Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-19
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
SnecIal Correspondonce.

BefHh, Dec, G--Gelman society has
not yet recovered from the series OF
sensations with which II was provided
by the extraordinary trial OF which
the end has just been cabled regarding
the parentage OF the sevcn-ycar-old
count of Kwlecld, a llfe-lr,e little
sketch of whom accompanies this ar
ticle. The case occupied the atlon-
ton of the high court FOR twenty.one
days, and now that II Is ove.. one
realizes how many strange crcumstan-
ces marked this attempt of one branch
OF an aristocratic Polish family to con-
Wet another OF monstrous fraud.
The Count aud Countess of Eyieck.
were accused by their hnsman, Count
Hector kwilocki, OK having attempted
TO deprive him Of his inheritance by
palming on as their own SON the child
OF an illiteate peasant woman. Thor,
seems no doubt that the Jury was usli-
ned IN pronouncing the countess and
her husband Innocent, which makes an
the more amazing the mystery with
Whlch the titled woman saw 1T to sur
round the birth of her son-amost
every detail of which invited suspicion.
The fact, too, that the countess was
hfty-one when she presented her hus-
band with the heir who was needed 10
save the succession was not calculated
to allay the suspicion against her. And
me surprising details revealed to the
lhshlohable audience which packed the
courtroom daily as to the cat-and dog
relations Of this titled couple. the high
position held by many Of the chief Wit
nesses and the revelations 81 perjury
which the case brought forth. all COM
bine to make II one of the most sensa-
tiona ON record in this country.
IL may be remembered mat tne Count
ana Countess make their home ON their
estate of Vroblevo. In Prussan Poland
the Count Is siXty-four and his wife
hfty-seven, Up TO 1896, they had had
three daughters, but no son TO save
Nroblevo from passing into the hands
OF Cont Hector KwilecKl, who was
next In line. These girls by the way.
were born respectively when the Coun-
tess was nineteen, twenty-seven and
,hirty-three. Seven years ago, how
ever, II began to be rumored about the
kwileck estate that perhaps the long
desired heir might make his appear
ance pretty soon. Fashionable women
who had seen the Countess confirmed
this report And not long after, her
ladyship left for Berlin, where 1t was
understood the interesting event would
take place, Why the Countess did not
has been able to explain sat
isfactorily. Nor why, instead OF
finding some capable woman to
help her from her own nelghboThood
she engaged midwife from far away
Warsaw, who, with the countess two
maids accompanied her to the German
capital. 4 point that also made the
case against the countess look black
was the fact that the noblewoman did
not allow her family physician 70 know
OF the birth of her son until after II
was over. and then, when he came ON
to Berlin, declined to be examined BY
him. However, the physician stated
that the countess always had been reti-
cent in this respect, Not long after,
back to NrobleYo came this woman Of
bl, apparently quite recovered, ana with
her she brought a bright looking and
healthy baby, who promptly was toast
ed far and wide as the new count Of
Kwilecki
That branch Of the noble family to
which Count Hector Is the head con-
cluded that the child was spurious and
said so in public time and again, until
at last the count and countess grew eN-
asperated and proceeded against their
relatives for libel. The case came to
trial in the local courts, which declared
that Count Hector's statements were
baseless.
The course Count Hector pursued
thereafter furnishes curious little
study In human malevoence. For, ever
since his allegations against the Coun-
thess of Kwilecki were quashed her
knsman has spent time and money IN
the attempt to build up such a case
against her as would convince all the
world that she was guilty. The elab-
crate chain of false evidence produced
against the titled woman must have
been forged, link by link, at the behpst
of her opponents. Last January, Count
Hector thought his case sufficiently
strong to lay before the public prescott
tor, and evidently that official believed
the evidence conclusive, for the countess
was arrested Immediately At first. II
was supposed by the authorities that
she had deceived her husband as well
as the rest Of the world but. In August
last the police decided that the count
was In the scheme, TOO, and he also
was imprisoned
Really Il was an ingenious plot that
was Matched to brand the little Count
OF Kwilecki Ak bogus. Witnesses must
have been bribed wholesale to give APP
parently damning evidence against the
mother, who had laid herself opcn 10
suspicion. Some Of them admitted II.
1t would be wearis0me to set down
every detail of the case against the
countess, but the main points may be
recalled, II was alleged that the lady
had employed trusted female servant
TO buy boy-baby for her. According
To the prosecution mother willing to
part with her offspring was found in
the person OF Cecilia Meyer. peasant
woman OF CracoW The bqby sold 'yas
stated TO have been one Of two illeyiI.
mate children belonging to this woman.
the second Of whom. however. she kent
Into court came the daughter Of tho
countess former servant, and this girl
testified that her mother had confessed
TO her the part she had played i'm the
game OF substitution. Into court al.
so came Cecilia Mayer. who swore
TO the selling Of her child. The baby.
when disposed Of, was. she said, ono
month old, As there were other Wit
nesses to carry the story along ana
show how the peasant boy gas BROUGHT
70 Berlin and carried I'm a cab 10 Tho
house In which the countess declared
her confinement to have taken place.
IL was alleged, too, that the countess
could be proved to have bought CON
trivances made In Paris to give her the
appearance Of woman about 10 he
come q mother And 80, up 10 a point
9 day or two Of the famous triars end.
things looked nightly black against
Countess Kwilecki.
What made 1t worse was the state
Of things which II was proved reigned
I'm the household OF the Count ana
countess Immediately before their ar
rest They were porpetually I'm debt, |
and the bailiff was n frequent visitor !
nj their ancestral castle. And though |
the rich estates was mortRaged to the |
last acre, the countess made ducks
and brakes OF her income ON gowns and
jewelry. while the count spent hls days |
and nights In debauch. Servants who !
mad been with the couple for years de- |
ulUTp1 that ihnU