Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
RACY MEMOIRS SUPPRESSED
Book of Famous English BeRuty
Withdrawn After Big Check
Changes Hands.

LONDON, Jan. 1~6.-(Special )-literary,
social and political circles IN England have
been aflutter for the last few days over
the news which has manages to leak out
that the eagerly awaited Memoirs of one
of the most famous Of titled English
beauties have been suppressed. Almost
before the printers ink was dry on the
proofs of what was expected to be the
most interesting, because the most frank
book of the century, powerful influence was
brought to bear upon the daring authoress
by representatives of a certain exalted
parsonage who was said to figure rather
prominently in the narrative. But the rep
re sentatives found the noblewoman cold
and unyielding to pleadings, arguments,
threats and offers of money and ulti-
mately she was given up as an impossible
proposition. Not so her publisher. to whom
1t was pointed out that persistence in his
intention to publish the book meant ruin.
He eventually saw the matter in that
light and called all deals off.
The tabooed memoirs unfolded marvellous
stories about royalties and society in the
magic circle. There were tales Of mys-
terious checks presented in high places by
wealthy Jews and millionaire Americans,
OF social and POLITICAL intrigues in the
British war office. incidents of marriages
that were arranged in which the Identity
of the dramatis personae was so thinly
yelled as to be easily pierced by anyone
even on the fringe of society, There were
spicy stories OF country house Narties In
every chapter and scandals of cheating at
card tables, some of which were revived
after having been buried for years. To
put It mildly the secrets revealed would
have set the hair OF the middle classes
standing on end had they been read of in
cold print.
The book was compiled for a variety
of reasons, the prominent one being that
the author had quarreled with several
members OF the set in which she once was
a bright and particular star. She als1
wanted money. Had the book been pub,
lished she and her publisher would have
been overwhelmed by a golden stream. II
is calculated that for each there was al
least $4,000 in the book. For not only
would II have been bought greedily in the
United Kingdom, but the continent, Amer,
lea and the colonies would all have, so tc
speak. screamed aloud for IT.
When the exact nature % the book
contents became known in high places tn,
influential relations and friends Of tbs
writer put pressure upon her and reasoned
the matter out with her, saying that III
publication would ruin absolutely everyon,
connected with her, 1t was further ex
planned to her that her very clever son'i
future would be nipped in the bud.
In a week or two tho author accepted
the situation, but only on the condition
that those responsible for the withdrawal
should In some substantial degree max,
up for the loss she was sustaining through
the suppression OF the volume,
Meetings were held at the publisher
49, W
some check changed hands, It Is an opel
secret that the fund for this purpose wa
raised by some OF the most eminent peopl
in England. A definite agreement wa
signed promising that the memoirs woul
never see the light and that all furthe
reference TO them would be withheld iron
the press.