Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-28
ONCE A FAMOUS ACTRESS
Some Of Her Exploits Caused Sen.
sation in Paris.
KEPT A BIOLOGICAL GARDEN
Attempted Suicide and the People
Flocked to Her Casino-Many
Extraordinary Stories.

NICE. South France, January GA
woman of mystery in life, the veil that
screened the origin and early history OF
the Countess de Lagrange has not been
lifted by death.
Found In her boudoir with bullet through
her brain. the countess died q short time
ago. Officially she has been declared a
suicide Her friends assert that she was
murdered by some member Of her house,
hold for money supposed to be In her pos
session. The authorities are unwilling to
reopen the case, however, and the strange
woman goes down to the tomb in mystery.
just as in life mystery dominated her
doings.
Mme Lagrange was a famous personal
lty In the latter days OF the second en-
pire under the name Of Lea d'Asco, 1t In
believed that she was born in the year
1913 It Is known that during the late
sixties and early seventies she had a great
vogue in Paris as an actress and profes-
stonal beauty.
Many tales are told of her destinations
and unconventional habits.
While In the height of her fame as an
actress she married Count Gabriel Tripier
de Lagrange. The ceremony was performed
with great pomp in a chapel Of the Vati-
can by the cardinal vicar.
Never Lost Her Charms.
All through life the countess preserved
her beauty, her fascination and an extraor-
binary religious exactitude. Her husband,
VINO was an explorer and spent much of
his time travelling in out-of-the-way parts
OF the world for big-game shooting, died
from fever in Singapore while on an ex-
peditlon ten or twelve years ago.
He had established at Cimiez n zoolop-
zeal collection. which he opened to the
public under the name of the Ferme Bre-
tonne. These gardens were at that time
the only ones lavishly stocked with the
pigeon. and these specimens were erad,,-
ally distributed among the other ZOOS of
Europe. After the counts death the ZOO
was continued by the countess
For years 1t was struggle with cred
ltors. and experiment after experiment was
resorted to in order to continue the enter
prise. But the countess always managed
to stay on the evil day and keep her cred
itors at bay.
Two years ago the Riviera was astounded
to learn that she had married Count de
Lestapis, union which the courts dis
solved few months later
Since then a series of dramatic events
has taken place. The casino attached to
the gardens was burned down. and the in
surance companies refused to pay, alleging
incendiarism. In the end they were COM
PEELED to settle. they could produce no
legal proof of their allegation.
Then the countess attempted suicide, and
the fresh notoriety she gained gave the
gardens new vogue.
A few months ago she asserted that an
attempt had been made to assassinate her
She reported to the authorities that a cloak
ed man had fired at her in her own grounds
An investigation failed to find any one who
had heard the shot, and the story was gen.
orally discredited
Will Declared Fraudulent.
About a year ago the countess produced
a will purpOrting to have been made in
her favor by an ex-judge at Nice lately
deceased. 1t was stated at the time that
| the judge had signed his name to a blank
sheet of paper which purported to be an
additional sheet to a list of signatures de-
handing subvention from the municipal
| ity for the gardens. Two other signatures
which appeared on the so-called will as
witnesses were those Of persons no longer
! to she found in France. The courts disal-
lowed the alleged will and proceedings were
begun against the countess for forgery.
| The case was finally allowed to lapse.
Recently her affairs reached a climax.
| The gardens were to be sold. and the
countess, who could raise no more money.
was living on an allowance of 81 a day
made by the creditors the gardens being
| in the hands of a receiver appointed by
| the court. Suddenly she announced that
she had succeeded in raising the money to
pay all creditors, and showed bank notes
which she said amounted to about 10000.
| She gave little fete to her employees in
honor of the occasion.
The countess breakfasted as usual one
morning and then said she was going to
! town to settle with her creditors. A few
minutes later a shot was heard in her
boudoir. Servants rushed in and found the
her half protruding from a wallet She
passed away without regaining conscious
ness.
After an investigation the authorities
l u, I.,o - Sl@nk
that she tripped over the corner of a car
pet and In falling the revolver. which she
carried in the handbag she always took
about with her. had exploded.
Suicide Theory Adopted.
During the funeral services. two days
later, the authorities decided upon an au-
topsy The body was taken back to her
residence and post-mortem made in the
presence Of several newspaper men. The
bu.iet was not found, but the doctor who
conducted the autopsy gave a certificate
| that death was due to an accident.
So many extraordinary stories were afioat
| In the next few days that the magistrates
ordered an inquiry. This has just been
concluded, and the theory OF suicide Is ofd-
cialiy admitted.
The inquiry demonstrated that her talk
about having money enough to pay all her
debts was a bluff and that all she had was
less than $14. The legal decision, therefore.
| Is that everything pointed to carefully
planned suicide, every precautien having
been taken by a consummate actress to
avoid the appearance of anything of the
sort because she wanted to have a church
burial.
So the affair Is officially closed. but 1t Is
asserted that she was murdered by people
| In her employ who believed her story that
she had large sum of money and who
wished to rob her.
Col. Blake Buried.