The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-08
BY IA a1ARQUISE DE TONTENOT.
~OUNT and Countess stephen Beth
len. who have accompanied Count

len. who have accompanied Coun
~ Apponyl TO this country, arecous-
ms, members of tho same house
OF Bethlen Won Bethlen. which received
It's title OF Count in 1895, and which
belongs 10 tho Hungarian Uradcl, that
is TO say. which was noble at the time
of the dawn or Magyar history The
Count himself Is 4 captain of the Hun
| garian lIonvcd or militia cavalry, and
owns several estates.
But much OF the once great wealth
of this family has been dissipated, and
there is an eXtraordinary story current
In Hungary. according TO which a
hundred years ago. at the time or the
Napolconic wars. the head OF the house
caused all his money, plate and jewels
10 be bricked up in the walls OF his
castle. to prevent their seizure by the
| French. lie died suddenly. without
revealing the hiding place 10 any OF
the members Of his family. the secrc,
being only known TO Ills steward 4
man Of the name OF kun keessrd. The
son of this Count Bethlen found him-
self SO impoverished on succeeding to
his fathers ilonors and estates. that
he was compelled TO sell the castle,
and much OF the landed property, which
We're bought through n third party
BY the steward in question
Having thus obtained possession OF
he castle and its hidden trea sure,
the steward had the good sense TO not
at first make any undue display OF
his wealth. derived from the great
hoard concealed by his dead master.
But later on he commenced 10 propiti
n q ma
I he crown, by muniilccnt gifts TO chart
ties in which the Emperor and the
members OF shc rcigninG dynasty were
more particularly interested. In fact
he was eventually rewarded with the
title of Count, and with q seat in the
hungarian House OF Lords. for his
philanthropy. Nor would any one have
ever known anything about the hiddcn
treasure. had not in his old age Il
man of the name OF Moses Berde.
whose father had been employed in
some humble capacity in the castle.
Obtained possession Of his secret, md
blackmailcd him to such an extent
that he was obliged TO appeal for as
sistancc to the authorities. lie died
before the man could be brought 10
justice. leaving the remnants OF his
fortune 10 charitable Institutions: nor
were the Bethlens ever able to recover
any OF the properly.
Another Count Bethlen--Count Gre
gory--camc very prominently before
champion Of Princess Arthur Odescal-
Chi, whose husband, after having d-
vorced two other wives. became so in
sanel" jealous OF her. that he ended
BY keeping her close prisoner in his
Castle of SZolesany. in Hungary, sta
tioning armed retainers at tile door
Of her apartments, TO prevent her
egrcss. and also in order to preclude
the possibility of any one having access
to her. Somehow or other the Princess
managed to communicate the news Of
her treatment to Count Bcthlen. who
lost no time in informing the authori-
ties at Pesth about the affair. The
Princess was th,reuDon summoned by
the judicial courts at Pesth to appear
| before them. in order to give evidence
as to whether or not sl1e had lceIi k eDt
in durancc. and deprived OF her liberty.
After some demur, he Prince CON
sentcd to release his wife, and TO per-
nit her to obey the summons Of the
court, whereupon she promptly insti-
tuted divorce proceedings against him
on the ground OF cruelty, and obtained
{; dissolution Of the marriage. She was
| by birth a Countess Julia Zichy. and
contrary to expectation, did not marry
| her champion. who had to fight a duel
| with the Prince. In tho course OF
which he received a severe wound in
+; the shoulder.
The fight between Count Bethlen and