The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-07-08
Wife OF French Count Refuses to
Pay for Present Bought for
Pretty Actress.
SHE WILL DIVORCE HER FLlRT
Learns of the Counts Infatuaton
and Stops Payment, Where
upon Jeweier Seeks Vain
ly for Necklace.

York Tribune relates the Following IN
tereStlng escapade Of French count:
A matrimonial scandal In the inner
ring OF diplomatic life In Paris. in
which another pearl necklace plays a
prominent role. has ben hushed UP as
quickly as It burst upon the public.
The details. 10 far as they are known.
place in a somewhat melodramatic
light those dazzling marriages TO
which we have become. accustomed,
where American millions are welded
to the needy sprIgs Of European no.
bilIty. A great many Jokes have from
time 10 time been cut at the expense
OF the parties contracting such unions,
but while they are perhaps foreign to
the spirit of the customs OF English
speaking countries, where the MAJ
rriage OF choice is supposed TO pre-
vail, they vary In no whit from the
time honored system In France. Here,
mo money, no marriage" may be said
to be the law for the female sex, with
the qualification, however that family
influence or position has also COM
merclal value and is regarded as an
asset which may fairly be accepted as
substitute for hard cash. In the
ranks OF the army each grade has its
fixed price, and man can only OBJ
tain permission to marry provided the
bride-elect Is able 10 bring the sum
laid down In the service rules as ade-
auate 10 the would-be bridegroom's
rank, Recently, the governor OF mil
itary college here, who saw with re"
gret his most promising young officers
entering the married state, announced
that none Of the remaining staff would
be permitted to marry for less dowry
than 100000 francs. and the state
ment though It raised smile, was
as a legitimate expression OF
quasi paternal authority and regard.
Statistics 90 10 prove that these mar
rlages OF convenience are fully as sue
ressful as the American or British
of choice. divorces being less
frequent here than in either OF those
countries The aforesaid marriages of
american mlIllonairesses with the Eu-
ropean nobility have certainly not
proved to be exceptions to this rule.
md the sensation caused by the re-
,ent disclosures has been proportion
ltely greater.
In the story which has startled the
American colony here. and given
most unpleasant shock to certainn
Embassy, the most curious feature is
he action OF the woman who is the
offended party, The Comtesse de x.
ZONES from well known family CT
Americans of wealth, and is the wife
Il an attache at the embassy OF an
European power. The
yomte de X. brought nothing to the
but the numerous quar-
erings OF his shield, being entirely de-
pendent on his wife for money So
ure, however, does he appear to have
,een OF her readiness to meet any bills
which might be presented in his namef .
hat he recently ordered from a jew
Ter In the Rue de la Paix a fine pearl
ecklace valued at $4,000 francs, to be
ent In the counts name to a beauti- {
ul actress in whose cause he fought
duel few days ago. Unlucklly,
ONE indiscreet friend informed the
ountess of both duel and necklace,
nd, without considering what might
e diplomatic etiqultte under such try
lg domestic circumstances, the out
aged wife repaired to the jeweler.
learly explaining her husbands finan-
al position. she recommended to the
,weler to endeavor to get back the
earls for which she did not intend
, pay, adding that she was about
} institute divorce proceedings, and
lat, as her money was strictly set
ed on herself, the count would be
nable to touch a penny from hence
nth. The jeweler hastened to place
e matter in the hands OF the police,
no, armed with search warrant,
ent to the apartment of the Parisian
ar to take back the necklace forth
Ith. Mile. L. had, however, not wait
for this move. The pearls were not
be found, and no trace Of them has
yet been obtained by the distracted
adesman.
Hereupon, like a bolt from the blue,
ere came to the unsuspecting count
summons from the police court to
swer to a charge Of obtaining goods