Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-17
De CASTELLANE ,
YIELDS DEMAND
FOR ALIMONY
FIGHT FOR 100000 ANNUITY
RELINQUISHED
LATEST MOVE DECLARED CLEVER
COUP FOR COUNT
Sensational Turns Enliven Trial In.
voVing Prince and Princess
de sagan and Others
at Paris

IL ARIS, Dec. 16.-The last day OF the
hearing of the suit brought by
a Count Boni de Castellane against
his former wife, the Princess De Sagan,
formerly Anna Gould, in which he petit
tions the court to award the custody of
his three children to his mother, the
Marquise De Castellane, brought out
the fact that the count had withdrawn
his demand that the court allow him a
yearly income of $4,000 for keeping the
children.
M. Bennett, speaking of the count,
read a letter from his client filled with
indignant protests that he should have
been charged with instituting the pro-
ceedings to obtain money and in which
the count abandoned his claim for the
allowance.
He insisted that his only object in
wanting the children was his solicitude
for their moral and physical welfare.
1t is evident that the count has
recognized that his claim for the large
allowance has injured his case in the
eyes of the court and the estimation OF
the public, and his tardy renunciation
is considered a clever move to enlist
interest in his favor. Nevertheless the
public is greatly astonished that the
count should go to such an extreme.
Many Charges Made
The proceedings were filled with allie
prosecutor will present his conclusions
next week and the court will then rem
der its decision. 1t will either dismiss
the counts plea or grant him the GUS
tody of the children, or if doubt exists,
will order the taking of testimony.
The Princess de Sagan continues to
be sanguine of favorable decision.
After asking the court to take note
of the modification of the petition of
his client M. Bonnet launched into
vigorous denunciation of his adver-
saries today.
He charged that on many points the
defendants did not dare to meet the
allegations of the count, citing particu-
larly the allegation that the Princess
de Sagan was ready to leave her pres
ent husband.
"They did not dare challenge this
statement" the lawyer said, because
they know that the proposed separation
has been formally communicated to De
Castellane's attorneys"
Continuing, M. Bonnet said that all
the offers of settlement made by the
| Princess de Sagan were conditioned
upon the counts remuneration of the
children, but the COUNT refused to sell
either himself or mis- children.
Threatened Disinheritance
The princess had told Judge Ditte
that if the children swere taken from
ner she would disinherit. them, thus
proving that in her eyes everything
was a question of money.
Referring to the charges that De
Castellane had dissipated his wife's for
tune, M. Bonnet insisted the countess
was just as much responsible as her
husband for the royal extravaganza"
such as the Malakoff palace, the Cha
teau Marais and the Charity Bazaar,
which alone cost $300,00O.
The lawyer particularly resented
George Gould's share in the defense,
saying that now the question of money
had been eliminated Mr.. Gould was
playing the mysterious role of Craw-
ford in the Humbert affair. AS a mat
ter of fact Mr.. Gould always had op-
posed the marriage of his sister to the
Prince de Sagan, and he only finally
consented on condition that there would
be a separation of property.
"Does Mr.. Gould fear that his sister
will get another divorce and make
more unfortunate marriage?' asked M.
Bonnet. mo; can reassure him; the
princess can find nobody worse than
De Sagan."
The lawyer then asked the court to
order the taking of testimony on points
which the defense had declined to meet.
Appeals for Children
In conclusion he appealed to the court
to withdraw the three children from
the custody of their mother, who had
married a man renounced by one OF
the greatest families of France, and
who ''had spent a month in prison,
and place them in the care of the moth
er of the count whose only purpose
was to direct her grandchildren in the
right path.
Speaking for the princess, NJ. Glenn
enceau characterized De Casteilane S
change of attitude on the money ques-
ton as a gallery play" induced by his
tardy appreciation of the unprecedented
character of his demand for an allow
ance of 100000 a year and the severity
with which the public had condemned
and ridiculed him. Touching the counts
statement that he renounced this claim
with pleasure" the lawyer announced:
"If the count took such pleasure in
renouncing this demand, why did he
ever formulate 1t -
NJ. Clemenceau justified the inter-
vention of George Gould in his sisters
interest and said he could not under
stand why Mr.. Gould was the object
of such violent attacks.
He denounced Castellane's conduct
during the period of his marriage. The
count he said, should have been ire
proachable in order to avoid the insii-
uation that he had married Miss Gould
for her money
The lawyer then reminded the court
that the real battle was between two
men, Count de Castellane and Prince
Helie de Sagan, who hated each other.
NJ. Clemenceau concluded that the
Princess de Sagan had not forfeited
any of the confidence reposed in her
when the court gave her the custody
of her three children and he asked the
court to maintain his client in his
rights.