The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-11-06
COUNT BONI SCORED
Mafe's Counsel, Opening Divorce
Suit, Makes Many Charges
Against FrenChman.
SEVERAL WOMEN IN THE CASE

NobIeman Who Was Welded TO Jay
GouIds Daughter Accused of Un-
faithfulness, Brutality and Greed.
Struck Her Four Months After Mar
riaSe, Says Attorney.
Paris, Nov. 6.-Before crowd which
taxed the capacity Of the courtroom
81 the Palace of Justice the case of
the Countess de Castellane for divorce
from her husband, Count Boni de Cas-
4eIIane, was begun Count Boni's at
GOrneys made no effort for further
Dostponement and with Henri Ditto,
president Of the tribunal of first in
stance of the Seine, presiding and
with two associate Justices on the
bench Maitre Cruppi presented the
plea of the countess for absolute di-
vorce and the custody Of the children
This plea was made upon documentary
evidence and without summoning wit
nesses The great lawyer spoke for
four and half hours.
Maitre Cruppi painted Count Boni
IN the blacklist of colors, declaring HIM
TO be rapacious, brutal and licentlous,
while the countess was held up as the
long suffering and innocent victim.
Nothing was spared and nothing was
CLOSED over. In chronological order
Maitre Cruppi recounted the history
OF this unfortunate alliance, which, he
said, had been unhappy from the very
honeymoon owing to the incredible ex-
4raYagancs of the husband, who in five
years had used up the colossal for
tune, estimated at 100000, that the
daughter of Jay Gould had brought
him.
Count Struck His Wife.
Count Boni's Unsuitable demands for
money, according to Maitre Cruppi,
began as soon as the couple arrived
In Paris and led Immediately to III
treatment and abuse and soon to
blows. The countess was struck by
her husband, according to her lawyer,
the first time four months after the
marriage This was the result Of a
quarrel In connection with a dinner
given by an American to which the
count was not invited Intrigues and
nmours carried on under the countess
very eyes were not long delayed. Mai
ire Cruppl detailed liaisons with four
society women, designating them as
Ame. A., Nine. b., Nine. @. and
Nine. d.
Referring to the counts love af
fairs, the lawyer told the story in
plain, unvarnished fashion. He made
no attempt at rhetoric, but marshaled
the facts from a big dossier before
him. He read extracts from incrimi-
mating letters and gave the deposit
tions of servants and others proving
infldelity.
Final Insult unbearable.
The countess first left the mansion
and went to hotel in August, 1905,
AEaitre Cruppi continued when, deep
" outraged and worn out with infa-
miles, she learned that Nine. d. and
Count Boni were at TrouvilIe together.
Later she returned home and bore the
situation until the day after the enter
fainment of King Charles of Portugal,
Dec. IL, 1905, when upon the counts
trying to force her to go to a shooting
party of which she was suspicious the
countess left the mansion and entered
proceedings for separation.
1t is generally believed that over
whelming evidence has been offered
and that the decree of divorce win be
granted without the painful ordeal Of
taking testimony Of witnesses, but ac-
cording to some accounts the count
has not abandoned hope of recon
Citation, despite Maltre Cruppis posi-
tive statement that reconciliation is
out of the question.