The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-14

feminine, always "eterna." Two Am
erican women who have had the CEN
ter of the stage for some DAYS still
retain II. and, what is more will prob
ably continue to do SO for some time.
They are the talk of Paris and to such
an extent that together with the hus
band OF one of them, they and their
experiences are being portrayed and
caricatured on the vaudeville stages OF
the French capital.
The case is that of Mrs. Charles Ham,
ilton Payne of Boston, and the Comte
% and Comtesse ~ d'Aulby de Ga
tigny, the Comtesse being also a Bos-
toian before she graduated into the
ranks of the near aristocracy. Talk of
a cause for gossip and scandal. The
now celebrated picture fraud affair
in which Mrs. Payne is the victim is
the talk of Paris, and promises to be
SO for some time.
Mrs. Payne who is very wealthy,
continues to occupy the magnificent
former residence Of the Stanilaus-Cas-
tellanes, in the Avenue de Bots, has
brought suit for 100000 against the
so-called Comte and Comtesse d'Aulby
de Gatigny of Tours, who lay claim to
even more imposing and high sounding
titles, charging that number of paint
lngs sold to her as genuine old mas
tiers are really nothing but clever re-
productions. There are those. howev-
er. who say that the paintings incl
dent itself is not the entire cause of
this beautiful scandal and court pro-
ceedings against those who. until a
very short time ago, were intimate
friends of the plaintiff. There are
hints that the pseudo count cherished
a strong feeling of admiration for the
widow of the late Boston copper king
whose chief aim when in the flesh
seemed to be to provide the necessary
financial sinews of war to carry on the
storming of the doors of the social
castle occupied by the Paris -Four
Hundred''
The pseudo countess, like her former
friend is also from Boston where it is
said she belongs to a plain minded and
simple family who never entirely ap-
proved of her marriage. The posses
sor OF remarkably fine ccntralto
voice. Francesca Lunt had visions be-
fore meeting the Count of an operate
career, she at that time was a men,
Der of the choir of fashionable Bos-
ton church
After the marriage and bent upon So
cial success. the Comte and Comtesse
went to England from Boston but af-
ter an unprogressive stay in London
they journeyed to Tours, France, and
endeavored to acquire that accent in
the ancient French city which is said
to be the purest in all France. From
a modest boarding house they made
their debut by means of a stony"
front in the select circle of the most
exclusive society of old Touraine.
This former dwelling section of the
old kings of France remains conserv-
ative to a degree, but the city of Tours
proper is more progressive. Many of
its residents love a good dinner with
equally good wine. Hence with this
fact in view and the prestige of alleged
American wealth through the wife,
the couple made considerable headway.
All was not smooth sailing. however.
for many of the doors of the most de-
sirable houses remained closed to the
strangers whom none knew and who
bearing a French name,
spoke French with delightful Cock
ney accent.
Enter Mrs. Charles Hamilton Payne
of Boston. U. S. A, with millions in
her bank account, magnificent furs.
priceless gowns of lace and cloth Of
gold. The acquaintance which began
when the two ladies sailed as fellow
from Boston to Europe
soon grew into the closest friendship.
What more natural than that the
Comtesse should show her new friend
her chateaux and likewise her titled
friends of Tours? At the former the
Comte displayed his treasures of
so-called art, and showed a willing
ness to oblige the Boston widow with
an evidence of his taste and superior
knowledge of how things are done
over here"
Hence when the rented furnished
house occupied by Mrs. Payne was Civ
IN up. it was the Comte who found
one more suitable and incidentally
much more expensive and who as
sisted in supplying what he declared
% be most essential in of a true gal
cry. Il as a friend will loan you mine
'or a mere trifle annually he offer
I'd. Il will even consent to sell you
1 few of the best works at a friends
price, he added. Who could resist
such an offer, and who would question
he motive.
The French courts are now establish
ng the fact, little by little, that ii
would have been advisable for Mrs.
Payne to have investigated with a
Yankee caution before accept
ng the Comics offer, but as the law
n France is very strict about most
matters there is little doubt that Mrs.
Payne will receive proper satisfaction
n a financial way. The wound 10
Ter pride. however, in finding that the
tiles of nobility claimed by her friends
S of the same character as the paint
ng she bought at exorbitant prices:
hat the husband is not prince. nor
wen a count but just plain Mister" |
oaulbey of London. England. where
t is said his father is tailor. can
he