The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-11-02


Paris, October 31.-The Castellane
divorce case was heard this afternoon
before M. Henry Ditte, president of the
tribunal Of first instance of the Seine.
Neither the count nor the countess was
present Native Cruppi, for the coun-
tess, pleaded for divorce upon the
documentary evidence submitted.
In an extended review counsel de-
clared that the countess at the begin
ming of the suit was not acting under
influence but solely for the purpose of
ending forever the peril Of the moral
desolation of her household. He ex-
planned the marriage contract by which
the regime of separation of property
was established from the very begin
ming, and stated that domestic Difficult
ties are over the question Of money
Ill treatment soon followed, the count
even striking the plaintiff before the
servants.
WIZ JIC ICICuCu LhS duSoClOl vi 1A1-
fidelity charged against the count,
Mtitre Cruppi did not mention names
or even initials, designating the CO.
respondents as Madam A. Madam
B." and so on Maitre Cruppi asked
that the countess be given the custody
of her three children.
Counsel for the countess spoke for an
hour and a half. and had not finished
when the court took a recess. Counsels S
presentation of the case of the plaintiff
constituted a complete and pitiful story
of the wreck of her married life, due
primarily tC the counts inOrdinate eX-
travagance Even in spite of their do
mestic infelicity the countess was too
good and scrupulOus to begin an action
for divorce until she possessed full
proof She was only twenty when she
was married in 1895 and Maitre Cruppi
asserted the happiness of the honey
moon was disturbed on their arrival in
Paris by the counts demand for money.
The countess income was then S7O0,0O0
and the count allowed her $50 pin
money.
The court room was crowded, among
those being present were many men,
bers Of the American colony.
BY 1899 the countess interest. NJ.
Cruppi said, were so heavily compro-
missed by the counts extravaganza +1at
it necessitated family meeting in New
York and the appointment of legal
trustee But the difficulties regard
ing money were unceasing, and in Or
der to obtain funds, the count pawned
or sold at ridiculous prices the most
costly objects When the countess pro-
tested the count abused her in the
presence of servants and when she de-
clined to attach her signature to doc
uFents he frequently pinched her and
Sometimes struck her, the first time
being four months after their marriage
In the countess pleading. M. Cruppi
protested against the malicious reports
in regard to the countess intentions
and announced that she would leave
France for America Immediately after
q divorce is granted her In recount
ing the counts infidelity, the first in
stance cited by counsel was that with
a married woman described as Madam
Az, in 1898. The correspondence was
conducted through M. Moret. th<
counts secretary. The countess acci
dentally discovered in the Castellan'
chateau a packet of love letters ant
when she protested the count strucl
her. The countess eventually placed
the letters in the custody of lawyer.
M. Cruppi read passionate extlac
from one of the love letters fixing
rendezvous at Dijon. 1t read: Il an
kissing you on the neck. Do you Zee
it?" and so ON.
Counsel also detailed liaSons witt
Madam B." and Madam c., whom
the count met in apartments which h
rented in different parts Of Paris.
M. Cruppi read from notebook KEEP
by the cook of one of these apartments
giving brutally plain details OF wha
counsel characterized as IAN unpar
donable offense against the countess
He also recounted the liason wit
Madam c." whose maid mounte
guard and signalled from windo'
ten the coast was clear.
"But," the counsel continued, "th
counts love affairs were not confine
to ladies of society. They include nj
: merous other women. the reading {