New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-03
THE CASTELLANE SUIT
". CLEMENCEAU'S SPEECH.
Defence of Princess to Charges OF
Former Husband.

Marquise de Castellane. The first hearing was
held last week. when NJ. Bonnet counsel for the
count, set forth by statement, allegation and in
situation that the atmosphere Of the de Sagan
household was detrimental to the proper bringing
up OF the three de Castellane boys. After she OBJ
tanned her divorce from the count Nine Gould was
married in London to Prince Helie de Sasan.
Hundreds Of women. including some of the most
prominent members of French society and the
American and English colonies in Paris, literally
fought in the corridors Of the Palace OF Justice to
gain admission TO the crowded courtroom M
Cemenceau calmly. but with irony and ridicule
met the accusations brought against the princess
whose character, he insisted, was blameless He
mercilessly attacked the record and character or
Count Boni and said he was wholly UNITED 10
have the custody OF his children. He charged
that the real purpose Of the count was to raise
money and satisfy his vengeance on the Prince and
Princess de Sagan. even at the expense Of the IN
terests OF his children. whose minds he had con-
tinualy tried to poison Neither Prince Hele nor
Count Boni was present in court
FORMER DECISIONS OF COURTS.
NJ. Clemenceau, opening his speech. emphasized
the fact that the courts OF France always had de-
cded that a second marriage did not affect the
rights of parents regarding their children even
in where this second marriage was with the
alleged accomplice IN adultery. NJ Clemenceau
then summed up the contentious OF the princess
follows:
The count had formally declared that be would
her husband. The facts that the count had offered
to prove were irrelevant, and If they were
established they had bearing on the education
of the children Furthermore. these allegations
denied by the princess The count was in
spired less by solicftude for the welfare OF his
children than by personal hatred and financial
considerations. The princess, since her marriage
TO her present husband. had fulfilled in every way
her duty toward her children. She had not sought
TO ALLEVIATE their affections from their father. On
he ol11fh had 11T11itI ed IL m
pardonabl fault of bringing the present scandal
TO the detriment OF the children; he had used Ian
guage which Inundated their tutor, and IN
letters to them he had called de sagan a bandit
NJ Clemenceau then denied that de Sagan. since his
marriage. had in any interfered with the
education of the children. Consequently, he asked
the court taking into consideration the prfncess's
expressed declaration that she never had opposed
and would not oppose in the future the exercise
Of the counts legal rights over the education OF
the children provided only that he did not attempt
to poison their minds, TO dismiss the suit
THE CHARGES OF THE PRINCESS
NJ CIemenceau announced that the princess for
raally Joined her husband the allegations against
the count numbered from TO 20. inclusive. These
deal with de Sagans charges that the count. in
order to prevent the marriage of Mmc. Gould with
the Prince de sagan. caused forged letters and
documents, purporting to have been signed by de
Sagan. be sent to Nine. Gould. These papers
consisted Of usurers notes, payable the day the
prince was married to Nine. Gould. and three let
tiers alleged to have been written by de Sagan to
a woman in which he ridiculed Nine Gould and
spoke in scurrilous terms of her. The count set
forth that these documents had been left anony-
uously at his residence during the month of Sep
TENDER, 1907. De Sagan offered to prove. with the
cooperation of his wife. that the count had
ranged through two women. called Nine. q. and
Nine. R, TO have these documents shown to Nine
Gould her country residence. De Sagan. while
indirectly accusing the count of forgery, offered to
prove by experts that these documents were forged
by the same hand
NJ Clemenceau referred to Nine. Goulds al
legged remark that it would been better if she
had not divorced. had lived she pleased
though married. What Nine. Gould really said. NJ.
Clemenceau declared, was: II am treated just If
had lot of lovers
Counsel for the princess contended that testi-
Inony of chauffeur discharged from the service
of de Sagan and private detectives utterly I'M
worthy Of credence. The count. NJ. Clemenceau
said had disspated his wife's fortune spending at
the rate of s1.OOOOOO a year for eleven years LAS
long this money was forthcoming, NJ. CIemen-
ceau said, ''the count considered his wife upright
and honorable When Miss Gould was married TO
de Castellane she had a yearly income of 100000.
During her married life. with its countless follies
like the Maakoff palace. the of $4,000 900 had
been spent. When she obtained her divorce from
the there existed debts amounting 50 400
Co., addition to the sum OF 5000 that had been
given to the Marquis and Marquise de Castellane.
This is the man." cried NJ Clemenceau, who
wants his children educated like a de CasteIlane,
man without a profession, who married for money,
and then devoted himself TO betraying his wife
with his wifes female friends. Contrast him with
George Gould. the brother of the princess. Here
a true man. who has devoted his energies to i'm
proving his railroads in order to get the products
of industry 10 the markets OF the world
TERMS OFFERED TO COUNT BONL
Continuing NJ. Clemenceau revealed the exact |
terms of the settlement which his client offered TO
make at the time Of her divorce The count re- |
fused them on the ground that they were INSULT |
cent. These terms were $4,000 in cash and an |
income of $4,000 year. this income to be in |
creased when the estate of his client was out of |
the hands Of the trustees. Mime. Gould to take
over all the debts then pending.
NJ Clemenceau then rallied the count for re-
preaching de Sagan for relations with other wom-
en- and made similar charges against the count at
the time OF his marriage The count also accused
de sagan with ingratitude because he had once
loaned him $4,000. Where did this money come
FROM" asked the lawyer; why from Anna Gould,
who is now the Princess de sagan."
AS proof that the suit not brought because
Of the counts solicitude for his children and that
the Marquise de Castellane did desire their
custody NJ Clemenceau called attention TO the fact
that the marquise had not come forward party
to the action.
NJ ClemenceaU took up one by one the accusa-
ions made against the princess by the count
yardlng her travels In Italy with de Ssgan. II
should be remembered. the lawyer said, that the
princess was not a young girl. travelling with her
lance out a divorced woman in the company OF
he man she going 10 marry. Furthermore. she
vas an American, NJ. C1emenceau said, and he then
gave breezy picture Of the freedom enjoyed by
women in the United States. Conduct that would
appear to be out of the ordinary in France" ne
said rs perfectly proper on the other side OF
he ocean"
Diminishing the charges brought against the