New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-26
TOPICS IN PARIS.
A YEAR OF SENSATIONS.
AN EPISODE OF "REMINISCENCES OF
THE EMPIRE
Paris. January 10.


In sensations in the century. Although barely
a fortnight has elapsed eince the Jour de An
two events have occurred which monopoze pub
lie interest here, namely, the disclosures Oh the
gigantic conspiracy to blackmai the unfortunate
little Max Lebaudy, the rlulti-millionaire VINO
died a week ago as simple soldier In military
hospital at Ameie-es- Bains. and the declaration
by the tribunals that the well-known Baroness
Double who for so many years mas "rl''en
under the name Of "Etincele," has no legal right
to the name by which she has hitherto pee'
known in society. 1t is the latter OF these TWO az
fairs that is Of particular interest to American
readers. although the Lebaudy scandal mas al
ready led to the arrest of large NUMBER Vi peo-
pie prominent in society, in politics. In the "o'
eminent service, the turf, In Journalism anu
finance several of the alleged blackmailers bear
ing high-sounding and even illustrous names
and titles The reason why the Baroness Doubles
case is of such particular importance Is because
1t establishes the fact that the French courts
win not recognize the validity or any divorce
obtained by the wife Of FrencEman from ioi-
eiyn courts of law That Is to say. any Amer
lean girl who weds Frenchman. becomes DIS
satisfied with her lot. and. failing to gain re-
lease at the hands Of the French tribunals en-
deavors to obtain 1t from those of the United
the legal wife of her Gallo husband and subject
to the penalties or Digainy III the c'en' Vi '
marrying again.
E,varvbodv here Is sorry for "Etincelle. she
hepan life rs a daughter Of the we-known artist
Riard and. on growing up. became the wlfe OF
yicomte de Peyronney. He turned out to be
spendthrift, and, after squanderng his own for
tune and that Of his wife, emigrated to lndla'
where he obtained some minor Government post
AT Pondcherry. His wife, being thrown on her
own resources took to writing and quickly oo-
tanned a reputation as a "chroriqueuse vi tic
"Gaulois" the Figaro" and other leading ran
sian papers her income from her pen amount
ing TO the enormous sum-for Frahce-oi Si0'-
600 per annum. In 1850 she became acquai"'eu
with old Baron Double the famous coHector
and bibliophile. and 1t was not long peiore i'''
SON Baron Lucien, became infatuated by hei
Wit and her charm. At his fathers urgent eli
,,v cbe took steps to free herself from her
crst husband and as at that time, divorce did
no, exist In France she followed the example
., tba Duchesse de Beauffremont. when the lat
fer left the Duke in order to marry Prince
Ceoree Blbesco: that Is, she secured letters Vi
generalization from the little German prihci-
,otitv of Saxe-Altenburg, and then obtained
divorce from it's courts. This was erected win
out much difficulty, as there WIS lhe' A" 7' -
international agency here which uhder'ooA' !"
return for a consideration. TO obtain from ''e
courts of petty German States divorce DEGREES
without the petitioner or the respondent ve
or,,,,rg the banks Of the Seine A marriage in
London to Baron Lucien Double follo"eu 'i''
divorce and soon the salon Of the Baroness
Double became one of the most sought ai'ei'
mon and women conspicuous in Partisan society
bai
a place where they could mingIe WITH o'ie "a"
other on a common ground
THE BARONESS DISINHERITED.
In an evil moment the Baroness engaged as
Communion a young girl. Mile. Bouscatee. ana
Il was only too late that she discovered 'ha'
the stranger whom she had so njudicousiy IN
,roducsd into her home had robbed her or the
affection Of her husband. and not only OF her
husband but also that OF her mother-in-law the
old and now widowed Baroness Double baron
Iucien at the instgation of this girl, mad IN
stli1ted legal proceedings 10 secure the ahnu-
rnent OF hts London marriage, Wneh ne uicr'
bequeathing his entire fortune 10 Silie' ~ ~,
,elle and not Ccntime to 'Etlncele Inc ia'
Tor M once appealed To the courts 10 upset
the will and 10 obtain That snare III her hu'
bands large fortune 10 which, as ms Wluo"' sn
would have been entitled by Frerch law Her
claim was contested by the principal iegatee' as
well as by the old lady whom until then sne
had regarded as her mother-in-law' anu .,le
courts have now decided against her, on the
pround that neither the act OF NATURALIZATION
nor the divorce which she secured from 'he
courts Of Saxe-Altenburg could De regaraeu az !,
valid since they were obviously obtained with
the EXPRESS purpose OF evading the terms or the
French statutes then in force and because 100
II was also impossible. according TO french
Inv for the wife OF French cltZen either
10 possess or 10 secure any other nationality
than his own. The consequence or all TINS IS
that poor "Etncelle whose case eXc'.es ~ UNI Va
fpfi
of a fortune which she had until recently Oeeh
accustomed to regard as her own. but Is even
conn lied 70 bear the stigma OF having salieu
under false coors as the wife or baron Lucien
Double While IL Is certain that the decision
will not In any way affect her position, either
with the press. In literary circles or WIN the
brilliant men who have thronged her salon. yet
there is no doubt that many houses hitherto
open To her Will no longer be so, ana that the
innumerable women VINO have smarted Dehealh
the mordant satire of her pen VIII now Try 10
get even with her by securing her social ostra-
cisrn This decision of the French courts VIII
affect n large number Of French famllies VINO
have until now never dreamed OF entertaining
any doubt as to the validity OF divorces OBJ
tanned In Germany. 1t must be borne In mind
that divorce Is relatively new feature IN
French law, and that until II was enacted a
few years ago French people who found that
they had made mistake In their selection or
a matrimonial partner were wont, II rich
enough, to appeal TO the German couSts lor
release.
It will doubtless be news to many people that
General Bourbaki. who played 50 prominent a
part In the FrancO-German war. Is still alive SO
completely had this gallant soldier been forgot
ten that when the newspapers here published
yesterday dispatches from Bayonne to the effect
that he was dying, universal expression OF
surprise heard at his being still In the land
Of the living. or Greek origin he fought his way
up in the French Army to the post OF General OF
Division and aide-dc-camp Of the Emperor. But
II was especially during the war Of 1870 that he
played n role which was not only romantic. but
to this day remains clouded in mystery. During
the siege of Metz there appeared in the French
lines man giving the name of Edmond Regnier.
who. bearing credentials photograph with
the autograph Of the little Prince Imperial de-
clared himself 10 be a messenger from Empress
Eugene 10 Marshal Bazaine. He added that the
Empress most anxious II confer with one
OF BaZaine's generals with regard to the re-
establishment of the Empire. and that Prince