New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-15

has just taken place in the Supreme Court
Of the German Empire at Leipsic.
The late Count George Won Voss tscion
Of Prussian and Mecklenburs family that
has played a considerable role in Prussian
history. one of its members. Amelia Won
voss. having been the morganatic consort
of King Frederick William II of Prussia).
married peasant girl of the name of
Antonio Dehska. The union, though happy
in every other respect, proved childless
and feeling the absence of some one on
whom he could lavish paternal care and
affection, the count adopted the little
daughter of one of his wife's sisters, who
was married TO carpenter The carpenter
and his wife relinquished all claim to the
girl. whose name was Helen, and who
was brought up by Count and Countess
George Won Voss wholly as their own. In
order TO completely establish the position
of the child the count brfbed a Lutheran
clergyman to furnish him with a baptismal
and birth certificate as being his own Off
spring.
When the child who was thus brought up
as Countess Helen Won Voss and figured
as such in the Almanach de Gotha, was
thirteen years old her aunt and adopted
mother died. This was in 1878. A year
later Count George Won Eoss married a
woman OF his own rank. Eneline Won Har
rassowsky. of the GaEeian, that is TO say
PoIish-Austrian. nobility, confiding to her
the secret of Heien's origin, but threaten
ing her with death in case she should re-
veal II to any one else. When Helen grew
up into very lovely girl she was mar
ried, as Countess Won Voss TO Major (then
captain Otto Won Grone.
Unfortunately Count Won Noss. who had
been so devoted 10 his adopted daughter.
neglected 10 make will, and when he
died a question arose as to the disposition
of his large fortune. His widow was eN-
posed 10 great temptation. If she kept the
secret of Helens birth, she would be
obliged to surrender a considerable portion
Of her dead husbands estate If, on the
other hand, she revealed the true facts
she would become the sole heir. 1t Is not
surprising that she decided in favor OF the
latter alternative: and one morning Nine.
Won Grone received a letter informing her
that instead Of having been the daughter
Of Count George Won Voss, she was merely
the offspring of humble village carpenter
and of his peasant wife. The widowed
Countess Won Voss likewise added that in
asInuch as she, Nine. Won Grone. had re
sdopted father during his lifetime, she
vo,JId do well TO abandon all claim to his
inheritance. and not to risk the exposure
of her humble origin which a lawsuit would
necessarily entail.
The widowed Countess Won Noss had,
however reckoned without her host. Ma
Tor Won Grone. far from stunning the reTe-
Iations as to his vifes parentaGe. took the
initiative in litigation, and before she knew
where she was the widow found herself the
defendant instead of the plaintiff IN the
action The majors case was that he had
been induced 10 marry his wife by repre-
senta tons that she was the only child ana
heiress OF Count George Won Voss, and that
consequently a fraud had been practised
upon him. He brought evidence TO show
that. inasnluch his marriage had taken
place six or seven years after the second
union OF Count George Voss, the latter s
widow was fully cognizant of the deceit
and a partv to the fraud. He therefore
denande that the widowed countess, as
cole heiress of her husband, but party
TO the fraud practised upon him, should be
coupelled to pay sum of some $3.50. coo.
to which his wife would have been entitled
had she really been the counts daughter.
The Supreme Court Of the Empire, IN
final sppeal has now decided In the ma
ior's favor, and his wife VIII therefore not
suffer anv pecuniary loss through the dis
closure Of the secret of her birth; while her
own charm and her husband popularity
a+ the court Of Potsdam and in the Berlin
great world are sufficient 10 prevent her
position being impaired by the sacrifice of
her rine-pointed coronet as a countess. In
fact sympathy in Berlin and at Potsdam
has been all with the Cirones in their fight
with the widowed Countess George Won
Noss.