Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-04-25
COUNT BREAKS THE
MATRIMONIAL RECORD.
Leopold De Melville, Arrested fot
Bigamy, Said to Have Welded
Fifty Women,
SON OF A BELGIAN noBLEMAN

Deserted Wife in Chicago Says He Iss
Genuine Count-Brother of His
Latest Victim Causes His
Arrest In New York.
Chicago, April 25.-In the arrest OF
Count Leopold De Melville, otherwise
known as Leo Fralquini, who is held
by the New York police on a charge of
bigamy sworn to by brother of one of
his Chicago wives, was uncovered yes
terday in this city a romance whose
unfolding reveals the count as the hero
of more than 100 love affairs. He is de-
clared to be the husband of an assert
ment of wives whose number recently
deserted wife in Chicago estimated last
night at not less than fifty or SO"
AS a duelist on many blood-stained
Held of honor in Europe the count be-
came celebrated years ago His duels
We're always fought for love, and the
wounds received in the onsets he
proudly bears on his face and body.
He at last broke altogether with his
father, a nobleman high in the court
and councils of the king of Belgium,
coming later to this country, where his
career since the worlds fair has been
picturesque and full of vicissitudes.
Deserted Wifes Story.
Such was the narrative detailed last
evening at her residence, 1880 Lake
avenue, by Mrs. Hannah Henson De
Melville, who married Count De Mel
vile in this city August 81, 1900, and
lived with him as his Countess until
about three weeks ago. A few days
before April 1 of this year the count
eloped with Miss Elizabeth Hansch-
man, whom, it is alleged, he married
in this state and then took her with
him to New York.
Within a few days of the elopement
Miss Hanschman's brother, Herman
that De Melville had a wife living in
Chicago-Mrs. Hannah Henson De
Melville-with whom he had been liv-
ing until the time of the elopement.
His sister, though kept concealed
closely in New York, was made ac-
quainted with her brothers discover
les. There was a scene between ths
clippers. Miss Hanschmann escaped /,
Chicago, and, going to the residence on
Lake avenue near Forty-fifth street
had a meeting with the deserted count
ess.
Learns Counts Perhdy.
She is one of the prettiest girls in
the world and felt SO sorry for her
said the countess who ranks as No /
in Chicago. I'VE wept together, looked
at his picture and wondered how he
could be such cruel deceiver In a
little While Miss Hanschman declared
she had learned that the count has sew
eral wives living. For some time |
had been suspicious of him, but knew
nothing of his elopement with Miss
Hanschman until she told me of it.
From investigation l set on foot the
| information came to me that the count
| had told some of his close friends that
| he has numerous wives
When placed under arrest in New
| York the count was reported to have
told Detective Burke he had so many
wives that he had not been able to
keep track of even their names and
could form no idea as to their real
number.
| May Have We'd Fifty.
| To have made such an admission the
| Lake avenue countess thinks would
have been unlike the count who is said
to be habitually cautious and taciturn
| III dealing with strangers, but she free
| ly aNowed that in her opinion he has
several wives living and added that she
should not be surprised If the number
| should be found to reach fifty.
| With this latter number to his credit
the count would be found to have
thrown into the shade the records of
| the two most celebrated Chicago biga-
mists, Bates and Farnsworth, since
| Bates was able to muster only five at
his trial and Farnsworth about the
| same number, although Farnsworth
Il IN
| his living wives was forty-two.
| For the first months of their married
| life the countess. Hannah Henson de
| Melville, lived in sumptuous apart
ments at 1925 Michigan avenue with
her husband. AS Miss Hannah L.
Henson she had met the count during
the worlds fair She is the sister OF
| at Grand Rapids, Mich. She had come
to Chicago to visit the fair and was
stopping at the Rehelieu hotel on
| Michigan avenue, her companion being
| Miss Cora M. Heaton a southern heir
ess with fortune of s15,OO0,0OO.
Infatuated With an Heiress.
| At first the count was infatuated
| with the southern belle, but later d.
| verified his affections to Miss Henson.
She returned to her brothers home and
| did not see the count again until last
fall, when she married him. She de-
clared that there is no doubt in her
mind that he is a genuine count; that
he has been all over the world, and
that the cause of his wandering was
the fact that his father in Belgium had
| cast him off.
He is described as tall and good look
ing, 3S years old, with suave manners
and fascinating converse ton in many
languages. His indictment was pro-
cured by Miss Hanschman's brother
1 on the advice of Lieutenant Peter
Joyce of detective Headquarters
Young Hanschman has sworn in affi-
daNits held by Mr.. Joyce that the
count has been guilty of the offense of
bigamy in Cook county. Before the
end of the week the count will be
brought to Chicago to face his ac-
cusers. Detective Walbaum of the
states attorneys office having gone to
New York with copies of the indict-
ment and other documents necessary
Gov, NO, ,1<,, ~, ma.