The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
BANKERS HER VICTIMS
A FRENCH PEASANT GIRLS METEOR
nc CAREER IN GAY PARIS.
Poor Farmers Daughter Demoa-
by Trickery and Beauty.
New York Ferald.

New York Ferald.
An almost inconceivable story of woman's
duplicity and mans credulty comes from
Paris, story that in a novel would seem
absurd from it's very improbability. But
this is no fiction. The heroine, Marie ia
quillart is one of the most remarkable adj
venturesses that ever came within reach of
the law and. after long career of almost
continual fraud. as related in the accom-
panying article, is at last safe behind
prison bars. Although originally an ignor-
ant country girl. she managed to assume
the airs of a duchess. styling herself Com
Jesse de Chaleon, and as such successfully
imposing some of the shrewdest men in
Paris Had Hogarth lived in our time he
might have found III the extraordinary
woman Inspiration for another 'Rake's
Progress" A female rake this, whose path
is strewn with wrecked homes and dis
graced names and who, perhaps. has not
yet exhausted her ability for wrongdoing.
Her recent trial was one of the most sensa-
tional ever held in Paris
The Paris courts have just sent to prison
for four years a woman who may certainly
claim the distinction of being one of the
cleverest and most remarkable adventure
esses of this century-one of those crea-
lures whose exploits in real life surpass
the widest inventions of the writers of fic-
ton. This is Marie Jaquillart, alias the
Countess de Chaleon, alias the Countess de
Now, alias the Countess de Loisy, who ever
since she was a child has led life of de-
ception and fraud, and brought misery and
shame on all with whom she has come in
contact, and yet who is possessed of such
potent personal magnetism and has de-
meanor of such righteousness and respect
ability that, even after having undergone
terms of imprisonment for her early Of
lenses, she has never, on emerging from
5ail been at loss to find new victims.
Marie Jaquillart was born in France, in
1861 among the rich pasture lands of the
Department of the Yonne. and her parents
were poor farmer folk One day While she
was working listlessIy in the fields inward
~ bewailing the lot that bound her to such
drudgery, the private tutor of the neighbor-
ing chateau CHANGED to pass. Struck with
the girls beauty he stopped and addressed
a few compliments to her, remarking the
deep flush of qualification that greeted his
words. The following day the tutor again
passed that way and this went on until
their acquaintance grew into intimacy.
MARIE LEAVES HOME.
Finding his opportunity for seduction so
favorable, the tutor did not fail to profit by
it, and finally induced Marie TO leave home.
He took her to the chateau where he intro
duced her as a governess who would make
an admirable instructor for his employers
little daughters. Having perfect confidence
in the tutor. the family engaged Marie on
his recommendation, and she succeeded for
several months in keeping from her en-
ployers that she herself knew even less than
the children she was supposed to teach.
The novelty of this new situation soon wore
off, however, and Marie once more began
to turn her thoughts toward Paris. Hav-
ing saved a certain sum from her salary,
her employers or her lover, she left the
chateau and took the train to the capital.
This had been but the prologue in her
career of adventure. The comedy began on
her arrival in Paris. The first step after
having seen all the metropolis had to show
and becoming familiar with what was to
her entirely new world was to seek
some man whom she could make her prey.
She finally decided that COmmandant de
Chaeon, in garrison at Marseilles and tenn
porarily visiting Paris on business and
stopping at the same hotel as herself, was
the man. One evening the cOmmandant wds
sitting on the balcony of the hotel enjoying
cigar after dinner when an unusual spec
tacle attracted his attention to the balcony
adjoining hls. A very pretty young girl,
dressed in deep mourning and with beauti-
full Titan hair streaming over her Shout
derss was weeping distractedly Her Sobs
shook the balcony and her tears fell into
the gutter. The commandant, impression
able. like all soldiers. assured his neighbor
of his sympathy and asked what he could
do.
II am Mile. de Novi,' said the weeping
S1ri, and have Just lost my rather. Not
only has this terrible misfortune fallen on
me, but fear / must become the ward of
brutal uncle whom | hate. My life is
wrecked. My future IS homeless"
Then she added: But what can you think
of me. telling you. perfect stranger, all
these family matters?"
NJ. De ChaleOn told her his name. and then
advised her to go to her uncle, adding that
man would be worse than a brute to be
unkind to a girl who could cry so prettily
and had such beautiful hair. This said, M.
De Chaleon withdrew, and the next day re-
turned hnny to M Ne, He had hardly got
banished his Paris adventure from his
memory, when he received the following
telegram from the disconsolate orphan: Il
want your advice. / need your friendship
and experience. cannot live with that
man. I'm coming"
PURSUIT OF THE COMMANDANT
She arrived in due time and was so sue
cessful in giving the true note to- her accents
of grief and presented such a perfect picture
of hopelessness and abandonment that this
time the worthy commandant offered to
console her himself. He made her share his
home, and not only allowed her to bear his
name, but recognized the three children
born to them.
That was the end of his peace of mind
Nine De Chaleon was only Mime. Chaleon
for the tradespeople, whom she began to
swiHdle right and left. So fragrant were her
actions that the military authorities called
had been blind TO his mistresss behavior.
The commandant made inquiries, found out
the numerous receptions Marie had prac-
ticed on him and Immediately broke off all
relations with her. Feeling keenly his dis
grace. he also requested the War Office to
place him on the retired list.
That was in 1885. Marie had been running
up accounts with the MarSeilles tradespeo-
pie under the name of Countess De Chaleon,
a title which, she declared in court later,
her lover said she might take She was ar
rested for swindling in 1882 and spent three
years in the Montpelier prison. On leaving
Jail Marie returned to Paris and made up
her mind to become an actress. The sue
cess of her intrigue with M. DE Chaleon
gave her much self-confidence that she
proceeded TO write the following letter TO NJ.
Nictorien Sardou, the famous playwright:
Mon cher maitre, / ask you TO be 40 kind
as to see me. You will. perhaps, be able to
save me and convert me into a clever
actress. | have played so many comedies
in the world that / do NOT despair of doing
even better on the stage. In any case, mon
cher maitre receive and judge me. Be
lieve IN the respectful devotion of your adj
mirer.
(Signed) "COMTESSE DE CHALEON."
The playwright, however, refused to see
his correspondent, so Marie changed her
tactics and turned her attention to the
world of finance. In 1885 she presented her
self at the establishment of Barons Robert
and Eugene Oppenheim, the well-known
Partisan bankers, on the charitable pretext
of asking assistance for one of her friends