Evening star., 1932-10-20
De CASTELLANE
DIES AT AGE Of g.
Former Husband of Anna
Gould Was Beau Brummel
of Paris BouIevards.
BY the Associated Press.


PARIS, October 20.-Marquis Boni
de Castellane. for many years "arbiter
of elegance" bca viva.t and Beau
Brummel of the Paris boulevards, died
today, aged 64. The end came after
weeks serious illness in which the
results of a paralytic stroke were COM
plicated by bronchitis.
Formerly the husband of Anna Gould,
American heiress ard daughter of Jay
Gould, his marriage to the rail kings
daughter made it possible for him to
realize the dream of supremacy in the
world he loved-a world of thorough
bred horses, marble palaces, the opera,
society and the company of brilliant
women.
Last Rites at Midnight
He died peacefully at 4:5O am. with
out recovering consciousness from a
coma into which he lapsed at o'clock
last night. A priest was called at mid
night, when the end seemed near, ana
administered the last rites of the church:
His mother, two brothers and one OF
his sons left the bedside at am, but
his two other sons remained With MN
to the end. These were Count Boniface,
who succeeds to the title of his father.
and George. Jay, the youngest SON, had
left with the marquis mother and
brothers. Jean and StaniSlaS.
Failing health during the last II
years had brought about the virtual re-
tirement of the marquis from the So
ciety over which he once ruled.
He continued to live in his apartment
in the fashionable center of Paris, how
ever, where occasionally he was seen
walking up ana down the Champs
Elysees, where he once dominated as
the host par excellence.
The funeral will be Monday at the
Church of st. Philippe du Roule and
burial will be in the family vault at the
chateau of Rochecotte, in the Depart
ment of the Loire.
World Famed As Count.
1t was as Count Boni de Castellane
that he achieved world notice and it
Is by that title he viii be best remem-
bered. His marriage to Anna Gould
in 1895 was one of the flrsS romantic
arrangements of that period joining
European titles with American millions.
For little more than 10 years there
after, De CaStellane moved about in
such a way as to keep his name ON
the front pages OF American news
public notice in the divorce Obtained
by his American heiress, divorce that
proved one of the most sensational
cases in city renowned for its causes
celebre"
During the years he was receiving so
much newspaper notice. American jour-
nalists generally wrote of Count Boni
de Castellane in a lenientiy 11ippant
manner, and amusement may be said
of the American public when they spoke
OF him. In Francs, however he was
taken more seriously. Paris never
smicd when De Castellane every morn
ing. rain Or shine. accompanied by his
pct bull dog, walked up the Champs
Elvsee~. dressed in the height of that
masculine fashion Of which he person.
ly was the leader He paid particular
ct ention to his w2istcoats, whi1h
res. although heliotrope appeared to
be his "a orite shade for vests.
Dabbler in Politics.
Such tine as Eoni coud spare from
hi sel--sScioncd task OF dazzling the
oani Il by his eXtravagance end prodi-
galit-. he e-n-loved dabbling in politics.
an cole"t.ng works of art.
rarcu's Paul Ernest Boniface de
Cast llane vas born in 1863 Of an cid
family CT the Provence. The family
emblem bore the motto LESS honors
than honor" 1t was the intention Of
the family that Boni should follow a
military career. His Gutocratic char
acter and his love Of indepc7dence. how
ever, were put to hard test by mill
tary discipline, and he left the army,
never to return, es soon as he had COM
pletsd his compulsory service.
u He at once launched out into Paris
Esociety. where. deliberately, he had de-
ci6ed to plav leading role.
Three children wsre born Of the me-
riage of de Csetellene and Anna GCuld
After she obtained he divorce in 1906
there was prolonged litigation for the
custody of the children, which finally
was given to the mother. The count
several times sought to have the mar
riage annulled after the divorce had
been granted. appealing to the Vatican
for that purpose. Each time his plea
was dismissed and the validity OF the
marriage upheld
Two years after the divorc0, Anna
Gould was married at London TO Prince
de Sagan. a cousin Of de Castellane.
WHEN Oc SdSItiIdlIc liiIolio was ~.
of by the divorce. he resolutelv went
Ito work with the same energy that he
had spent in the pursuit of pleasure.
From a distinguished art collector he
chaperoned visiting American million
aires to various sales of antiques,
jewelry and other luXuries of life, re-
ceiving percentage Of the sales. That
gesture of earning a living, although
Genuine and unaffected, remained rather
a platonic cne, as Boni never was abau-
doned by his family or the friends he
had assisted in the days of his afi1uence