New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-10
AMERICAN AUTOS LEAD A DIPLOMATS ROMANCE
Why Prevost-ParadoI Killed
Himself in 1870 in Washington.
LOVED A MARRIED WOMAN
He Himself Had q Wife, and
Misery of Position Drove
Him to Suicide.
tBy Gable to Tho Tribune. ]

BY cable TO Inc Trloune.I
Paris, Nov. Dust before the out
break of the Franco-P russian. War
l. e., in July 1s70-a painful sensation
was caused in Washington by the mys-
ferrous suicide there Of M. Provost
Paradol, the Minister Of France, who
had just arrived to present his creden-
tlals to President Grant. The act was
at the time attributed to political
causes, to despair at having left the
ranks of the enemies Of Napoleon III
and rallied" to the empire, which had
assumed a liberal aspect under tho
Premiership of Emile Olivier, but
which nevertheless was on the eve OF
plunging France into a disastrous war
This reasoning was scarcely plausi-
bic, however, because the French Min
lister committed suicide on July 10,
whereas the war was not declared until
July 10. But no other theory was ad-
yanced, and the suicide remained un-
explained until lately, when 81. Louis
Chevreuse, in lie Figaro" revealed
for the first time the real rea-
son for Provost Paradols suicide, AMI
explained how he had been able to as
arate investigations made, first, By
Alexis Rostand, father OF Edmond Ros-
tand, the author Of "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac," and, second, by N. Emile
Of he
recently narrated the sad story In the
Revue Bleue," but without mentioning
the name of the deceased diplomatist'
The facts are as follows:
Provost Paradol had highly roman
tic temperament, which he fnherited
from his mother, who before her mar
rage was a brilliant actress OF the
Coincide FRANCHISE. AS a youth he
graduated with the highest honors
from the Ecole Normale, where his fell
low students were Tame and Sarcey.
lie became a brilliant writer and jour
nalist, and at the early age OF forty
was elected a Member Of the French
Academy. Until the close of the reign
Of NAPOLEON III he had been pas
sionate republican and a bitter oppo-
nent Of the empire. But when the En-
peror promised to inaugurate liberia
reforms Prevost-Paradol defended u
by his pen, and as a reward was OF
fered the post of minister at washing
ton. which he accepted.
prSVnat-
Paradol, although married and the
father of several children, had fallen
desperately in love with en- exceedingly
attractive and talented young woman
from the provinces who had been Judi
cially separated from an unsympa-
thetic husband. Between Provost
Paradol and this woman. whom he flrst
met at a distinguished Partisan salon,
there arose an immediate friendchip
which ripened into intellectual init
macy. The young woman thought that
this sentimental union could last just
as did those Of Stainte Beuve and Nine
D'Arbouville and Of Merimee and his
'inconnue." They were absolutely de-
voted to each other. They met az
friends houses, in libraries and in mu-
seums.
He beseeched and implored her to
enter into a union libre. Although the
woman was herself passionately In love
with the young diplomatist she refused.
You have a wife and children" she
said. "and you must try to forget me-
'T cannot live without you," was his
repIv Under these conditions and In
order to absent himself he accepted the
mission TO Washington.
They had a last meeting the day be-
fore Provost Paradors departure frori
Hayre for New York. It was In the
Bots de Boulogne, near the Cascade.
He implored her to have pity upon him
and he would renounce his mission.
They both wept. AS Provost Psradol
took his final departure he exclaimed,
Remember that your words end my
lIre!"
He sailed for his post and committee
suicide. His body was brought back 70
Paris, and ne was buried In tho midst
Of the excitement of the war. The
woman lost her small fortune and
passed her days in perjury until she
died, three years ago. An obscure point
In history Is thus cleared up by this
touching idyl of a brilliant diplomatist.