A BRIDE'S MILLIONS SQUANDERED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8117, 11 April 1906, Page 7

A BRIDE'S MILLIONS SQUANDERED.

A COUNT'S AMAZING PRODIGALITY. The formal legal steps for securtn g separation which are reported to have been taken in Paris by the Countess Boni de Castellane, formerly Anna Gould, daughter of the well known American flnanoiwr, the late Mr Jay Gould, are exciting great interest. Now York newspapers have printed several columns imputing a life uf reckless prodigality, frivolity and irregularity to Count boni de Oaateilane, who bears one of the most oonßpioaons names in French society. One of the leaders of sooiety in Paris, A LADY BEAUTIFUL AND RICH, and married, is associated in the American newpsapers with some of the allegations. The Ooant and Miss Gould were married in New York in March, 1895. He brought her bis great name and social position. Her fortune was about £3,500,000. In his effervesceut career the count, who is a famous fencer, nas fought four duels. Going in for politios, he sained a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, and brought arrest uuon himself for joining the Royalist attack upon President Loubet. The magnificent marble palaoe of the count and countess is an imitation of one of the Boib de Boulogne, and tboy bad a gorgeous chateau at Pau. Such a mountain of indebtedness was piled up after the marriage, the-expendi-ture in five years being estimated at £1,600,000, that the Gould family had to intervene. They provided heavy FINANOAL BELIEF FIVE YEARS AGO f to stave off the claims of creditors, art dealers and others. This list of five years' expenditure, £320,000 a year, has been compiled to illustrate the count's amazing prodigality Paris residence £60,U00, art ourios £360,000, Pau Chateau £60,000, card and race traok £20,000, yacht Valhalla £IO,OOO, political campaigns £60,000, clothes £20,000, stable £30,000, costume fete £60,000, stock speculations £120,000, owed moneylenders £170,000, entertaining

King of Portugal £40,000, bachelor dinners £20,000. Then there are threo children, sons, of whom the countess has the present custody. Dilloo, chief counsel for the Uoulds in New York, iy have stated to the New York American:—"At present the countess is receiving £50,000 a year in semiannual payments. These monoys are paid to her directly, and Bhe has entire control of this income from her share of tbo estate apart frotn that sot aside to pay the just debts of the count."