The San Francisco call., 1904-08-23

streets. having according to her own
story taken a dose of prussic acid. The
doctors applied stomach pumps, but
found no traces of the poison. The
suspicious of the police were aroused
and the woman's true identity and his
tory became known.
Erna Leontine Elvira Bellachini was
born in 1850. and her father. a Jew
whose real name was Bellach, was one
OF the most popular magicians ever
seen on the Continental stage. At l6
years of age Erna became a chorus
girl in the old Victoria Theater in Ber-
lin. Two years later she made her first
matrimonial venture, marrying in Ber-
lin wealthy wine merchant, whose
property she Immediately began to
sQuander. Later her husband secured
a divorce.
Then she became acquainted with the
well-known Countess Fist Seydewitz.
who introduced her under the name of
Madame de Behair at one of the small
German courts. Here she met a gay
cavalry officer. Lieutenant Baron Lut-
Zow. who after a short acquaintance
married her in Heligoland. The Bar
oness seemed quite incapable of re-
naming in love with any person long
together, and soon began a desperate
Irritation with a dashing dragoon Of
ficer. whose acquaintance she made in
a characteristic way. Seeing the officer
approaching her in a public square she
was seized with a convenient fainting
III and contrived to fall into his arms.
The dragon speedily became a victim
10 her wiles and the news of their inti-
macy reaching her husband divorce
proceedings followed.
The dragoon became her third hus-
band. the ceremony this time taking
place at Naples. This union proved no
more lasting than the previous two, the
lady finding other lovers. and as a re-
suit the dragon invoked the aid of the
law courts and the lady was for the
third time divorced.
But she was a persevering individual.
and before very long captured another
officer, who married her In London.
During her brief union with her fourth
husband she was arrested upon a
charge Of swindling and held in Gus
tody for four weeks. being finally dis
charged only on account Of insufficient
evidence. Her husband found she was
indulging in love affairs. too. and In his
turn sought and obtained a divorce.
For the next few years Frau Won
HervAy led a wandering life. She called
herself the Baroness de Shane, and
with the greatest audacity declared
that she was the daughter OF the Grand
Duchess Vladimir, the aunt Of the pres
ent Car and mother OF the Grand
Duke Boris. who recently travelled
across the American continent and con-
tributed his mite TO the gayety Of Chi
Cago and New York
At Nice the Baroness met in a pen
sion an Austrian official, whom she re-
lieved OF several thousand francs and
departed without leaving a trace be-
hind.
She next seems to have turned up at
Murzzuschlag. still as the daughter Of
Russian Grand Duchess. Her dresses
were magnificent and her display of
pearls and diamonds extraordinarily
opulent. but they have since proved to
be false. She gave herself out as enor-
mously wealthy. having large sums Of
money deposited in Vienna banks. The
unfortunate Captain Won Hervay doubt
4 less imagined he was getting a rich
+ prize. His friends. however, were skep-
/ tical and began instituting inquiries as
/ 10 her wealth.
Soon the final exposure came, and the
deluded Governor. realizing the extent
OF his misery. took his life.
Frau Won Hervay is In prison charged
with fraud and bigamy. as it seems the
last divorce proceedings instituted by
husband number four were not legally
concluded. II is improbable that she
viii we'd again for some time.
AARIE HARLAND.