The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-01
Annals FRENCH
COUNT A BAD LOT
Sensational Charges Made in
Suit of Countess CasteI-
lane for Divorce.
SHAMED AND ILL-TREATED
BONI BRUTAL AS WELL AS UNI
FAITHFUL.

case was heard this afternoon before
M. Henry Ditto, president of the trib-
unal of first instance of the Seine. Mel
Their the count nor the countess was
president. Maitre Cruppi, for the
countess, pleaded for a divorce on the
documentary evidence submitted. On
an extended review counsel declared
that the countess at the beginning of
the suit was not acting under influence,
but solely for the purpose of ending
forever the peril of moral desolation Of
her household. He explained the mar
riage contract, by which the regime of
separation of property was established
from the very beginning, and stated
that domestic difficulties are over the
question of money. I'll treatment soon
followed, the count even striking the
plaintiff before the servants.
nc Names Mentioned.
When he reached the question of in
fidelity charged against the count, Mai
ire Cruppi did not mention names. or
even initials. designating the co-respOn-
dents as Madame A" Madame b."
and so on.
Maitre Cruppi asked that the countess
be given the custody of her three chill
dren.
COunSel Tor the countess spoke Tor
an hour and a half and had not fin
ished when the court took a recess.
CounseFs presentation of the case of the
plaintiff constitutes a complete and pit
iful story, a wreck of her married life
due primarily to the counts inordinate
extravaganza. Even in spite of their
domestic infelicity, the countess was
too good and scrupuIous to begin an
action for divorce until she possessed
full proof. She was only 20 when she
was married I'm 1895, and the happiness
of the honeymoon was disturbed on
their arrival in Paris by the counts
demands for money. The countess IN
come was then 100000. and the count
allowed her $50 in pin money The
court room was crowded. among those
present being many members of the
American colony.
Greedy Count soni.
By 1899. the countess interests. NJ.
Cruppi said. were so heavily compro-
missed by the counts extravaganza that
it necessitated family meeting in New
York and the appointment of a legal
trustee. But the difficulties regarding
money were unceasing and in order 10
obtain funds the count pawned or sold
at ridiculous prices the most costly OBJ
jects. When the countess protested.
the count abused her in the presence of
servants, and when she declined to at
tach her signature to documents he
frequently pinched her and sometimes
struck her, the first time being four
months after their marriage.
NJ. Cruppi protested against the ma
liCious reports in regard to the count
eSS' Intentions" and announced that
she would leave France for America
Immediately after q divorce is granted.
lnfidelity Charged
Recounting the counts inf1delity. the
first instance cited by counsel was that
with a married woman. described as
Madame A. in 1898. The correspon-
dence was conducted through Nj. Mo-
ret, the counts secretary. The count
ess accidentally discovered in the Cas-
tellane chateau a packet of love letters.
and when she protested the count
struck her. The countess later placed
the letters in the custody of a lawyer
NJ. Cruppi read passionate extracts
from one of the letters. 1t read:
Il am kissing you on the neck. Do
you feel it?' and SO on.
Counsel also detailed liasons with
Madame B" and Madame c." whom
the count met in apartments which he
rented in different parts of Paris.
After recess. NJ. Cruppi read from a
note book kept by the cook of one of
these apartments, giving brutally plain
details of what counsel characterized
as IAN objectionable offense against
the countess" He also recounted the
liason with Madame c." whose maid
mounted guard and signaled from a
window when the coast was clear.
But. counsel continued. the counts
love affairs were not confined to ladies
of society. They included numerous
other women. the reading of whose let
tiers created merriment in court.
Cruppi said that the counts defense
would probably be that being young
and rich, he could not protect himself
against the assaults of lovesick women.
In the face of the overwhelming evil
dence submitted. NJ. Cruppi declared
his opponent could not expect the trib-
unal TO ask for the summoning of wit
nesses. Counsel added:
Forgiveness impossrb e
Does he imagine by dragging out
the case to obtain forgiveness? No. no
Count Bonfs plan to reconquer his
wife's affections is too transparent.
The final rupture came the day after
the famous entertainment of King
Charles of Portugal. Dec. l. 1905. The
count at that time insisted that the
countess go with him to shooting par
ty given by a nObleman of whom the
countess had cause to complain. and
when the count became enraged at the
countess refusal, she abruptly an
nounced her intention TO separate from
him and began legal proceedings.
Counsel placed at $4,000, 900 the total
of the counts expenditures preceding
the appointment of trustee. At one
time there was seizure of their prop
erty in a suit for the recovery of a debt
to S229.000.
NJ. Cruppi had not finished his presen-
tation of the case when the hearing
was adjourned until next week