Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-02-28
The Marble Palace.

ne VIA pie Palace.
| The sale of the marble palace is un-
! doubtedly a great humiliation for ne
countess. II was at her suggestion
! that negotiations were entered into
! for The purchase of the site shortly
after her marriage, after her husband
| had pictured its glories and what re
noun would come to her if she would
devote "a part of her fortune Of SIG,
100000 to the building of d chateau
which would be a reproduction of the
Fetit Trianon
Count Boni did not offer to contrib
ute a cent from the $2.000,00O settled
upon him as a marriage portion HIS
| wife, then enthusiastic and credulous,
entered heartily into the plans and
was only too eager to sign her check
Tor $4,000 to buy the site. There
vas an adjoining lot occupied by a
carriage builder. and il was needed
to make perfect the symmetry Of the
! grounds, so Count Boni. exercising
his political influence and the prom Sc
OF the expenditure of many Yankee
d1llara had the tenant evicfed
The plans called for structure OF
surprising beauty, The main lines OF
The exterior We're 10 be straight and
pure but vi thin the style was to be
| patterned after the style of Louis Nv,
riot of colcr and fittings The en-
trance and staircase were 10 be as
grand as those at Versailles. the
frezes and moudings of the he 3
chambers the finest masterpieces II
art, ana to provide for the artistic
mi ngling of two styles Of architecture.
the architects made many visits at
great expense to the Chateau de.
Champs, in which Nine de Pompadonr
II I'd and which was regarded as one
Of the most exquisite examples Of
architectural beauty in the enyirons
Of Paris
The announcement OF the undertake
ing created a furore in art circles.
Inc cost was estimated at anywhere
from $4,000 900 to SIS 10000 and IL
vas not expected that the work could
lie finished in less an fifteen years.
unsupported Castellane Thrift.
The countess was MT aware that
her titled husband, who prided him.
self on his ancestry and hi., hatred
for the vulgar details of trade had en-
tered into a deal with the contractors
ny which he was 10 receive a ccmmis.
sion OF 40 per cent. of all the work
carried on by his directors Count
Roni had been losing heavily at the
gaming table and he needed the
| money
The bills preserted as the work
went on became 81 cxt5rtionate that
the countess sought the advice of her
brothers in America and they started
on Investigation which was the en-
tering wedge Of the marital m sunder.
standing which grew as the years
went on. and now have resulted i'm "a
permanent separation.
The Bots de BouIognc palace was
not the limit Of BON S -xtravagapce.
He bought a Ealatial yacht. which his
wife paid for, and before he had been
married eighteen months he ..aa
spent 81 900 600 for brica-brac, and ne
spent 100000 to be elected TO the
chamber OF deputies
In 1897 the count and countess pa 4
100000 for a lot on the Rue Pierre
Charron, which Jay Gould's daughter
had been induced to donate for the
purposes Of charity bazaar. Boni IL
said TO have got a rake-off on that
also
In 1902 he bought the famous Cha.
teau de Grignon, seventeen miles
southeast of Montelimar The cha.
teau dates back to the middle ages,
and was coup ed by Frederick Barbar.
ossa when subduing the Inhabitants
of Aries. 1t cost a million dollars.
The count spend money with such
recklessness and prodigal literally
that even his intlmates we're aghast.
: He laughed at their fears. and de
| cIared that he had tanned mine of