Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-11-02
HOW BONI USED
COULD MILLIONS
Came to America a Pauper
Returned With Wife :
and Fortune

Paris. Nov Before a great crowd
that tested the capacity of the court
room In the Palace Of Justice in the
old Latin Quarter, the suit Of Count
ess de Castellane for divorce from her
husband. Count Boni de Castellane.
was begun yesterday afternoon. Count
Bonis attorneys made no effort for
further postponement and with Henri
Dette, president Of the tribunal of first
instance 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 child
rem. This plea was made up Of docu-
mentary evidence and without sum-
moning witnesses. The lawyer spoke
for four and one half hours with an
tutermissicn OF only Is minutes. He
painted Count Boni in the blacklist
colors. declaring him to be rapacious,
brutal and licentious, while the count
ess was held up as the suffering and
innocent victim. Throughout his long
speech Maitre Cruppi did not use the
title of countess, but referred to the
counts wife as Madame Gould, the
name she Will bear IL the div orce Is
granted.
Waited Long But Won.
Maitre Cruppi outlined the history
Of count Boni de Castellane. He told
how Boni came to America II years
ago with nothing in his head but the
Idea u marrying a nAmerican Ls;r-
ess. Mr. Roual Duval, the wine mer-
chant, financed Boni for some months,
but the prospect OF finding the heiress
seemed hopeless. For long time he
lived In cheap New York boarding
house and walked about the corridors
Of the Waldorf in the evening in or
der to have Opulent surroundings. FL
nally he decided to become "a wine
pusher' at small salary. At the
last moment he was saved from the
horrible fate OF working. Mrs. Paran
Stevens introduced him to the Goulds,
and Miss Anna Gould, the youngest
daughter Of the late Jay Gould, ac-
cepted him. Boni was titled. the great
grandson OF a marshal OF France, the
cousin or the DUO de Tallyrand- Per-
tgord and OF many other noble per-
sons.
sssan to Buy Fins Clothes.
Before this Boni had never had a
complete outfit Of new clothes at one
time. Now he had all he wanted. A
month after his marriage he purchas-
ed Russian sable coat for $1l, 900.
Then he progressed to coat lined
with sea otter at $4,000. He also
ght pelisse lined with silver fur
ITO wrar round his neck at $4,000
His first notable entertainment was
a fancy dress fete in the Jardin des
Acacias in the Bots de Bologne which
he hired for the occasion 1t was
planned In imitation OF an entertain
ment given, by King Louis XIV. Bohi
was the king. He had 300 lackeys
In historical costumes. 1t cost him
100000
Then he began to build In Paris a
palace that was reproduction Of the
Grand Trianon at Versailles, the scene
OF the grand monarque,s festivities.
he furnished it with all that could
be obtained Of the furniture of Marie
Anspin"tte and III. Empress Josephine
This palace cost $1.5O0.OO0 to build,
but the furniture brought the total
TO upward OF $2,0O0,000 The fountains
cost $500 day to run
Then He Got Yacht.
Ih''n Bent had to have a yacht al
though during his few experiences on
steamboats, he had always been very
SICK. He LorGht the largest sailino
yacht in the world, the only one In ex-
.stehce tnat Is three masted, full
sseu snip, the Valhalla. He paid
$zoooOO for her. and had her entirely
rented at enormous cost, the i'm
irovemenis irr'uding boudoir, In r,le
oiue SILK with old gold trimmings. for
himself He took two trips in her. and
inen ne sold her for a song.
his generosity knew no bounds anf,
II was not confined to politicians hut
included the better half of mankind
ne would bring beautiful presents to
His "ne, for which she had to nav
once IL was magnificent pearl and
diamond necklace. When she found
that 1t cost 100000 and that Of H.
OUTSIDE 1t was only worth $50 Ooo sba
went 10 the oeweler. He convinced her
tnat when he delivered the necklace ~
n IA efrt: rows Of earls and now I ba3
only FOUR Who had got the other
four?
Went "Daffy" on Art.
he purchased objects of art daily for
MS palaces-a Sevres clock for xeo
600, tortoise shell wardrobe that had
belonged to Louis XVI for $3.50 600, thu
bed OF Napoleon for $500 a CEILING
oy "ieaolo for $4,000; a Louis XIV
writing table and several other things
OF this period for $4,000, and so on.
At last the day arrived when Ror,
mad accumulated debts of millions and
millions of dollars and as he ONT.
stripped his income every year there