber daughter. Fernando from the young Comte
Ferdinand de Gontaut-Biron. or all the De
Lessons children, Fernando was and still Is un-
doubtedly the most attractive was her Iatners
favorite. and as such accompanied MIN on MS
last trip but one to the United States participate
ing although q mere child. In nearly all the en-.
tertainments that we're organized IN MS honor.
At the time Of her marriage no one save the In
itiated was aware OF the true cohoiuoh Oh 'he
Panama enterprise. EVERYBODY Imagined that It
was destined to prove the same kihd OF goid
mine az the Suez Canal. and was convinced mat
the De Iessepses were simply rolling In wealth. IN
imnresson confirmed by their reckless expendit-
ure and extravagant mode OF life.
II was imbued with this conviction that the
Connie de Gonteut Biron placed his coronet ana
r.rro a. the feet Of the captivating brunette who
now bears his name. Although only twenty
three wears old. he was over head and ears In
doh, and looked to his wlfes parents TO extricate
him from his embarrassments. BEFORE a rev
months had elapsed he made the disagreeable
a,scoverv that the De Lesseps exchequer was by
M means in the condition In which he had
IMAGINED II to be. and that not only was his
father.,n-Iaw unable to pay his debts. but that
y. vaa NOT even In a position to fulfil the condi-
ton. NJ the marriage contract as regards dowry
and allowances. He was led to believe, however.
that this condition Of affairs was merely tenn
rorary. and on the strength OF these ASSURANCES
no nlunged headlong into heavier debt. adopting
all kinds OF insane devices to raise money
A sPENDTHRIFT HUSBAND.
Aroony other things. he gave promissory notes
% tho time Of 1000 francs receiving In return
only Q ono francs in cash and partnership IN
,oous smoke combustion and patent chimney
.o,nanv this partnership being merely devised
~, tho n,onev-lenders TO protect them from crim-
nal nros ,cution az usurers. The loan oroKers'
Who had no idea OF the embarrassments OF the De
Iessepses and Of the Panama Canal enterprise
were firmly convinced that neither the "ra"u
,,oo,.u MR. Tho Contaut- Biron family, one OF
~. mos, ,l,ustr,ous in France would ever per.
,.,,, tho vounr mans name to be dishonored by
allowing his notes 10 go to protest. In th'S '"e'
-. r,,s,aran and were !ll-advised enough to
,o NOT nc norey-lenders, but as partners Or
course the whole transaction was reveaieo' inc
| plalntfrs merely saving themselves py tah'hs "
flight while steps were being taken 10 suo'eS'
,,a Young Count 10 conseil judicare when the
Panama crash diverted the thoughts OF Ills 'e'a7
tives into a different channel.
Since then matters have been going from oad
% worse and the young couple have been Lead
ing n most precarous existence. the snor'hess vi
money naturally leading TO shortness OF temper
80, % uutuol denominations. These seem
er,uv n have reached such a stage thar rer-
nanae who IS high-sprited. passionate young
yoman resembling in these respects her rather
| and mother could stand IT no longer. ana hnoihs
that az II was useless 70 dream OF eA'f'oa'"s
her husband from his difficulties ana ina. n s.e
remained with him the little money whio" enc
| III ro.o,ve as her share OF the paternai estate
| 10 wh,ch the Chateau OF La Chesnaye peloneeu'
| ou,a ha o,,cky swallowed up. she DECIDED "
| cover bonds that were no longer cohgeh'a' anu
will probably. like so many others OF the young
women here who have tired OF their husoa"us'
resume her maiden narie
THE CONTACT-BIRON FAhlLi'
Va, the name OF Gontaut Biron is one OF the
most celebrated In French history. the FANNY
dating hack 10 the twelfth century. fer-
hans tho most interesting bearer OF this name
10 tho Comtesse de Gontaut-Bron. niece VI
tho Marshal Due de Biron. OF the early days
OF the Restoration. who has been IN rece'p' '''
| more than eighty years OF a pension oi s'0' PC
| annum from the British Government. IL "AS
granted under the following remarkable ereu"'
s,arcos 7, seems that when war broke out be-
tween France and England at the close OF '"'
las, century the celebrated English Admiral
Lord Rodney. was imprisoned ior oeo' III "',
CITY The Due de Bron according to the of'c'aI
record OF the act feeling sentiment OF "s"'
Indignation that any member Of the French Ma
ton should seem TO take advantage OF 'ne az
sence Of one Of the adversarys greatest ana
most valiant commanders In consequence VI w.
unfortunate circumstances In which he mao
,,oc.d himself" came forward voluntarily ana
maid off Lord Rodneys creditors. thereby seeu''
,,, HE liberation and enabling him to leave
France Returning to London, the Ad'rl'a' wa" was
annointea Commandar-.n- Chief OF the bri"s"
naval forces in the Atlantic. and II was ""''e
acting as such that he won the victory ""'N'
made his name so famous and which forced 'H'
French TO sue for peace SO enraged were NV
Parisians at the Due de Biron's generous az
that he narrowly escaped being put 10 oS"'"'
and was ultimately driven into exile ose'".'
with his family, his estates being coh"s1a''N'
The British Government did not show i'se'i W.
grateful for his act OF chivalrous generosis' ~.
II conferred pensions not only upon him. ou' as'
upon his infant nieces. one of whom t"e ''''
above described, almost a centenarian' SURVIVES
to this day.
THE SPLITTER ART SALE
Transatlantic dollars have played very III.
portant part in the sale of the great splitter ar
collection which has just been brought to CLOSE
/ the most important sale of its kind durins '"e
9 nresent century Among the largest purchaser