The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-28
He LOVED ABslNTHe TOO WELL.
The Partisan Romance That Vas UnfoIded in
New York Police Court.
From the New York Herald.

| From the New York Herald.
| 1t is not often that such a striking ro-
nance Is unfolded in a police court as
that which was revealed to Magistrate
Hedges in Harlem yesterday morning.
The romance involves the loves of
Louise Constance Serret, daughter of a
former colonel in the French army, and
of Louis Claude Sebellotte and of Eu-
gene lie Pien, who were once dashing
officers in the military service of the
same nation.
The responsibility for the story being
set forth at this time rests upon alb
sinthe. For the love that Sebellotte
bore to his wife was not stronger than
the fascination which the powerful drink
had for him. If this had not been the
case Sebellotte, who is more than six
feet and two inches in height and has
soldierly appearance, would not have
been in the police court upon the charge
of having beaten his wife, Louise.
Sebellotte and Louise first met in the
southern part of France nearly twenty
five years ago. 1t was when Sebellotte
was surgeon in the army. He was
dashing and hayward. Louise fell in
love with him, but her father opposed
marriage because of Sebellotte's wild
ness. The young persons became en-
gagged. When Col Serret learned of
this he took his daughter to Paris so
that she would forget her sweetheart
Sebellotte was dismissed from the
French service about the same time.
Louise recovered sufficiently from the
shock of separation to receive the at
tentions of Eugene LIE Pien, who was an
officer in the French army at that time.
Col. Serret did not oppose their union.
So Eugene and Louise were married
more than twenty years ago. Shortly
after the wedding they came to New
York to seek a fortune in the new world
They did not ask for assistance from
their parents, and in the struggle for
a livelihood the young wife was a teach
er of French at the Home of Our Lady
of the Rosary. in State street.
LIE Pien was subquently informed that
his mother had died in France and had
left him a fortune. He went to that
country and when he returned to his
wife. who had remained here, he brought
with him Leonis Lazard, who was Is
years old and a daughter of the com
mssary of police at Brussels, Belgium.
1t was discovered that LIE Pien had
abducted the girl. He fed to Paris,
where he was arrested and convicted un-
der the Franco Belglque treaty. He was
sentenced to twenty years imprisonment
in France. At the end of that term he
was to be taken to the Island of New
Caledonia for the rest of his life.
When Nine. La Pien heard of her hus-
bands conviction she was told that by
the law of France she was divorced ana
could wed again. She went to st. Au-
gustine, in Canada, where she met Louis
Sebellotte at a social gathering. The old
love returned. They were married.
Nine. Sebellotte received a comfortable
sum of money upon the death of her
father Her husbands love for absinthe
had swept away nearly all of her little
fortune, when the couple came to this
city. The wife opened dyeing estab-
nshment Sebellotte's absinthe drinking
made him abusive to his wife. He
slept for two years, according to Nine.
s. bellotte, with a revolver under his
pillow and a club at the head of the
bed He would threaten his wife some
times, and then would kiss her.
Nine. Sebelotte finally could endure
that kind of life no longer, and she had a
warrant issued for her husbands arrest.
In the Harlem court Sebellotte declared
that his wife was anxious to leave him
and go to New Caledonia. and see her
former husband, LIE Pf;n who was to
be taken to the island soon. Magistrate
Hedges said he felt sorry for Sebellotte,
who undoubtedly loved his wife. He
changed the complaint of wife beating to
disorderly conduct. Sebellotte was held
under 81 900 bonds to keep the pe ace.