Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-21
HER LIFE A MYSTERY
INCIDENTS IN LIFE OF LATE
COUNTESS DE BATTENCoURT.'

A well-known lady of this city, who knew
Anita McMurrow, whose recent death in
Philadelphia has attracted much attention,
declares that the reputed Countess de Bat
tencourt" was a mystery to her neighbors
on North Broad street, In Philadelphia,
twenty years ago Her home was lux
urious her servants numerous, and the
only thing that seemed out of harmony
therein was the countess" and her fam
ily."
In appearance the countess was most
ordinary There was nothing that bespoke
the "grande dame" She was short, stout
and very unlike one to the manner" born.
Yet she understood perfectly the art of
entertaining, and spent her days in ease
and luxury.
1t seemed so unaccountable, her claim
to being of Spanish origin, as she was SO
unlike the Latin type, and her children
looked and spoke like native Irish. AS for
her husband-wel he was ordinary as
street cleaner; uncouth, ~unrefined and
very unprepossessing in appearance.
1t took a wide stretch of imagination to
associate such as he with royalty. Their
home life was in constant state of war
fare, in which countess husband, chill
dren and servants would join. to the as
tonishment of the ne,ghborhood. But as
wine flowed freely, it easily accounted
for. Every one doubted her story, and
firmly believed her an impostor Yet the
fact remained that while she could not
begCile the willy Philadelphia Of position
to her board she did entertain foreigners
of rank and position.
I remember well a member of our fam
lily receiving an invitation to a dinner to
meet Dom Pedro. Emperor of Brazil. How
we all laughed over it! The idea of Dom
Pedro-the emperor-a guest at McMur-
rows! Why, it was absurd, ridiculous-and
the invitation was declined. Nevertheless.
Dom Pedro was there, and a number of
other prominent foreigners, much to our
astonishment.
Maid in a Spanish Family.
One story that went the rounds was
this Anita, when young, had been a
maid in a Spanish family of rank She
had become familiar with this family's S
history, and upon the death of it's last
member-an old lady-had got possession
of valuable papers bearing upon claims
before the Spanish government and was
pressing them for her own use
That she had claims before the court of
Spain is well known. Also, that she re-
ceived large sums of money from some
source. for at that time no member of her
family was employed and she was living
at the rate of fifty thousand a year
There were times when there was no
money in the McMurrow home. Then all
was chaos within-servants clamoring for
wages que some Tor SIX months, tradesmen
suing for thousands due for wines and DEL
lcacles. All We're invariably told to be pa
uent; that as soon as the court of Spain
would send her allowance their bills would
be paid.
And come the money would. Yet it was
all such a mystery. The court of Spain
and Mrs McMurrow seemed so widely
apart. 1t does seem incredible how ali
these years she could victimize the Span
lsh people and derive such large sums of
money II she had not good proof
Perhaps. now that She is no more light
Will be thrown on the life of this strange
and mysterious woman who has per
picked so many for a generation