South Bend News-Times, Volume 33, Number 232, South Bend, St. Joseph County, 19 August 1916 — Page 7

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Violated Tomb . ,;of ' I: What

Thö Big House-Boat 4lAImee," Belonging to M. Ed Ä the Husband of Mile. Lantelme, from Which She Was Mysteriously Drowned 1 .; in the Rhine. beeiOHg in the Grave of the Woman.

Whose Tragic Death Still Remains One of the Great Enigmas of Paris?

Taris, Aug. 3. WHAT criminal madness leads men to violate the grave or the unhappy Parisian beauty, Lucie Lantelme? Forthc Fecond time since her mysterious tragic deatfi by drowning in the Rhine, her grave in Paris has been broken open by ghouls. The exact reacoa for the desecration in each Instance remains uncertain. The latest violation occurred on th night of June 21. The grave is situated in the historic Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. The ghouls raised up the heavy Flab of the stone covering the vault and then descended into it by means of the ropes used by the grave diggers. They broke through the heavy coffins of oak and lead that held the body of poor Lantelme, but did not touch the six coffins of other members of the family lying in the vault. They dragged out the poor remains of her who had been the most noted beauty of Paris and scattered them brutally about the vault. What their object wa3 it is Impossible to understand. It is naturally suggested that they were robbers in search of valuables that might have been left in the tomb, but Iantelrne's jewels, originally buried with her, had ben removed after the attack on her grave in 1911, and thl3 fact was widely known. Magistrate Uoucard has opened an Inquiry into the latest attempt on Lantelme's grave. Anthropomr trie experts have taken records of finger prints and other marks left by the marauders, but no definite results have so far been reached. Strange to say. there wa3 much doubt whether the previous outrage on December 21, 1311, was really motived by robbery. Although jewels of great value were then In the tomb, nothing was taken. A correspondent who saw the tomb immediately after that violation, gave this strange description of the scene: "The violated vault showed evidence3 of a frenzy of destruction. Not only were coffins wrenched open, but the mortuary altar wa3 smashed, the cros?. statues Lud vessels shattered and flung into a disordered heap ia one corner of tho mausoleum. " "If tliere had been a definite search for the Jewels alone of the dead woman, the robbers would have devoted themselves solely to that quest and not have wasted their time cn these dreadful acts of wild and unreasoning savagery." In order to enter the vanlt the ghouls were compelled to tear out Iron bars and break glass windows. There were many marks of chisels and wrenches on the hcavy'lcaden coSln. It was known that the most valuable of Mile. Lantelme's Jewels had ben buried with her. When the police reached the scene of the outrage they first disinfected the burial place, whicn is of polished stone, eighteen feet high by fifteen feet pquare. Mile. VermeUe. a friend of the dead woman, was called to identify the Jewels. M. Kdwards was prevented by serious illness from being present. He made a statement, however, that his wife's Jen r Is had been buritd with her uudwr a i-illow beneath her h.ucL

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Gkouls Tho jewels were all found untouched In the coffin. Why had the thieves not taken them? Here, perhaps, Is the greatest mystery. The leaden coffin was deeply scratched by sharp tool3. While peering about this vicinity the Investigators found heavy splashes of bloo. on the ground. Similar splashes were found all the way from the coffin up to the entrance to the graveyard. It has been conjectured that tho thieves quarrelled over the coffin and fought one another over it with knives. But why did they all run away? Why did not the victor or victors stay and finish the work of robbery? It was known to many that the enormously valuable jewels given to Lantelme by her millionaire husband, Alfred Charles Edwards, proprietor of the Matin newspaper and head of various wealthy exterprises. were buried with her body in her coffin. Among these was a magnificent pearl necklace valued it $S0,0C0 and an emerald necklace, also of great value. After M. Edwards had recovered from the illness which this attempt caused him he announced that he had removed the Jewels following tho outrage on the tomb. Lantelme was the fourth wife of M. Edwards, a strange character of mixed English, French and Hebrew descent. After her death his engement was reported to two beautiful young actresses in succession. He died, however, without marrying either of them, and then to everybody's amazement it was found he had left all bis property to Mile. Cfabrielle Colonna Romano, also a charming actress, but not one of the two charming ones mentioned a3 a prospective wife. Mile. Colonna Romano had been an intimate friend of Lantelme. and the explanation accepted by Paris was that some form ot devotion to his dead wife caused "Bluebeard" Edwards to leave his property and her jewels to her friend. These are but a few outlines from one of the most curious and complex tragedies of modern Parisian life. Lucie Lantelme was for a time the most popular and admired of Parisian beauties. She was the daughter of a Parisian concierge. Her parents were of Polish origin and her real came was Misia Godebska. As a mere child she won a success on the legitimate stage not only by her beauty, but by her clever acting. The most exquisite feature of her beauty lay in her deep, dark, sad, wistful eyes "the haunting eyes of Lantelme." as they were called in Paris. Her husband in his last days, when he knew that death was abot to take bin, used to say: "Those eyes! Wherever I go I see then the wistful, the glorious eyes cf my dead wife." Lantelme was married to tho elderly "Bluebeard" Edwards when a mero girl. He gave her every luxury splendid jewels, the most beautiful dresses la Paris, a wonderfully furnished house. But her manner showed that she was not happy. . Among their possessions was an extremely large houseboat, the Aimee. in which a number of persons could live luxuriously. In this beat they proceeded with z. gay party of friends frcm the Seine to the Rhine by way c the Norlii Sea.

THE SOUTH BEND NEWS

' . -- ( - X i . r J V Mile. Lantelme, the Most Admired of Whose Twice Violated Grave Is An inexorable fate pursued her as in a Greek tragedy. On July 24, 1911, when she was only twenty-three years old and at the summit of her youthful beauty and fame, she was mysteriously drowned from this boat Edwards had excused himself early and gone to his cabin. After a gay night of singing and dancing, in which much champagne was consumed, Lantelme retired to her own room and bolted the door. A short time later, after 1 a. m., the guests on the boat were aroused by a woman's cry and the shout3 of Edwards, who had broken in his wife's door. Lantelme had gone overboard. Her body was not recovered until daylightHer delicate form, clothed only 'n t. night garment, was kept tied by rope to the stern of the boat for twenty-four hours until the authorities could perform an autopsy. What really happened in Lantelme's boudoir has always been a mystery. According to the evidence at the inquest the guests were aroused by a cry, and. rushing out, found M. Edwards in front of Lantelme's door. He told that he had gone to bed, but then he felt something was the matter with his wife. He went to the door of her room and knocked. Getting no answer, he called to her. Growing more alarmed, he shouted, and it was these shouts that aroused the others. All agreed that they had then broken open the door. They found the window in Lantelme's room wide open, but not a sign of Lantelme. There were no marks of any struggle. They looked out into the racing river, but saw nothing and heard no cries. When they looked back into the room they saw M. Edwnrds in a faint. They immediately lowered the small boats and searched, but could not find her body that nignt.

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Cowiif, 1916. by itc tar Com;ür.y. Great EriUln nibt RMcrvcd.

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Beauty Paris Ever Knew, the Mystery Now Agitating the War-Torn Capital

Then a second story crept out. This was that the gnestM had heard a woman's cry. They went to Edwards's room and roused him. He said that he had heard no cry. All had then knocked, at Lantelme's door. Receiving no answer, they broke in and found her missing. Edwards brought a libel suit again?t a correspondent for attaching suspicion to him and obtained nominal damages. Many strango reports persisted. An actor who had known Lantelme well said she had told him her hu.sband had threatened to shoot her dozens of times and made her life mlrerable. Evervbndv called how hopelessly sad she appeared to be. "Could it be." tho Parisians asked, "that the husband, this man of many wives, was possessed of some strange mania that made his wife's life unendurable?" And now, after they are both dead, the tragic fate that wrecked her life still haunts her in death and will not let her boaes rest in peace!

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X V..v".s i V S m ' i I'4 , i Lantelme Was Noted fo? Extravagances. This Photograph Is a Reproduction of a Fantastic Picture by a French Photographer Showing Her Wearing Her Splendid $80,000 Pearl Necklace and Leading a "Toy Elephant," Symbolizing Her Eccentricities. The First Violation of Her Tomb Wa; Thought to Have Been for the Jewels Is Was Supposed Were Buried with Her.