Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-05-22


piece of work. Written With great ap-
parent frankness. SO far as her own
mode Of life is concerned, it has, at
the same time, certain reticences. no.
tably in her suppression of the names
of all but the greatest Of her lovers
In the government and the mag1stra-
ture. 1t explains many things that
mystified the pros ecution and the
world at large, but on the other hand,
adds some new mysteries to the case,
which certainly give the book all the
qualities of flrst-rate detective story
minus the solution. These new mys-
teries will be touched upon later on.
It may be well here to review briefly
Nine. Steinheil's own account of her
childhood and marriage. Isl.
Marguerite Japy was born on April
16, 1869, at Beaucourt, village near
Belfort and the German and Swiss
frontiers. Her father was rich man,
the son of manufacturer, her moth
er the daughter Of an innkeeper at
Montbeliard Nine. Steinheil pic
lures the home life of her parents and
her own childhood as an idyl Of love,
happiness and innocence. Lombroso,
on the other hand, who, no doubt
drew his data from the investigations
Of the French department of justice,
had it that both parents We're gross
sensualists and addicted to alcoholic
excuses, holding them responsible for
the precocious depravity Of which
Nine. Seinheil was accused. There
was also mention Of an illegitimate
child born to her in her teens.
In July, 1890, Marguerite Japy mar
ried Alexandra steinheil, a man nearly
twenty years her senior, a painter OF
some merit, but OF retiring DISPOSE
ton, which prevented him from shout
dering his way upward in the world
He was a nephew OF Meissonier, and
poor. The young couple settled IN
Paris, the wife. according to her own
account, beginning at once to advance
her husbands material interests In
every possible way. Eleven months
later their daughter and only child
was born, Nine. Steinheil leaving the
conjugal roof shortly afterward on
account OF some otfense on her nus
bands part. which she does not spec
lily, but leaves to the readers mag
nation She consented, however, to
a formal reconciliation for the sake OF
their child, at the request of M. D.,
ga famous barrister and attorney gen
eral," who appears to have been the
first OF bewilderingly long success
sion OF her elderly, rich and in1uen-
tial friends. ..g.
All Sought Her Influence.
my salon was more crowded than
ever before. Invitations We're show
cred upon me both from quarters
friendly with the government ana
from quarters in league with the oppo-
sition. My friends were legion, and
my enemies-you cannot possess IN
fluence or power without making enc
mies-were greater flatterers than the
others.
s. "Then there were men who tried to
persuade me Of this, that or the other.
so that should in my turn persuade
the president, and those who laid traps
for me, men whose entreaties were
disguised threats, who tried to know
what knew, and who did not seem to
realize that their very attitude re-
vealed quite plainly their shameless
scheme.
"And hasten to add that sided no
more with one party than with an
other"
Faure she describes as an ardent pa
triot and an optimist who passed
through attacks of deep depression
over conditions in France. The coun-
try he told her, did not hold it's prop
er rank among the great powers be-
cause it's public men did not come
from the "elite" Of the nation, as they
did in England He had unbounded ad-
miration for the craftsmanship OF
Clemenceau, but disliked him, and
called him the most dangerous man In
France, adding tersely, "and what IS
worse, he knows It," According to
Nine. Steinheil's pages, he expressed
himself to her with amazing frank
ness on the men and the events OF the
hour. And often, according to her, ne
formed impossible plans to end crl-
sis. One can well believe the report
that the French government OF today
has tried - suppress this book, ana
looks forward with anxiety to the Ell
feet of It's publication.
Faure's Secrets Were Hers.
Knowing himself to be surrounded
by spies, Faure, fearing that the
manuscript of his memoirs might be
stolen If kept in his rtrong box in the
Elysee palace. requested Nine. Stein
he'll to keep it in her own house, sub
shutting dummies for the originals.
All Paris knew that she entered the
palace on certain days by a side door.
No doubt, she says, she was shadowed,
and the papers thus traced to her.
With the sudden and mysterious
death of the president of the republic
on February 16, 1899, began the turn
Of Nine. Steinheils fortunes. AS she
tells the story of the event. she visited
him in the afternoon, remarked that
be was looking unwell, and received IN
answer the assurance that thereafter
be would be more careful in the use
Of the drug which he was In the habit
Of taking to stimulate the weakened
action Of his heart. She then, SO she
continues, left him. and was not IN
formed of his death until late that
night.
Paris. however, had another version
Of the case, to which 1t clings to this
day. According to this account, Nine.
steinheil was with President Faure
when he died, and had to be hurried
out Of the palace in sem1-hysterical
condition, leaving behind her evidence
Of her presence that was not discov-
cred until later. All of which, accord
Ing to the story, did not prevent her
from being the gayest Of the gay at a
largo dinner marty that very night.