TRAGEDY IN HIGH LIFE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 10, 10 May 1881, Page 4

TRAGEDY IN HIGH LIFE.

Neapolitan society has lately been much exercised by a terrible tragedy in high life. For some time past the Countess del Cigno, a lady of extraordinary beauty, had been notoriously at odds with her husband, a gentleman to whom she had, at the urgent instance of her family, most unwillingly given her hand, her heart having already been bestowed upon a young Austrian artist, who quitted Europe, for America on the day of ber marriage, only returning thence to Naples a few weeks ego. He became a frequent gueptbtlbe Countess' evening receptions—a fact which reached the ears of Count del Cigno at his club, where be spent the most of bis time by night ai well as by day. One evening, just as the painter was issuing from the doorway of the Palazzo del Gigno^ttie Count drove up to the ohief entrance, ajnd, while alighting from his carriage, noticed his wife on the balcony 'waving tier hand in farewell to her old lover as be descended the etone stepi'lea'diiig to the street. Without hesitation; the Count drew a stiletto from the breast pocket of his coat and buried it to the Milt in the bosom of bis rival, who fell,

mortally wbundea** to foe ground. A« ■Del Gig no was getting into bis, carriage, however, a ballet from the Austrian's revolver, fired, as it; were, in extremie, paeied through his 1 head, killing him on the spot. Five minutes later tbe artist also breathed his lest. This horrible encounter took place under the very eyes of the Countesp, upon whom tbe speOiaole of her hutband's and lover'a violent death inflicted so overwhelming a shock that she became a raviog maniac, and is now under restraint in a lunatic asylum at Naples,