The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-09
CASTELLANE CASE ALL IN.
COURT REJECTS COUNTS PLEA
10 CALL WITNESSES.

~lOutNN hVDN0l " fAhe
mOny and Right to See the Children
Creditors Suit Is Now Being Heard.
special Cable Despatch 70 THE sun.
, PARIS, Nov. s.-Ihe hearing of the di-
vorce case OF the Countess de Castellane
In Judge Ditte's Court came to an end TO
day after the co 1T ha 4 decline to grant
the legal in Uiry deman Ell by the Count.
Judgment will be announced next Thurs
day.
When court opened this morning Maftre
Bonnet resumed his argument on behalf Of
Count de Castellane. He demanded that
he children spend a part of their holidays
each year with the Count and Thursdays
and Sundays with their grandmother, the
Marquise de Castellane.
He also insisted that the children should
not 20 to America without the Counts con-
sent and that they should be reared as
Frenohmen. He said that the Count knew
from the Countess's letter that she was
homeeick in France and would be likely to
keep the children unless bound by a pledge
70 do otherwise.
Maitre Bonnet drew an effective picture
Of the little children Of the { cunt running
10 meet their father, unconscious of the
tragedy which was hanging over their
parents, when the Count sought the Countess
ct the HOTEL Bristol, whittier she had fed.
NJ. Bonnet said that the Count retained a
fathers rights, and while he was willing to
ALLOW the mother the custody Of the children
be insisted that they visit him and t-eir
grandmother and also that they be brought
up as Frenchmen, he controlling their edu-
cation; and he also insisted that should
the { ountess be permitted to take them to
America, she be made to give a solemn
pledge to return them to France.
Maitre Bonnet declared that all the Counts
debts were due to lavish expenditure upon
the household and were not personal. Ger
tsinly they were not caused by gambling,
because the Count did not gamble. He
had spent an $780, 300 legacy and had an
ticipated a legacy from his father to the
amount Of 100000, all OF which had gone
into that bcttomless pit, the Trianon. which
he would not have undertaken TO build
but for the Countess. He was now under
engagement to pay charges on money
sunk in that, which meant that he would
be sold out as a common bankrupt, while
his children were heirs to $40, COO 900. unless
he could get alimony.
Mkttre Bonnet related an incident that
occurred In tho summer Of last year, when
some creditors sought to seize the fur
nishings OF the chateau. The sheriff was
told that he could not touch the furniture
because IL was pledged TO George Gould
for a loan Of $40 200. But the Countess
pointed out to the sheriff as subject to
seizure all the Castellane family portraits.
Including the portrait of the Count him
self, and all the family relics, including
che baton that Marshal Castellane had used
under Napoleon.
Maitre Bonnet ended his speech by de-
manding a legal inquiry to substantiate the
charges against the Count, which charges
were without foundation, he said. He said
he brought, as a message to the Countess,
the assurance Of her husbands undyin9
affection.
Msftre Cruppi. in replying, said that the
Countess intrenched herself in her rights
and threw herself on the justice Of the
Court. Referring to Bonnet's attack upon
Edmond Kelly yesterday, Cruppi read an
affidavit from Mr.. Kelly and a letter from
Ambassador Mccormick reciting Mr..
Kelly's professional history and standing.
MIR. Kelly In his letter denied that he had
ever offered money for evidence.
Maftre Bonnet renewed his demand for
an inquiry, but was cut short by Judge
Ditte's curt announcement that a verdict
would be rendered next week.
The Courts refusal to order an inquiry
INTO the Countess's charges means thai
Judgment will be rendered on the attorneys
Arguments. II will spare the persons re-
ferred to IN the arguments the ordeal OF
appearing on the witness stand. and so
must be regarded with great satisfaction
by numerous families.
NJ. Millerand, in opening the creditors
suit against the Castellanes, said that when
the family councils allowance OF a million
francs for household expenses proved in
sufficient the Count and Countess together
signed papers which put them into the
hands Of money lenders and the Countess
engaged herself in a way that made her
Absolutely responsible for the debts. It
Is said that the Court may so rule. There
may be further surprises in a financial
way