MEAN’S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1922, Page 10

MEAN’S WORLD

J MONTMARTRE AT NIGHT* MILLIONAIRESS SHOCKED ' Z Mies Mathilde M'Cormick, the seven-teen-year-old granddaughter of Air. John D. Rockefeller, who was staying at Paris on her way to Switzerland, -where she intends to marry M. Max Oser, a riding-master of 45, visited Montmartre in the early hours of one morning last month, according to the New York Herald. With a friend, the newspaper says, she went to an establishment which, in its own printed cards, boasts to be “the most ‘interesting’ in Montmartre at night,” in the Rue Berthe. “La Petite Chaumiere” is a small establishment, and the strictest economy is practised in the matter of costumes. However, while the economy of costume was not resented by the young American visitor, the economy of decency seemed to her such an outrage on her conception of Paris and Montmartre that she hurried out of the place, followed by her companion, deeply shocked by what she had seen. Miss M’Cormick’s companion subsequently appeared at the Prefecture of Police and, in the name of Mr. Rockefeller’s granddaughter, lodged a complaint. An inspector was immediately despatched to the estalishment and made a thorough investigation of the spectacle offered there. After careful deliberation he decided that Miss M‘Cormick’s youthful idealism was too lofty, and that the performers lived up to the artistic standards of Montmartre.

HOW LADY ESSEX DIED FAINTING ATTACK IN BATHROOM. Expert evidence at the inquest on Adele. Countess of Essex, the stepmother of the present Earl., who was found dead in her bath, showed that death was due to syncope, and not to drowning. Airs. Asquith was one of the witnesses. She met the Countess, who was a friend, at a dinner at 34, Grosvenor street. “I had never seen her looking better,’’ said Airs. Asquith. “She discussed her future plans, and was in the best of spirits.” Airs. Asquith added that she drove Lady Essex home to Brook street. The Coroner: Did she discuss anything that was a worry or trouble to l ier ? —No. I think she was peculiarly free from worries. WHAT MAID FOUND. Nignon Etreuette, lady’s maid, gave evidence as to finding her mistress in the bath. Usually Lady Essex took her bath before dressing, but on Thursday she was late and she said she would have it when she returned home. Dr. Gwynne Lawrence, of Green street, said he had attended the Dowager Countess for* ten years, but Jjad not seen her for two years until June 27 last, when she complained of having had several bad nights. Last Alonday she told him she was getting on well, and did not need the drugs he had prescribed. When he was called to the house on Friday morning he noticed that the wire of a bell on the far side of the bath was broken. On the shelf high up in the bathroom was a flask .containing brandy and a bottle of medicine. There was a medicine glass which contained some brandy. He had not seen the Countess in a fainting condition. but had heard that she had had EXPERT EVIDENCE. Dr. Spilsbury. the Home Office pathologist. who made a post-mortem examination, said there were small bruises on the elbows and left knee. The heart was enlarged, and there was marked degeneration. The cause of death, he said, was syncope, from heart failure, due to disease of the heart muscles. He thought the Countess had a fainting attack, which probably came on after she entered the bathroom, which might have been induced bv the oppressive atmosphere of the bathroom, and she fell into the bath, and either died when she entered the water, as as a result of shock on entering the water. A verdict of “Death from natural causes” was returned. WOMEN DUPED BY CLERGYMAN. DOUBLE LIFE LANDS HIM TN GAOL. A mild-looking man, dressed in clerical attire and wearing gold-rimmed eveglasses, stood in the dock at the Old Bailey and listened to an amazing story told of his career. “He appears to have lived a Jekyll and Hyde existence living first with his wife and than with the other woman. He is a specious rogue and liar.” Such were the comments of a detective officer on the life and conduct of the accused man, who was described ag a “clerk in Holy Orders,” and whose name was given as Evelyn Lopresti, alias Talbot and Arpad, aged GO. The charge against him. to which he pleaded guilty, was that of obtaining three sum.< amounting to £662. without disclosing that he was an undischarged bankrupt. Counsel for the prosecution stated that Lopresti was made bankrupt in 1913. In February, 1918, he went to stay at a hotel, giving the name of the Rev. Eric Talbot, and that of a woman who went with him-—who was not his wife—as Mrs. Talbot. He left the hotel owing £2.99 6/6. Next he went to lodge with a Miss Miller,* giving the names of the Rev. Evelyn and Mrs. Tablot. He left owing over £74. He also borrowed £289 from Mr. Hodgson, a fellow clergyman. Counsel read a letter Lopresti wrote to Air. Hodgson, in which he said the settlement of hie affairs had been delayed, ami asked for a loan. He wrote: “I am to be inducted into a benefice. I am taking'the imine of Talbot, as I inherit some property later on, and that is one of the conditions. 1 am in my sixtieth year, so please help mo. The benefice i.. a rectory worth about £4B'4

These statements were entirely untrue .said counsel. There were two other warrants out against accused, he added, on charges of causing to be inserted in various registers of births false entries in relation to his illegitimate children. The Judge, with prisoner’s assent, agreed to take these charges into consideration. Counsel said that in 1913 Lopresti resigned a living under pressure from his bishop because of a scandal which arose because of his relations with a nurse at an institution at which he was chaplain. Tn 1916 the nurse gave birth to a child which defendant registered at Dorking, giving his name as the Rev. Evelyn Arpad, and saying the woman was hig wife. In April, 1919, another child was born at New Mailden, and he gave similar particulars. Some months later he deserted the woman, and she had gone into the workhouse. Detective-Inspector Ernest Hill, of Scotland Yard, stated that when he said to Lopresti: “I shall tell the court at the proper time that you have -been living on your wits since 1913,” he netorted: “That’s so. We have to live.” The officer said Lopresti was of Italian descent, and his wife was still living. Between 1917 and 1918, Lopresti had obtained about £2850 from a lady relative. In ]919 he obtained £3B from another lady in this case, even going so far as to give the three hymns, which were “to be used at hig induction service.” The sum got from Mr. Hodgson represented his life savings. Lopresti had been rector of Racton, Emsworth, near Chichester, added witness. The Judge said that he could find no extenuating circumstances in a deplorable career. Lopresti would be imprisoned in the second division for nine months.

WOMAN SHOT DEAD. STRANGE ADMISSION IN COURT. Sydney, Sept. 14. Apart from the actual crime, the outstanding feature of the inquest at Adelaide into the death of Eleanor Beckmann, who was shot dead at Alaitland on September 8, wae the remarkable admission of the police by Cyril Curnow, who was present in custody, that he deliberately set out on the previous evening to shoot the girl, and she only escaped by coming home from her sewing lesson by another road. The statement was: “On Thursday September 7, I went about three miles along the Ardrossan Road with the intention of catching her when she -came back. I tied a barbed wire across the road, and then went to a hill, three chains distant along the road, intending to shoot her. The reason for the wire was that when I shot her, if she. still hung in the stirrup, the horse would stop at the wire so that T. could take the horse and get away. But I did not see her come back.” “I waited until dark for her, still determined to get her. I waited my chance until to-day for her father and son to take out a load of manure into the paddocks about half a mile distant. I wont into the house. Airs. Bockmann not being at home, I took advantage of the fact. I got a gun, and cleaned it, loaded it and went into the kitchen, and put the gun near the door. I went out to get a drink; but when I came back the gun was gone. “I said, ‘Eleanor, your father said I could have the gun.’ She went and got it. I then went into my bedroom, collected a few things, and went out into the dining room and picked the gun up, which was a. No. 12 guage shot-gun. I loaded the gun, took accurate aim, and fired at Eleanor Bockmann, who was sitting in the dining room mending socks. I aimed at her loft temple, and as I fired the gun 1 saw her head drop. She said ‘Cyril!’ and her sister and cousin started to scream.”

Curnow, who was committed for trial displayed little concern in the proceedings, although ho did say he would correct some various witnesses’ statements at the proper time.

RECOMMENDED RECIPES. Baked Batter Pudding.—lngredients: Mb flour, 2 eggs, 1 pint milk, 2oz dripping. Method: Put the flour into a basin, and make a hole in the centre of it. Break the eggs into a cup, and put into the hole in the flour; it is not pecessary to beat them first, as they will ibe well beaten in the batter. With a wooden spoon stir a small quantity of the flour with the eggs until they are about the consistency of a thick custard., This consistency is to be maintained until all the flour is mixed, therefore, as a little more flour is put to the eggs, so a little milk must be added, until all flour from the side of the basin is mixed with the eggs, etc. When all the flour has been added, and only half of the milk, the batter must be beaten. Beat well for about ten minutes—this introduces air, and so makes the pudding rise when cooked. Alix in the remainder of the milk, and stand the batter aside for about an hour. Alclt about two ounces of dripping in a baking-tin. Pour the batter into a tin, and bake in a moderately hot oven for forty-five minutes. If this is to be served with baked meat, after the pudding has browned put it underneath the meat, so the fat from the joint can soak into the pudding. Note. —If a less expensive batter is required, use milk and water instead of all milk. Savoury Butter for Grilled Steak, etc: Have on a cold plate three-quarters of an ounce of good table butter, half a teaspoon of well-washed, thoroughly dried, and finely chopped parsely, one quarter of a teasnoon of ehevril. half a teaspoon of the juice of a lemon, one saltspoon of •alt, and half a teaspoon of white pepper. Mix the whole well together with a fork and use when required. It should be kept in a cool place. .Asparagus Shortcake.—First we had meat pies; and now we have vegetable cakes. They’re very delicious—especially asparagus shortcake. Bake a rich bak-ing-powder crust in two layers in a round tin, brushing the lower one with molted butter before adding the top, which rub lightlv with milk. Afeanwhile cook the tender part of a bunch of asparagus, cut in inch lengths until tender, and combine lightly with two diced hard-boiled eggs and enough good rich cream sauce to moisten very liberally and. with the mixture, fill the shortcake, surroujiding it with a few spoonfuls more if desired. If preferred, or to * arv, put the asparagus only into the sauce, slice the. eggs thin and use as a garnisii. putting a dot of butter and a little sal-, and pepper on each. Surround all with a delicate wreath of cress and parsley.