A TERRIBLE HIGH LIFE SCANDAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6003, 12 February 1881, Page 7

A TERRIBLE HIGH LIFE SCANDAL.

A TERRIBLE high life scandal is too notorious not to be spoken of. The Hungarian Baron Friedman de Friedland and his wife, tlie second daughter of the late Due de Pcrsigny and granddaughter of the Princess do la Moscowa, still living, have been arrested on a charge of forging bills for upwards of 100,000 francs in the name of the Princess. The lady is in the common prison of St. Lazare, and the husband is in another. It appears that the young couple married only five years ago, and having luxurious habits, not into difficulties, and pressed the Princess de Moscowa to lend them money to fulfil, as they aliened, broken promises by the mother of the Baroness, the Dowager Duchess de Pcrsigny. The Princess, very rich, very old, rather ecccntrie, and not reputed largehanded, with difficulty was induced to sign bills. These were twice renewed, each time with large usurious interest. But on the third presentation she angrily refused to pay, and the bills having been presented with a forged signature, she at once prosecuted 11 ■/r granddaughter. The friends of this most unfortunate lady suggest a defence, which, if established in the face of an indulgent jury, may produce an acquittal. They say that when the querulous old lady was applied to the last time she said, "I won't sign anything more. lam tired of signing. Henceforth make your bills yourself." This they say may he interpreted as an authorisation to the granddaughter of Marshal Ney to sign her grandmother's name. M. Lachand would be likely to persuade a jmy to accept this theory. Later advices say the arrest of Jldme. de Friedland and her husband for forgery has thrown all other subjects into the shade. It is the sole topic of talk in the clubs and in the upper classes of society, where the unfortunate young couple were extremely popular. Few save their intimate friends and relations knew the misery and anguish which lurked behind the smiling faces of the happy (?) pair. Mdlle. de Pcrsigny married the Baron de Friedland, a Hungarian noble, who was possessed of some small fortune, but endowed with expensive habits. His wife's mother, the Duchess de Pcrsigny, who is wealthy, promised an annuity of 23,0Q0f, which has never been paid. The young mmane, soon fell into difficulties. Mdmc. de Friedland, failing to obtain any help from her mother, repaired to lier grandmother, the old Princess of Jlosjowa, who is enormously rich. The old lady .■ave her a bill for 30,000f, which was negotiated, and by renewals and law expenses, liad grown from 30,000f to 102,000f. Baron Rothschild had negotiated bills for 92,000f, but with a feeling which does him high iionour he declined to prosecute. Others of iiis persuasion were more obdurate. They leeame pressing ; and in a moment of fearful ;orture—after the unhappy lady had vainly mplored for mercy from her grandmother and nother aftera fruitless journey to Chislehurst :o beseech assistance from the Empress for ler husband's former friend and Minister—in i moment of delirious frenzy, which bereft ler of her reason, she forged her grandnother's name. She is now caged up in gaol, '.erditig with felons; and her husband is irrested for complicity in the fraud. We are ie..ustomed to these episodes in Parisian life, >ut this has come home to the business and losoms cf all, by reason of the popularity of he delinquents, whose sorrows have excited jeneral sympathy. The conduct of the unortimate lady's mother and grandmother 1:1s been the subject of strong comments.