R Diane De Chamfers Extrava- «B B B B B B B B B I B I B B IB B Gfe Gant Display of Jew- Els, I>A Belle Otero Swept Into the Casino V I*
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IHk' The Day After Diane de Chamfers Extrava- «B B B B B B B B B I B I B B IB B gfe gant Display of Jew- els, I>a Belle Otero Swept Into the Casino v I*. fi .. - Case. She Was With IflUk The Frightened Nazis Have r out a Single Gem, But Closed the Casino, Inaugu- Her Maid, Who Fol- rated a Blackout and Eight m o’clock Curfew, and Turned lowed Her, Was Hung Gambling i m w^m A, the Famous Para- Diamonds •* \ With Such m 4 J|y|^ dise Into a Ghost Town. as the World Has Never Seen on One Woman. j Wt'Smj HBPWiuWkjQft night. Why, they simply are torn to shreds.” Eleanora Duse, the tragedienne, was a well- known habitue of the Casino. One night she was so shocked at the suicide of a young girl at her side that she left the table and never returned. For the rest of her life she was haunted by that scene and was said to have had the “saddest face in the world.” Ten years ago Yvette Laurent reigned «y Monte Carlo as queen of the demimonde. T)» blonde was a most extraordinary creature, for si. wanted to see her rivals as happy and rich as she was. She introduced the pretty hut pov- erty-stricken “Baby” Knudsen to the lia- ron Jean Empain, a Belgian billionaire who amassed much wealth by obtaining «&r a concession from the Ville de Paris to exploit the city's subways, and used to drop 20,000,000 francs on the groi n cloth with unconcern. Like Alice Perillat, whose ruling pas- sion was play, and who committed Minnie v after losing heavily at the Enghien Ca- sino, Yvette Laurent frittered away her immense fortune at roulette and, when she became penni- less, she killed herself. Mile. Thuillicr, popularly known as “Primrose." once staked 1,000,000 francs at Monte Carlo on the turn of a card—and lost. This adventuress be- lieved that the greatest pleasure in life was win- Cards, many curious people have ning. The next greatest, losing. _ V \> been seen at the gaming tables, In Russia, she held the Czar in leash like a but few more curious, perhaps, poodle. The Little Father gave her the famous LISBON, Portugal than the American boulevardier, Berry Wall, who Blue Diamond, that formerly belonged to Marie CARLO, which proudly called itself was a part of the Monte Carlo landscape for a half Antoinette, but a few years ago Primrose pawned the “pleasure capital of the universe," century. He died there in 19-10, at the age of 79. it to discharge gambling debts. She was as un- looks gay as a graveyard today. The This monocled and mustached King of Dudes lucky as the Baroness de Vaughan ex-apple- MONTE- war boom spree of the last three years is ended dressed as his fancy dictated, wearing “flower- vender and girl-friend of King Leopold- who sold and the Casino closed. Five thousand alien gam- pot” collars, cravats flamboyant as Beau Brum- her pearl necklace valued at 20,000,000 francs to blers have been expelled from the Principality. mell’s, camelias in the buttonhole of his frock coat, pay roulette losses. The city no longer sounds its fanfare of follies, checked trousers, gaiters and pointed shoes. In her youth, Primrose was one of the pro- but a curfew at 8 P. M. Food is rationed, and the Like Barbey d’Aurevilly, another noted dandy, tegees of Emilienne d’Alenoon, a celebrated actress blackout makes this comer of the Cote d’Azur Wall had a natural gift for eccentricity. When his and demirep of 1900, who was lovely and much seem like the Stygian coast. wife, the former Miss Lomie Melbourne of Wash- addicted to gaming. After Emilienne had adopted The gardens of the Casino are deserted and ington, died in 1936, he was overcome by sorrow. the girl, she let her become the companion of overgrown with weeds. Half-naked fishermen wash The following year he remembered the anniversary Jacques Hennossy, the actress’ protector,»w ho had their nets on the esplanade. of her death by giving a banquet to 30 friends at tired of EmHienne. Primrose disliked the job and, Monte Carlo, spectacle of the world, how it has the Monte Carlo Casino, and serving them at des- in the Salle Privee at Monte Carlo, engaged in a fallen! The guide book says it is on a rock, but sert with cake, the facsimile of his wife’s tomb! scratching match with the comedienne. perhaps it would be more truthful to say now The Baron von Paland was another bizzare that it is “on the rocks.” figure of the resort. 'His hobbies were playing SCHRATT, mistress and confidante Until last month, it was a City of Enchantment, roulette, playing the flute, and playing the buffoon. KATHARINAof Emperor Franz Josef and sometimes called an oasis in the European desert. Night after night He often rode into the Knickerbocker night club “the uncrowned Empress of Austria,” was the most Black Market kings scattered millions of francs on on horseback, and once drove a flock of 300 sheep reckless woman gamester at Monte Carlo in 1900. the gaming tables. into the Hotel de Paris, and turned them loose in This lively little woman, who began her career ' Then, suddenly, the German High Command—- the bedrooms of \ le girls hired by the Casino. as an actress at the Burg Theatre. Vienna. the ablest architects of ruin that the world ever Queen Victoria characterized Monte Carlo as a later lived as a favorite of Franz Josef in a yello saw—cracked down on the Principality. It feared, “hotbed of turpitude,” but her remark did not painted villa close to the Schoenbrunn Castle, lost it seems, the proximity of the Allied bases in serve to prevent many English notables from several fortunes at Monte Carlo. The Corsica, and hoped to save Nazi skins by making patronizing the Casino. always paid her debts. a fortress of Monaco. The Duke of Westminster, when complimented Jenny Dolly, the dancer, gambled ceaselessly, The last night of Monte Carlo was not particu- on his calmness at the baccarat tables, declared to sometimes 36 hours at a stretch in the Sporting larly brilliant. People played 10 and 20 franc a friend: Club, where she won and lost millions of francs. notes. In the baccarat rooms, only 3,(XX) francs “My face may be calm, but I wish you could It seemed as though her stream of money could were risked and the game closed abruptly. see my feet. Why, at every coup, I crisp my toes never end. But it did. Her jewels were finally Since the Blanc Brothers built this House of so tightly that a pair of socks lasts me only one sold at auction in Paris by the Municipal Pawn- 12 June 111. Iflit.