The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-05
REPORT RECEIVED
WITH ABATEMENT
Religious Marriage OF Anna
Gould and De Castellane De-
clared Null and Void.
VATICAN TRIBUNAL ACTS
Proceedings Instituted by Count
Because Former Wife
Married Again.

Especial Gable TO The Times Dispatch.
Paris. March 4.-Thc report that the
religious marriage of Anna Gould now
tho Duchess de Talleyrand. and Count
Boni de Castellane. has been declared
null and void by the congregation of
the lota of the Vatican was received
with almost incredulous amazement
here ~ the so-called pink palace"
which Count Boni built with his wife's
money on the Avenue Mulakon, The
Times-Dispatch correspondent was re-
ceivcd by the Duke dc Talleyrand, who
explained that his wife. having just
returned rather fatigued from din
ner party, had asked him to speak for
her
While we have no official news
about the matter" he said I'VE arc
astounded. We can hardly believe that
any definite action has been taken
by the congregation OF thu Rosa. be
cause two years ago, when the same
case was tried and the petition was
refused, were called upon to
answer all the charges in detail which
we did All the testimony and the
lawyers pleadings were sent then to
my wife for perusal, and we both said
al the time that "A fairer or more
courteous tribunal could not be found.
"Now we are informed, 10 our
nmazement. that verdict has been
rendered in favor of the petitioner,
without our having been called or in
any way notified that the case had
again been brought up for trial.
MY wife does not care to discuss
the action she will take until she is
in receipt vi some official notification
from Rome
The Marquise de Castellane. Count
Eonis mother, received the correspond
ent at the De Castellane home, % Rue
Constantine The marQuise, to whom
aud to her husband Anna Gould for
erly allowed $4,000 a year, said:
The decision pleased us very much.
indeed. II is not that wc wish any
harm 10 Anna Gould for her husband
and I were very fond of her. She has
made mistakes, but we can forgive her.
for Boni has made some too Boni
has won his case by being able TO pro-
duce three witnesses who testified that
Anna 'iould'S consent to the marriage
was only conditional; these witnesses
heard her remarks the day before the
wedding.
'Bon would never have instituted
these proceedings had Anna remained
single, for it was his one purpose in
life To get her to come back TO him,
and it was only when she put an in
surmountablc barrier between them by
marrying De Sagan that lie was forced
to take action to free himself.
"Boni was model husband in many
ways. He designed Annals dresses
gave hints for her hats, and not only
suggested how her hair should be
dressed. but often dressed ii for her
He studied in all ways how TO make
her mora beautiful, he gave her the
best society in Paris. He made her the
hostess of Kings. But his life was
shattered when Anna married his
cousin"
Constant runor has it that Count
Boni wished TO be able TO marry un-
der the church's sanction, because he
viii take TO wife another American
heiress. 10 whom the remark is at
tributed:
II do not need my fathers consent
nor his millions to marry Count Boni.
If my father cuts me off, have enough
for the count and myself"
Of this rumor the Marquis <de Cas-
tcllanc said:
AS 10 Boni's intended marriage ]
know nothing, for my son is ont one
10 talk OF an alliance he was not free
10 make l do not know whether the
lady he has in mind has money or not.
but even if She had not, / would be
pleased to see Boni marry her. if he
so wished. AS for an objection by
chr father. l cannot understand how
he could possibly dsapprove Of an
alliance With my son"
The decision OF the Vatican tribunal
IL IL mas bccn gwen, VIII not aHcct
the civil standing OF the Duchess de
Talleyrand's three sons by her first
marriage-Boui, George and Jay de
Castellane. aged, respectively, sixteen,
fifteen and ten years But II might
affect the boys financial prospects
1t is reported that their mother has
threatened to disinherit them should
Court Boni persist In seeking to annul
their religious marriage Should she
do so at the moment, her son by her
second marriage, Howard, Duke de
Sagan. would be her heir. His par
ents took this bright boy, who will be
four years old next July, to Miss Helen
Gould's wedding in New York recently.