The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-21


ment of artillery Himself most cana
Die ana patriotic soldier, he soon discov-
ered mat the officers in charge of the
arsehals and military stores located ct
dtoyes We're recklessiy spending the pub
lie funds and in every way defrauding the
government. Although the Marshal Mar
Huis de SAINT Aubin, his Superior, one OF
the peers of The kingdom and a near rele-
tive of the minister of war was at the
mead OF this corrupt CLIQUE Count Belle
garde, in his evaporation, reported the
state OF affairs to the Duke d'Alguillon,
forwarding at the same time documentary
PROOF OF his assertions to the war DEPART
ment. This. created big sensation even
az the corrupt court of the prohigate
hihg; All Paris was in an uDroar The
marshafs protest against Reilegarde's ac-
cuSation was accompanied by his request
ing an investigation. This was ordered
by a royal edct. and before long IL he
came apparent that the counts charges
were only too well founded. Neither the
Kings mistress nor the withdrawing
committee of the war department seem
ed to be any longer abole to protect their
faVorlteS at Troyes, when, all of a sud
den, conspiracy of the officials accused
by Count Bellegarde stepped forth with
the latter.
Upon the ground of forged documents
they charged the Count with having for
three years been furn shing military So
crets to the court of Austria, thus bertay-
ing his King and country A courtmart.aI
was Immediately ordered against the I'M
fortunate HlOIaIlSl, VINO was condemned to
infamous degradation and 20 years prison.
Several of MS JUDGES, it must be admitted
dlsSented from the sentence imposed uDon
the Count, but the latter was hurried TO
the gaol. despite his protestatlons and a
petition to the King. Only his wife, con-
WINGED of her husbands innocence did
never cease to ask for audiences with the
King and his ministers. But all her eff
forts We're in vain against the intrigues
of the Dubarry and the Counts powerful
enemies. who succeeded in having the in
Vestigati ton into their own conduct sup
pressed. In the year before the death of
Louis XIV a cousin of Bellegarde published
a document in which he plainly charged
the Marshal Saint -Aubin with having him.
self ordered the forgeries upon which the
Count was convicted, and paid for them.
Saint-Aubin did not respond 10 this but
public opinion demanded a new investiga-
ton, and Nlaiesherbes, the later minister
of Louis XVI, publicly declared that a re-
vision of the case of Bellegarde was neces-
sary. Sill, the war department opposed
such procedure and protested that the
judgment of the courtmarGaf was sacred
and inviolable After the Kings DEATH
Nine Bellogarde published additional APP
peals to the nation, and finally prevailed
herself in the cause Of her imprisoned hus-
band.
The Queen interviewed personally with
Count Morny, the new minister of war.
but the latter declared that, upon his own
examination of the courtmartials proceed
ings he could only assert that the for
and deserved TO be shot" This the Coun-
tess answered by a number of additional
writings, by which she eventually won
the public opinion for herself and her I'M
fortunate husband, and caused the sue
cessor of Count Morny to order a revision,
under the condition that all public pole
mics pro and contra should cease. The
Kings privy council thereupon referred
the case to a committee of the Parliament
of Paris. This body annulled the SEN
tence of the first courtmartial and APP
pointed another one. This second court
martial, on Feb 10, 177S, solemnly ac-
quilted Count Bellegarde and adjudged
him worthy not only of being reinstated
to the command of his regiment but also
of being decorated with the cross Of Louis
the Saint. Thus. after seven years inn
prisonment, the Count was set free.
few months later the noble woman
died happy ia the thought of having at
last succeeded in restoring her husband to
honor and liberty. The anxiety over his
fate had exhausted her