The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
ANECDOTES OF DR.. EVANS
FAMOUS PARIS CORRESPONDENTS
MEMORIES OF THE LATE DENTIST.
He Almost Quarreled with the EN-
perOr Napoleon for Declaring War
In IS7O-A COuntess's Prudence.
Mrs. Crawford, in Labouchere's Truth.


| shrewdness and the American passion and
ability for money making. When l first
knew him I did not believe a tenth of what
he said about his high international in
| huence 1t seemed to me the suggestions of
| vanity, for he was subject to this weakness.
But he made no empty boast. The august,
princely, grand ducal and other highneSSes
received and spoke to him exactly as he
said. He gave them benevolent advice,
which they were glad to have. Decorations
all the years knew him kept raining down
on him. His Importance as a secret diplo-
mat ceased with the fall of the empire He
remained a favorite of the different poten-
| tates to whom he used to take messages
| from Napoleon III. The Empress Augusta
| was faithful to him to the end
DR.. Evans was more than friend of
| the late Emperor Frederick and his wife.
But he was annoyed at the confidence they
placed in Sir Moren Mackenzie, about
| whose treatment he had strong views.
EvansS opinion greatly influenced the opin-
ion of the old Emperor and Empress, of
Bismarck and of the Berlin physicians
about the throat doctor from London
Evans was originally a Quaker The the
atrical and society tastes of Sir MOrell
Mackenzie was repugnant to him. His feel
ing about them made him scrutnize keenly
the man and his treatment. But the crown
princess had a strong bias and followed it,
Dr. Evans was given Impressions of all the
photos taken of Frederick during his illness.
The later ones, which were signed by him
were inexpressively sad. The signature was
bold, free, characteristic and written slant
lngly in gold INK across the lower part of
the image. Above it. were a few friendly
words. In the photos taken at San Reno
martyrdom was stamped on the face The
crown prince then. could not speak. de
generally wrote on slate. DR.. Evans asked
him to write on black cards or tablets the
size of slate when he had occasion to
communicate with him. ''Why?" asked the
prince. Il want to have them as precious
relic for my wife" The request was com
piled with. DIR. Evans, while speaking quite
candidly of his human weakness, called him
lump of goodness.
DIPLOMATIC MAN
'"The doctor had the prudence of the
| courtier. He only talked about his kings
and queens to old and tried friends This
curious character was on small pattern.
He had no big defects; nor had he any shin
ing virtues. But he had many estimabIe
qualities, good for everyday use. He was
a safe man, take him what way you might;
was hard working man, though so opu-
lent, and was always unaffected The QUA
ker education stood him in good stead in
keeping his head level and his manners
civil ana ObnSlng. He almost quarreled
with the Emperor for declaring war in 1870
In 1857 or 1868 | heard him make disparag-
ing remarks of the Princess Metternich in
her hearing and in that of the Empress.
Count Won Goltz was also within earshot.
he Sldled up to DIR. Evans and Quietly tOoh
his hand, squeezed it and passed on |
asked the doctor what the princess had
done to cause his displeasure. He said that
she and the Archduke Albert and Comte
Serrurler were trying to draw France into
a war with Truss a. And what if they sue
ceed?'' l asked. They will ruin France, and
| n &c in ovfc
rurier, Ire then proceeded to say, was
first empire. He and the Princess Meter
Mich had got up a ''societe de Secours aux
blesses" and had drawn the Empress into
it, The object was to familiarize the
French with the idea of war. Such being
EVans'S sentiments, it was highly honor
able to have stood by the Empress as he did
days.
Evans wrote no souvenirs, and was in
capable of any literary. effort He told me
so the last time l saw him. He had how
ever, mania for employing cheap writer's
to do authorship for which he was credited
or the contrary. l remember a wordy vul-
gar. tedious lucubration that came out many
years ago in his name; but as there was
nothing in it beyond the above features
It dealt with his ambulance work in 1866 or
1870. He could not be called stingy, for he
lived well and handsomely. But lie was
near. He ran newspaper on the most
economic lines. but he never Ventured to
give it a word of news about his august and
prlncely clients.
COURT INTRIGUE.
The doctor was q most attentive husband
and was his wife's devoted nurse in her last
illness. This did not prevent him being the
victim of a curious court intrigue. It's OBJ
ject was to rid the empress of a rival-a
beautiful Florentine-by persuading Evans
she was in love with him. AS she was deep
ly in debt, she lent herself to the plan. She
went to have her teeth attended to with a
coronet on her head, and her hair like Lady
Godiva, forming a glorious mantle. The
robe was statuesque and legerement at
tachee. Evans himself informed me of her
debts, and that he had paid them, and
cured quiet for her by installing her in a
villa at PaSSy. But the interesting Informal
ton was SO given that might infer benevo-
lence merely or chiVarOuS feeling. He had
often benevolent impulse but it chilled gen.
erously before there time to fill check
The villa was not far from where he lived.
Mrs. Evans found out who was the tenant.
and why. She thought herself aggrieved,
and was not a Griselids. The Emperor
dropped the lady; the doctor was alluded to
in the pulpit by outspoken American
preacher. American opinion went against
MIN, and the lady was sent back to Flor
ence with twins, called Napoleon and Napo-
1ana Their names put a stop to all ill
natured talk. The payment of the debts was
set down to courterlike feeling. / never be-
ileYed anything else
DR.. Evans had no documents of any his
tOrlcaI value. The autographs he could show
merely established on what footing he
stood He constantly took messages from
the courts of the Tuileries to those of ST
Petersburg, Berlin and The Hague. He
was with the late Queen of the Neither
lands as against her husband and Madame
Musard The late Queen sometimes visited
and lunched sans ceremonie at his house.
where | saw her not long before her death,
very dropsical and wearing her everlasting
crimson dress. She gave DIR. and Mrs. Evans
in the tifties a cabinet portrait of herself
in oils 1t represented her with clustering
ringets and a round but mind-lighted and
most pleasing face. A letter kept in a small
case behind the portrait gracefully
turned and delcately complimentary 1t
was in English. and signed Sophie" The
Queen understood what use DR.. Evans could
be in various negotiations then pending.
The sale of Luxembourg was one. She also
wanted to help him in counterpart against
a proposed match between the Prince of
Orange and the Princess Anna Murat But
not a word of all this was ever set down
in writing. Often, imagine. Dr. Evans
did not know the purport of messages he
always verbal, and so were the answers.
DR.. Evans left endless wealth. but l am
at a loss to think who comes into it. He
had two brothers. One was the father of
his neDhews, Louis and John, who
helped him in his dental business Louis
died ages ago. John displeased his uncle
in marrying. though he married a respect
able American young lady. He displeased
him more by assuming, under a papal
was bitter quarrel The uncle used his
influence in trying-but vainly-to get the
nephew expelled from France. He went to
law to prevent him selling a certain tooth