New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-28
A PEARL NECKLACE.
Cause of a Matrimonial Scandal at
the French Capital.

Tar,s, June 10.
A matrimonial scandal in the inner ring .,
necklace plays 81 prominent role has bean husbea
I'D as quickly as it burst upon the public. The
details. so far as THY are known, place in a
somewhat melodramatic light those dazzling
marriages to which have become accus-
toned. where American millions are welded 20
the needy sprigs Of European nobility A great
many Jokes have from time TO time been cut al
the expense Of the parties contracting sucb
unions but while they are perhaps foreign N
the spirit Of the customs of English speaking
countries where the marriage of choice IS SIM
posed TO prevail. 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. how
ever. that family influence or position has also
commercial value and is regarded as an asset
which may fairly be accented as a s,,hst,t,,to
for hard cash. In the ranks of the army each
grade has its fixed price. and man can only
obtain permission to marry provided the bride
elect Is aple 10 bring the sum laid down I'm the
service rules as adequate to the would-be
brdegroonls rank. Recently the governor of
a military college here who saw wifi, ragra+
his most promising young officers entering tbe
married state, announced that none of tho re
naming STAFF would be permitted to marry for
less dowry than 100000 francs. and the state
ment' though it raised a smile. was regarded ss
iegluinate expression OF quasi paternal an
iIioIily ana regard. Statistics go to prove that
ihese marriages or convenience are fully as sue
cessful as the American or British marriage ~
CHOICE divorces being less frequent here than in
either OF those countries. The aforesaid mar
riages Of American milIiona;resses with tho En-
sopean nobility have certainly not nrovad N ba
exceptions 10 this rule, and the sensation caused
Dy me recent disclosures has been proportion
ately greater
~ lne story which has startled the American
colony here' and given a most unpleasant shock
10 a certain embassy. the most curious feature &c
me action of the woman who IS the offended
party The Comtesse de X comes from a we'll
known family Of Americans OF wealth, and is the
VIE OF an attache at the embassy of an i'm
portant European power. The Comte de Y
brought nothing to the establishment hut the
numerous quarterings of his shield, being en-
tlrey dependent on his wife for money So SIRE
however, does he appear to have been of her
READINESS TO meet any bills which might be pre-
sehted IN his name that he recently ordered
from 9eweller in the Rue de Ia Paix a fine
pearl necklace valued at 10000 francs. to he
sent IN the counts name TO beautiful actress in
whose cause he fought a duel a few days ago.
Unluckily. some indiscreet friend informed the
SN-AhC9o
considering what might be diplomatic etiquette
under such trying domestic circumstances, the
outraged wife repaired to the jeweller. Clearly
explaining her husbands financial position, she
recommended to the jeweler to endeavor to get
back the pearls for which she did not intend to
pay. adding that she was about to institute
divorce proceedings, and thai. as her money was
strictly settled herself the count would be
unable to touch a penny from henceforth. The
jeweller fastened TO place the matter in the
hands Of the police. who. armed with search
warrant, went to the apartment Of the Partisan
star to take back the necklace forthwith. Mile
1. had, however, not waited for this move The
pearls were not to be found, and no trace of
them has yet been obtained by the distracted
tradesman
Hereupon. like a bolt from the blue there
came TO the unsuspecting count summons from
the police court TO answer to a charge Of OBJ
tanning goods on false pretences. He was. of
course, able to refute this by explaining the
circumstances, and was Immediately released,
with request to hold himself in readiness TO
appear when called upon again. 1t is not sur
prising that his wife's methods have seriously
hurt the feelings of the attache. and he has
withdrawn from Paris for the moment, retiring
in dudgeon to the banks Of the Loire, where he
occupies Of the finest of the historical
chateaus with which Touraine is dotted. The
sequel is to come for, though proceedings have
for the moment, been dropped, the divorce will
probably not be long in coming Meantime, the
counts position in his embassy is seriously
dangered, scandals being looked upon with great
disfavor in such high places. The actress comes
of best in the affair. for she holds the pearls.
c. / B.