A Ballad Girl’s Revenge.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 451, 5 March 1890, Page 3

A Ballad Girl’s Revenge.

A shocking case of murder is reported from Athens. The crime was committed by a member of the company performing at the Grand Theatre, and is said to have been actuated by jealousy. The ballet-dancers were engaged and brought to Athens from Samara, where they had been performing in the same piece, ‘ Flora Mirabilis.’ Just before the departure of the troupe from Athens, a farewell party was given by two of the chief ladies of the ballet at the Hotel d’Amerique. Both of the dancers were very beautiful and great favourites with the public, especially the male portion, from whom they had received many valuable presents during their stay. Some disagreements existed between the ladies, Mademoiselle Ernesta Baroni and Mademoiselle Margheriba Stefanoni, about a common admirer whom the latter had considered had paid too much attention bo the former. After supper, at which champayne flowed freely, the rivals became very quarrelsome, and retired to their bedroom to fight it out. They did nob return to the supper-room, and the guests, who had all more or less partaken too freely of the wine, concluded that they had retired for the night. Early next morning Mademoiselle Stefanoni was seen to leave the hotel. The landlord, suspecting that something was wrong by the actress’s unusually early appeai'ance, wend upstairs, and, receiving no answer to repeated knocks, he opened the door and entered the room, where he was horrified to see Mademoiselle Baroni lying on one of the beds apparently in a dying condition. The doctor, who was hurriedly sent for, did nob arrive until the unfortunate girl had breathed her last. He stated that death had been caused by a long silver hairpin, which had pierced the left lung. The alleged murderess, Margherita. Stefanoni, who is a favourite dancer in Rome, was arrested in the course of the day ; she is only 17 yea is of age, and her victim, who was shortly to be married to a rich young Roman, was a year her senior.