Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-25
LAID BARE IN COURT
De CasteIIane Scandal Aired
in Suit for Children.
COUNT ACCUSES PRINCESS
Alleged Conduct With De Sagan Be.
fore Marriage Cited.
PRINCE LOVE RIDICULED
Described as Pauper and Rue by
Counsel for Count-Crowd
in Paris Court.

Count Boni de Castellane against his
former wife. who was Miss Anna Goul1
of New York, and is now the wife of
Prince Helfe de Sagan, for the custody
of his three children, was opened here
today. The courtroom was damned to
the doors when the hearing was called,
many Americans being in the throng.
Count de Castelane occupied q promi-
nent place in the room.
This is the first time the French news
papers, which are forbidden to publish
divorce proceedings in court, have had an
opportunity to ventilate this scandal, and
they were represented in force by re-
porters and artists.
From the very beginning of the pro-
ceedings 1t was apparent that it was to
be war to the knife between the ad-
Versaries and that no one would be
spared. NJ. Bonnet. representing khe
count, was the first to be heard. He
presented the general grounds upon
which his client asked that the three
children be confided to the care Of their
grandmother, the counts mother, and
that the Princess de Sagan be compelled
| to contribute 100000 annually to their
support namely, that the moral atmos-
phere of the Sagan household was unfit
for the children. This allegation was in
three parts; first, the alleged scandalous
conduct of Prince Helie de Sagan in
the past; second, that he had not re-
formed since his marriage-M. Bonnet
said he was prepared to prove that the
prince had seen two of his former mis-
tresses since the date of his marriage
and third, that the conduct of the prin-
cess before her marriage to de Sagan
had been improper
Proceeding NJ. Bonnet developed this
theme, keeping constantly to the fore the
claim that the count was seeking only
the welfare of his children. He said it
was with sad heart that the count had
been impelled to bring a suit involving his
former wife, whose alliance with de Sa-
gan, he declared, was dragging her into
an abyss of shame and whose pride and
hatred rendered a settlement out of court
impossible.
Afraid of His Creditors.
| To prove that the princess had contem-
plated seeking a separation from her pres
ent husband, NJ. Bonnet recounted certain
| alleged consultations held November 8
! between the Prince and Princess de Sa-
gan and the counts lawyer. He said the
princess this occasion admitted the
difficulty of having the children live under
the same roof with the prince. and pro-
posed to turn two of them over to the
count and keep the third herself. The
prince at this consultation complained
that if there was a separation his credit
ors would descend upon him and seize his
effects. Two days later, however, the
princess publicly denied that a separation
was contemplated. apd this ended the
hope of a compromise.
NJ Bonnet declared that his client de-
sired TO respect the dignity OF his former
wife. He said that if the count had
committed a grave wrong in the past this
had been fully expiated and that he would
not intervene now had the princess mar
ried man of reasonable moral respecta-
bility; but by her marriage to the prince
she had forfeited right to her children.
NJ. Bonnet then entered upon an elab
crate exposition of the grief of his eli
ent. He described, among other things.
the humiliation to which the count on
several different occasions had been sub
jeCted Once, when he brought the chill
dren back to their home after visit with
him, the servants of the Princess de Sa
gan acting on their mistress orders. re-
fused TO allow him to pass the gate, and
after his election to the chamber of depu.
ties she replied to a telegram Of congratu-
lation from one of his constituents in the
following words:
Il am happy that you are content that
you have elected a roue instead of a
worthy man" This was before she Sc
cured her divorce from the count.
Princess Alleged Conduct.
Turning to the Prince de Sagan. NJ. Bon
net said that before his marriage he was
reduced TO a pitiable plight. He was
bounded by his creditors and renowned
| by his family; he had no abode. and he
was living in questionable company. After
ridiculng de Sagan's public profession of
love for his future wife, counsel for the
count referred to the princess alleged
improper conduct with Sagan before their
marriage. He said she received him in
timately in her house on the Avenue Mala-
koff. rode and dined with him alone in
Paris. and that while in Italy they trav-
eled together and carefully concealed their
whereabouts from the count, thus making
| ii impossible for him to communicate with
his children.
Furthermore. NJ Bonnet went on de
Sagan last summer in the name OF his
chauffeur rented an eight hundred dollar
villa at ST. Cloud and received his future
wife there secretly. and at her country
seat. the Chateau Marais, the prince oc-
cupied room on the same corridor
While in New York the members of the
| Gould family declined to receive de
Sagan. hence the clandestine departure of
The prince and the countess from New
York on different steamers. At Rome they
tried to secure the annulment of the mar
riage of the count and countess by the
pope, and failing in this de Sagan became
| a Protestant in order to make a marriage
possible.
Looked That Wav