The Jersey City news., 1902-05-10

Fouquet. his minister of finance, and
of the Duke of Praslin and his duchess.
whom he foully murdered.
The superstitious who dwell near
vaux- Praslin. which is near Paris. and
even those less credulous, declare that
the apparitions of Louis Quatorze, Of
his tliieying minister. of the murderous
Praslin and his unhappy wife and vic
tim often revisit the ancient chateau
and the walks of the gardens that sur
round it.
Certain is it that the violent deaths of
three of these personages must be for
ever associated with the old chateau.
Well may the restless spirit Of Nico-
las Fouquet seek the chateau where
will reside this young bride. who, by
the bye. has many fashionable relatives
in America. Foaquet, viscount of Me
lun and Of yaux. became Louis XIF.s
minister of finance in 1858. Fouquet,
a financier OF genius, had rendered in
dnbitable service to the state, had even
engaged his private fortune to pay the
expenses of the court and Of the army;
but. being raised to his high place. this
fnancier confounded his own purse
with the public Golfers. into which he
plunged his greedy hands.
He rebuilt his chateau of Vaux. and
it cost him 100000 francs, certainly
equal TO 100000. in our day. To lay
out park he razed three villages. In
the park were so many fountains, cas-
cades, lakes and statues that the eye
was confounded."
To this more than imperial house
Fouquet invited Louis Quatorze. The
supper be spread before the king cost
10000 francs. The table groaned un-
der the service of solid gold as well as
the weight of delicacies, for which the
globe had been ransaeked. OF the bril-
liancy Of the fete La Fontaine wrote.
Heaven was jealous"
The king was jealous. too: then sus-
picious Soon. led by Colbert. Louis
decided on great financial REFORM"
Fouquet was arrested. thrown into the
Bastille. and his papers were seized.
Among them were many letters from
ladies of the court thanking Fouquet-
this one for gift of 100000 francs,
that one for house. third for $4,000
francs The Duke Of Brancas had re-
ceiyed from Fouquet present of G00,-
COO francs, the Duke of Richclieu 200,-
600 francs. the Marquis Of Crequi 1e0,-
600. The king himself had far less
money to spend
Fouquet was tried and found guilty
Of what would now be possibly called
"misapproprlation Of funds" Nine Of
his judges sentenced him to death,
thirteen to bapisbment. The king was
furious.
"If lie had been sentenced to death.
would have let lin dier' Louis cried
Pretending to exercise his right of par
don. the lsing aggravated the courts
sentence by committing" it to impris-
onment for life. From his ocean OF
riches FouGuet was hurried to the cita-
del of Pigncrol. All his vast estates
were confscated but as al act Of royal
mercy his family was permitted to live
near him After sixteen years of such
Imprisonment Fouauet, died in 1850.
The years rolled on. NaUx's glory de-
clined. Most OF its lands were sold In
1860 the huge lead pipes that bad fed
its lakes. cascades and fountains were
sold and fetched themselves the vast
sum of 100000 francs. About that year
the estate much diminished but still
splendid. passed into the possession of
the dukes OF ChoiseuI- Praslin. In 1924
Carl Laura Hugo Theohald. duke of
Praslin. married Fanaie, the lovely
daughter of General Scbastiani. a mar
shal of France. She was scarcely sev-
enteen years of age. Her husband was
bat three years her senior. All the old
est of the arIstocracy tlironged TO their
wedding and showered snlerdld gifts.
They seeGiod TO Ire fer each other
for seventccn years. until 1871 Then
the duchess engaged as goveraess for
ncr tareo cI1cst daughters ...sic. 20
lEzy. In her choice OF goyeraess the
duchess proved Ter confidence in Ecs
husband. for Nile. Dciazy was beauti-
full, accomplished and five years youn
ger than herself The soyerncss r.
ceived the handsome salary OF 1000
francs a year aud all her living exs
penses.
After months. years under their rool
the duchess at last perceived that the
! soyerness lad captiyased the duke. The