Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1883 — A PARIS SENSATION. [ARTICLE]

A PARIS SENSATION.

Marie Colombier Horsewhipped by Sarah Bernhardt. A Duel the Result of the Scandalous 1 Affair. [Cable dhaDatch from Paris.] The scandal of toe day is the appearance of a book called “Memoirs of Sarah Barnum,” by Mile. Marie Colombier, who writes what purports to be the memoirs of Sarah Bernhardt, toe authoress' ex-friend and directress during her tour in America. Marie Colombier begins with Sarah Bernhardt in the cradle, drags her whole life through the mire, and winds up a tolerable eol-diswnt prophecy where Sarah is represented dying and having out open her head and faoe from striking the bedstead during an attack of delirium tremens. —— Tho first outcome of this abominable bock was a duel yesterday morning between Octave Mlrabeau, who wrote a scathing criticism of the volume, and M. Paul Bonnotaln, who wrote the preface to the memoirs. M. Bonne tain received two slight wounds. M. Bonnetain’s seconds wore Prince Karageorgevltch and tho Marquis de Talleyrand. The duel begun in the morning by the men was continued in the afternoon by the women, and under the most unique circumstances. Mdme. Sarah Bernhardt went in the morning to see M. Clement, Oommissaire aux Delegations Judlciores, to find out whether the law did not givo her the right to seize the book and stop its sale. She was told that she must first take legal proceedings and await the decision of the Judges. Surah, with her blood thoroughly aroused and too impatlent.to wait for jegal technicalities to suppress the book, toe* justice into her own hands and sallied forth, armed, not with a sword, nor a revolver, nor a mitraille, but with a plain stout horsewhip. Sarah drove straight to the apartments of Marie Colombier. At the moment of her departure Sarah, boiling over with fury, did not conceal what she meant to do, and her friends present —namely: Mile. Antolnine,Mme. Jean Ruchepin, and Kerbernhardt—who knew well where a woman’s anger begins, but not at all where It ends—also jumped into a carriage and followed Sarah. Arrived at the Hue Thann, Sarah went up the staircase and rang the hell. The moment the servant opened the door she darted into the salon and found herself face to face with Marie Colombier. The two women for ah instant eyed each' other, then like a hungry tigress Sarah sprang at Marie Colombier, vociferating murderous epithets, and lashed her adversary straight across the face with her horsewhip. Mile. Cykjmbier shrieked with pain and rage. She was not alone, for M. Jehon Sccdan and Mile. Defresnes happened to be visiting her. M. Jehan Soudan buret into the room to separate the two women. He tried to seize Sarah in his arms to hold her down, but at the same moment M. Jean Richepin, who had just arrived behind Sarah, dashed, open the door and clutched M. Soudan by the throat. Sarah again sprang at Colombier, lushing and cutting hec with the whip. M. Maurice Bernhardt, M. Kerbernkardt and Mile. Antolnine arrived upo n toe scene of the drama. Mile. Colombier turned and lied, Sarah pursuing; The wild chase continued into one room and out of another, nobody be tug able to stop them, Sarah and her victim jumping over chairs and tables and dashing into a thousand pieces mirrors, etageres, and pictures, Sarah all the time whipping Marie. At last Mile. Colombier managed to escape by the servants' stairway. Sarah Bernhardt, utterly exhausted but revenged, withdrew. In passing through tho front door, Sarah showed her horsewhip to toe concierge, saying; “Marshal Canrobert gave it to me, but 1 give It to MHe. Celombier as a souvenir.” An hour later Barob Bernhardt played her role at the Theatre Porte Saint Martin in the dress rehearsal for “ Nana Salb.”