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Alice de Janzé

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Alice de Janzé
Alice de Janzé in Chicago, 1919, photographed for Chicago Daily News
Born(1899-09-28)28 September 1899
Buffalo, New York, USA
Died30 September 1941(1941-09-30) (aged 42)
Gilgil, Kenya
OccupationHeiress
Spouse(s)Frédéric de Janzé (1921-1927)
Raymond de Trafford (1932-1937)
Children2

Alice de Janzé, née Silverthorne (28 September 1899 – 30 September 1941),[1] also known as Alice de Trafford and keeper of the noble title Countess de Janzé for a few years, was an American heiress who spent years in Kenya, as a member of the Happy Valley set of colonials. She was connected with numerous scandals, including her attempted murder of her lover in 1927, as well as the 1941 murder of Josslyn Hay, the Earl of Erroll in Kenya. Her tempestuous life was marked by promiscuity, drug abuse and several suicide attempts.

Growing up in Chicago and New York, Silverthorne was a multi-millionaire heiress, relative of the powerful Armour family and one of the most prominent American socialites of her time. She entered French aristocracy in the early 1920s, when she married the then-Count de Janzé. In the mid-1920s, she was introduced to the infamous Happy Valley set, a community of white expatriates in Africa, notorious for their hedonistic lifestyle. In 1927, she made international news when she shot her lover in a Paris railway station and then shot herself. They both survived. She stood trial but was only fined with a small amount of money and later pardoned by the French state. She further scandalized the public by marrying and later divorcing the man she shot.

In 1941, her name was brought up as one of the major suspects in the well-publicized murder of the 22nd Earl of Erroll in Kenya, a former lover and friend of hers. After numerous failed suicide attempts throughout her life, she died of a self-inflicted gunshot on October 1941. Her personality has been referenced both in fiction and non-fiction, most famously in the book White Mischief and its film adaptation, where she was portrayed by Sarah Miles.

Biography

Early life

Alice de Janzé at age 20 (1919), in Chicago.

Alice was born in Buffalo, Erie County, New York,[1] the only child of wealthy felt manufacturer William Edward Silverthorne, of Scottish descent (3 February 1867 – 30 January 1941)[2] and his equally wealthy wife, Julia Belle Chapin (14 August 1871[3] – 2 June 1907)[2], an heiress to the Armours, the family that owned one of the most well-known meatpacking companies of the time, Armour and Company. Julia was niece to magnate Philip D. Armour and daughter to Philip's sister, Marietta, who left a great part of her property to Julia upon her death in 1897.[4] William and Julia were married in Chicago on 8 June 1892,[5][6] the city where Alice spent most of her childhood and adolescence, living with her parents in the affluent Gold Coast district.[7] Alice herself became the favorite niece of her magnate uncle, J. Ogden Armour.[8] The great wealth of her family caused her childhood friends to give her the nickname "Silver Spoon", also an allusion to her surname.[8]

Alice's mother died of tuberculosis when Alice was only eight, leaving her a large estate. Alice herself was an asymptomatic consumptive from birth.[9] Contrary to her own wishes, her father re-married as quickly as 1908.[8] From his second wife, Louise Mattocks, he had five children, many of which died at a young age. Alice's half-siblings included William Jr. (1912-1976), Victoria Louise (died in infancy in 1914), Patricia (1915-?), Lawrence (1918-1923) and an unnamed girl who died in infancy in 1910.[10] Her father later divorced Mattocks and married two more times.[2]

Alice was introduced to wild social life starting in her early adolescence. She was one of the most prominent socialites of Chicago, frequenting the most fashionable nightclubs of the time, with the encouragement of her father. Her father also took her on several journeys around Europe and encouraged his daughter's image as a notable debutante. Those years of wild youth left Alice with a lasting melancholy.[9]

After her mother's death, she was raised by a German governess in large houses in New York, her father being frequently absent by reason of his professional obligations. William Silverthorne was also an alcoholic.[11]

When Alice was still an adolescent, her father lost custody and an uncle from her mother's side assumed the role of legal guardian.[8][11] Writer and journalist Michael Killian alleges that the reason behind this was that William Silverthorne had a sexual relationship with his daughter and one of her uncles intervened, attempting to rescue her, and took the case to the court.[7][12] Killian also believes that Alice lost her virginity to her father.[13][14] Nevertheless, even after Alice came to live with the Armours in New York, she shocked everyone when she went vacationing with her father in the French Riviera, at the age of 14. Killian also alleges that Silverthorne openly sported her as his mistress in Riviera and allowed her to keep a black panther as a pet.[7]

1920-1927: Marriage with de Janzé and the Happy Valley set

Members of the Happy Valley set in Kenya, 1926. From left to right: Raymond de Trafford, Frédéric de Janzé (Alice's second and first husband respectively), Alice de Janzé and 3rd Baron Delamere.

In 1919, Alice moved back to Chicago and came to live with her aunts, Mrs. Francis E. May (née Alice Chapin) and Mrs. Josephine Chapin.[15] (Years later, in 1941, Alice's oldest daughter, Nolwén, would also come to live with those two relatives in Chicago).[16] Two years later, Alice moved to Paris, France. There, she briefly worked as director of the model department of Jean Patou's dressmaking establishment[17] until she met Comte Frédéric Jacques de Janzé (ca 1896 – 24 December 1933), a well-known French racing driver of the time (a participant in 24 Hours of Le Mans races) and heir to an old aristocratic family of Brittany. Frédéric also used to frequent literary circles, having formed a close friendship with such luminaries as Marcel Proust, Maurice Barrès and Anna de Noailles.[18]

Unlike many other American heiresses of the period, Alice had not permitted her father or any other relative to help her pursue an eligible husband and chose to pursue her romance with Comte de Janzé on her own free will.[8] After enjoying a romance of only three weeks,[19] the couple married on 21 September 1921 in Chicago.[20] Frédéric reportedly found her "Silverthorne" surname so charming he expressed regret their marriage would take it away from her.[21] Following the ceremony, her aunt, Mrs. J. Odgen Armour, turned over the Armour estate on Long Island to the couple, where they spent two weeks before deciding to permanently settle in Paris, in the Champs-Élysées quarter.[19][22] Their marriage produced two daughters, Nolwén Louise Alice de Janzé (20 June 1922 – 7 March 1989) and Paola Marie Jeanne de Janzé (1 June 1924 – 24 December 2006). Alice was a neglectful mother; the children were primarily brought up by governesses and by Frédéric's sister, in their family chateau in Normandy.[11]

In 1925, Frédéric and Alice first met Josslyn Victor Hay, Earl of Erroll aka Lord Erroll, and his wife, Idina Sackville in Montparnasse and became good friends.[23] Some time later, the Hays decided to invite the de Janzes to spend some time in their home in the so-called Happy Valley in Kenya, a community of British colonials living in Wanjohi Valley, near the Aberdare Mountains.[24][25]

In the Happy Valley, the de Janzés lived in a home next door to those of the Hays. Frédéric de Janzé documented his time in Happy Valley and all the eccentric personalities he met there in his book, Vertical Land, which was published in 1928.[26] In the book, Frédéric provides several non-eponymous references to members of the Happy Valley set, including a psychological portrait of his wife that alludes to her suicidal tendencies:

Wide eyes so calm, short slick hair, full red lips, a body to desire. The powerful hands clutch and wave along the mandolin and the crooning somnolent melody breaks; her throat trembles and her gleaming shoulders droop. That weird soul of mixtures is at the door! her cruelty and lascivious thoughts clutch the thick lips on close white teeth. She holds us with her song, and her body sways towards ours. No man will touch her exclusive soul, shadowy with memories, unstable, suicidal.[27]

Even among the scandalous residents of Happy Valley, Alice caused a sensation with her wild behavior, sarcastic sense of humour, and her beauty. She soon came to be known by the nickname "the wicked madonna".[28] She would often speak passionately about animal rights, or play ukulele.[29] Alice soon began an affair with the notorious philanderer Erroll, openly sharing him with Idina. Gradually, the two women became close friends, waiting together for Erroll to return to their arms from his other occasional flings.[30]

Alice and Frédéric returned to Happy Valley in 1926. While Frédéric was distracted with lion hunting, Alice started another love affair, this time with British nobleman Raymond Vincent de Trafford (28 January 1900 – 14 May 1971), son of Sir Humphrey de Trafford, 3rd Baronet. Frédéric soon became aware of his wife's infidelity, though he did not become preoccupied by it,[29] although years later he would refer to their love triangle as "the infernal triangle".[31]. However, Alice's infatuation with de Trafford was so great that the couple attempted to elope at some point, though they promptly returned.[29]

On fall of 1926, Frédéric returned to Paris with Alice, in an attempt to save his marriage; he was unsuccessful. Alice visited Frédéric mother, and revealed to her she was in love with de Trafford, also asking her help in obtaining a divorce. Frédéric's mother was unusually understanding, but advised her to think of her two daughters and do nothing she might later regret. Alice, however, soon returned to Kenya and de Trafford.[21] Hoping to keep Alice's extramarital affair from becoming a scandal, her mother-in-law loaned her a furnished flat in a quiet street in Paris, to use as a "love nest".[32] Alice moved to the flat, spending her time in both Paris and London with de Trafford. Under pressure by his family, Frédéric quickly sued for divorce.[21]

1927: The Gare du Nord shooting incident

Alice and her husband, Frédéric, circa mid-1920s. This newspaper article reports the infamous shooting incident that would eventually send Alice to prison

On March 25, 1927, while in Paris, de Trafford informed Alice that he would not able to marry her. His family, which held strict Catholic views, had threatened to disinherit him if he were to marry her.[33][34] Later that afternoon, the couple visited a sporting equipment shop together, where Alice bought a gold-mounted, pearl handled revolver.[35][21]

A few hours later, in the Gare du Nord, as de Trafford was bidding farewell to her in his train compartment before he left for London by an express boat train, she pulled the revolver from her purse and shot him in the stomach, puncturing his lung.[36] Shen then also shot herself in the stomach. However, there was initially some confusion among the eyewitness over whether she had shot him while inside the compartment or while bidding him farewell through the window, until the former version was proven true.[36] It was also reported that when the conductor opened the compartment door, he saw Alice gasping "I did it", before she collapsed.[21]

De Trafford was gravely injured, and spent several days in a hospital in critical condition. Reportedly, when Alice heard the surgeons mention that de Trafford was too seriously wounded to be expected to live, she began screaming "But he must live! I want him to live!"[8] Alice's own wound was initially overlooked by doctors amidst the confusion, before she was also given proper care. Despite initial reports that spoke of her also being gravely injured,[37][38] her wounds were quite superficial. One journalist reported that "she had shot herself very gently".[8] Both Alice and de Trafford were transferred to the Laboisiere hospital. Relatives of Alice rushed to the hospital and attempted to have her transferred to a private clinic, but they were thwarted by the gendarmes, since the Countess was technically under arrest.[39]

Both de Trafford and de Janzé initially declined to offer any explanations to investigators. De Janzé was quoted as telling a police official who was permitted to see her for a few moments at the hospital: "I decided to shoot him just as the train was leaving. Why is my own secret. Don't ask me."[40] She also claimed to feel regret about shooting de Trafford, who was said to be on the brink of death.[37] De Trafford finally woke up and had a brief conversation with an officer, who asked him how it happened. Wishing to protect Alice, de Trafford stated the following: "Why, Madame attempted suicide. I tried to stop her and the weapon was accidentally discharged. A deplorable accident, surely... but yet, an accident!" He then lapsed into unconsciousness.[36] De Janzé's condition quickly improved and she was first able to talk with relatives on March 30.[41][42] She officially confessed to the shootings in a signed statement on April 2. In the same confess, she also admitted to having attempted suicide numerous times in her life. She stated: "I wanted to kill myself, for I have always had ideas of suicide. From time to time, and without reason, I have wanted to die".[43]

Some confusion was caused when five British newspapers, Western Mail, Manchester Guardian, The Liverpool Daily Courier, The Liverpool Evening Express and Sheffield Daily Telegraph, illustrated their reports of the shooting incident with pictures not of Alice de Janzé but of Frédéric's sister-in-law, Vicomtesse Phillis Meeta de Janzé. Phillis de Janzé promptly sued for libel and received a settlement.[44]

The incident made headlines all over the world.[45][46][34] The Fort Covington Sun reported the following on April 14, 1927:[47]

America, France and England were all threatened in the tragedy in the Gare du Nord, Paris, when Countess de Janze, estranged wife of Frenchman, shot Raymond V. de Trafford, scion of a prominent British family, and then put a bullet through her own body. The countess was Alice Silverthorne of Chicago, cousin [sic] of J. Ogden Armour and well-known in American social circles. Her relations with De Trafford recently led her husband to file suit for divorce. For several days after the shooting it was believed both the countess and De Trafford would die, but latest reports are that they are out of danger.

Her Chicago relatives were evidently dumbfounded at the news. Mrs. George Silverthorne, de Janzé's aunt, told a reporter: "It cannot be Alice. She and her husband were so happy together, and such a thing would be impossible. There must be some mistake".[19]

Trial and penalty

File:Alice de Janze trial.jpg
Alice de Janzé consulting with her barrister while standing trial for the shooting of Raymond de Trafford, on December 23, 1927.

On April 5 Alice de Janzé was officially charged with attempted murder with premeditation.[48][49] On April 8, she made an official declaration in which she stated she originally only planned suicide when she bought the revolver but eventually also fired at de Trafford out of anguish at parting from him.[50] On April 9, De Trafford returned to London by a special airplane. He also told French authorities he did not wish to take any action against Alice, although he would hold himself at their disposition to return to Paris if his testimony was needed.[51] Meanwhile, de Janzé was imprisoned in Saint Lazare, a women-only prison in Paris.[52][53][54] Her cell, No 12, had hosted several notorious female criminals in the past, including Mata Hari, Marguerite Steinheil and Henriette Caillaux.[55][56][57] On May 20, she was temporarily freed by the police pending her recovery, after she made a formal demand for release on bail.[58][59] When she eventually described what happened in the train station, she wrote the following:

... The whistle of London Express blew, and I realized that he was going away from Paris - and from me forever - I suddenly changed my mind and resolved to take him away with me into the Great Beyond. Slowly - very slowly - I loosened my grip around his neck, placed the revolver between our two bodies, and, as the train started, fired twice - into his chest and my own body.[56]

The Paris Tribunal tried Alice de Janzé on December 23, 1927.[60] She was represented by celebrated lawyer René Mettetal.[33] However, she was only tried on the charge of assault, after her lawyers convinced the examining magistrate that she was mentally irresponsible at the time she shot de Trafford.[61][62] When de Trafford testified he was asked if he wanted to press charges against the Countess, a suggestion to which he expressed surprise and annoyance, claiming that his wounding was an accident that he himself caused:[63]

As we were about to part – she was kissing me -- I told her that I loved her, and again whispered to her not to take my decision as irrevocable. I even told her that we would meet again. As she was leaving me she attempted suicide. But a movement on my part caused the weapon to be deflected. I am sure that she did not intentionally fire at me. The accident was due to my imprudence.[56]

Alice's defense lawyer pleaded that the Countess' chronic melancholy and tuberculosis had "deadened her intelligence".[63] When asked why she took the gun with her to the railway station, Alice replied: "To kill myself. And I nearly succeeded. Didn't I shoot myself in the stomach, like poor Raymond?"[8]

Public opinion was apparently sympathetic towards her. She was widely seen as the tragic victim of a true crime of passion and the judges may have been influenced by the public's view. During the trial, it was revealed she had attempted suicide a total of four times throughout her life, a fact which made one of the three judges treat her extremely leniently. Even the prosecuting attorney insisted upon leniency and declared that "I should not like to bear de Trafford's responsibility for a broken heart and a disrupted home".[64] Eventually, de Janzé received a suspended sentence of six months in prison and a fine of 100 francs (approximately 4 dollars) by the Paris Correctional Court.[65] Under the First Offenders Act, she was immediately released.[66]. Surprisingly, the Court even rebuked de Trafford for his failure to deliver his promise to marry, out of fear of losing the family allowance.[36][67] Some newspapers, like The Star rebuked the French court for their "ludicrously lenient decision".[36] Finally, on 13 April 1929 she received a full presidential pardon from President of France Gaston Doumergue.[68][69] Thanks to the pardon, she was even returned the fine she had been forced to pay by the court.[21] Evidently, the request for the pardon was made in order to avoid any commercial implications the conviction might cause for dealing with property she owned.[70]

Following the trial, Alice reportedly demanded from Frédéric de Janzé to re-marry her. The Count was understandably shocked, although Alice later retracted her demand.[8] In the wake of the shooting scandal, Alice and Frédéric de Janzé were divorced by the Paris Tribunal on 15 June 1927.[71] The divorce was granted to Frédéric on the grounds of desertion.[72] Frédéric received custody of their two children, although the judge made no mention of the Gare du Nord episode.[73] Alice was granted no alimony.[21] The divorce would be followed by an annulment by the Vatican on July 26, 1928.[74][75] Frédéric later sent a letter, through his lawyer, to every newspaper in England, warning them never to refer to Alice as Countess de Janzé again.[21] Frédéric died on 24 December 1933, in Baltimore, of septicaemia.[76]

1928-1932: Second marriage

Following the public ordeal, Raymond de Trafford advised Alice that it might not be a good idea to return to London for a while. [8] Therefore, in early 1928, Alice de Janzé returned to Kenya, but only to pack up her things, as she was ordered by the Government House to leave the country as an undesirable alien, in light of her public scandal.[77] In the weeks necessary until she could properly organize her departure, she resumed her old affair with Lord Erroll. [77][8] She also stayed for a while at the house of writer Karen Blixen, a good friend of Erroll, wanting a relatively peaceful place where she could rest after the ordeal.[78] Months later, now living in Paris again and growing indignant of the rumors about her forced leave from Kenya, she publicly refuted that she was ousted from the country.[79] It was not until years later that Alice was able to return to Kenya, thanks to the intervention of both Comte de Janze and de Trafford, who convinced the Kenya government to re-admit her.[8]

Around this time, Alice caused a new sensation when it was revealed she had resumed her love affair with the man she had almost killed, Raymond de Trafford. It has been suggested, however, that Alice literally chased de Trafford for three years before she finally got him to marry her.[36] A rumor that the couple would soon have a quiet wedding in Paris was first circulated in May of 1927,[80], then in September of that same year[81] and later in January 1928.[82] Alice's lawyer denied any such plans, and no wedding took place.[83] The rumor surfaced again in April 1930.[84] Ultimately, the couple married on February 22, 1932 in Neuilly-sur-Seine[85] and spoke of buying a house in London.[56] Alice commented on her affair with de Trafford: "We were deeply in love. It was arranged that we should marry".[86]

Divorce with de Trafford

Around the same time, Alice, who now faced severe financial problems, took over the management of a gown shop in Paris under the firm name of "Gloria Bocher", but soon lost both interest and money in the venture.[8][36] Her marriage also collapsed rapidly, as she and Raymond split up only three weeks after the wedding. Allegedly, they got into a heated argument while in the compartment of an English railroad train over the place they would have their honeymoon. Alice had confided to him she had bought a cottage in the Happy Valley which they had once rented when they had first begun their affair, to use as a secret meeting place.[21] Alice had decided that this would be the place they would go for their honeymoon, an idea that did not particularly appeal to Raymond. During the course of the argument, Alice absent-mindedly reached into her purse, prompting a terrified de Trafford to run away, out of a fear of a new murder attempt. Fearing for his life, de Trafford soon moved to Australia. Alice later claimed she had no pistol in her purse, nor had she the intention of shooting him, but instead wanted to powder her nose.[36]

On November 1932, Alice officially sought a divorce, charging Raymond with cruelty and desertion.[87][88] Alice had to chase him for two years, since Raymond abruptly moved to Australia, before she got him to sign the divorce papers and the divorce procedures were reported to begin on September 1934.[88] However, Alice may have changed her mind afterwards, because she again officially filed for divorce on May 1937.[89] The divorce was not finalized until October 1937 in London. Alice won an uncontested suit, as the divorce was granted decree nisi on her on the grounds of adultery with an unnamed correspondent.[90][36] Alice commented on her second husband: "An idler, who associates with disreputable women".[25]

1937-1941: Return to Kenya

Following the divorce, Alice considered permanently returning to Chicago, but friends advised her against that, pointing out how the shooting scandal had made her a "marked woman" in her native land.[8] As such, Alice returned to the world of Happy Valley, where she settled on a permanent basis to the farmhouse she had previously bought in Gilgil, located on the banks of River Wanjohi.[36] Alice spent the following years taking care of her animals (including lions, panthers and antelopes) and reading. She had also become heavily addicted to drugs by now, particularly morphine. She was almost feared by certain members of the community due to her rapid changes of mood and the aforementioned shooting incident. Her friend, aviator Beryl Markham, later stated of her: "Loneliness fixed Alice. Everyone was frightened of her".[91]

After having permanently settled in Kenya, Alice only rarely visited her children in France. Years later, Nolwén would state that she did not feel bitterness or hostility for her mother during their brief meetings together but would actually be fascinated by this virtually unknown woman who brought with her an air of mystique, owing to her permanent stay in Africa.[92]

1941: The Lord Erroll murder

Alice de Janzé in obituary photo in The Vidette Messenger

On 24 January 1941, Lord Erroll was found shot to death in his car, at an intersection outside Nairobi. Police interrogated all of Erroll's closest acquaintances, including Alice de Janzé. Although she had an alibi - she had evidently spent an intimate night with Dickie Pembroke, another Happy Valley resident - she was immediately regarded as one of the major suspects. In fact, she proved to be the prime suspect among the white community of Happy Valley, not least because of her drug habits, her romantic attachment to Errol, and her previous attempt to kill a paramour.[93] It was rumored that Alice attempted suicide upon finding out the news about Erroll's death.[30]

On the morning after Erroll's body was discovered, de Janzé went to the morgue with a friend to see his body. According to eyewitnesses, Alice stunned the others in attendance by leaving a tree branch on Erroll's body, wiping her fingers, wet with vaginal secretions, over Hay's lips and whispering the words: "Now you are mine forever". Eyewitness and close friend of Alice, Julian Lezzard, was suspicious of Alice, as the murder fitted with her morbid preoccupations and she was generally rumored to have been involved in the murder.[91] It was even rumored that Alice herself had admitted to the killing.[94]

Eventually, police charged Sir Henry John "Jock" Delves Broughton with Erroll's murder. Erroll had been openly having an affair with Delves Broughton's young wife, Diana. De Janzé paid regular visits to Delves Broughton in prison. Together with Idina, they attended every day of the trial.[30] Ultimately, Delves Broughton was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Death

On August 1941, after being diagnosed with uterine cancer, de Janzé underwent a hysterectomy.[95] On 23 September, she attempted suicide by taking an overdose of Pentobarbital. When her friend, Patricia Bowles, went to her house, she discovered Alice had already marked every piece of furniture with the name of the fiend who would inherit it. Bowles rescued Alice by calling a doctor to perform gastric lavage.[95] On 30 September 1941 she finally succeeded in ending her life. A servant found her dead on her bed, killed by a self-inflicted gunshot, with the same gun she had once used on Raymond and herself, in her farmhouse in Gilgil, Kenya, two days after turning 42.[96][21] It was not the first suicide in her family: her cousin, John Hellyer Silverthorne had also committed suicide by gunshot in his home in Chicago in 1933, at the age of 26.[97]

Alice left three suicide notes, one addressed to the police, one to her daughters and one to Dickie Pembroke. The content of the letters was never publicly disclosed, fueling rumors of containing possible revelations. Reportedly, a government official, summoned to examine her possessions, was dumbfounded when he came across the letters. After a long, secret meeting among officials, it was decided that the content of her papers and letters would not be made public.[8] It became known, however, that she had asked her friends to throw a cocktail party on her grave.[95]

On January 21, 1942, her death was officially ruled a suicide following a Nairobi inquest. The finding was delayed due to the difficulty in obtaining evidence. The coroner also concluded there was no sign of insanity. [98] However, he further fuelled the conspiracy theories regarding Alice's found letters, stating that the content of the letters were such as to merit their being destroyed, because they constituted damaging revelations of a social and political nature. As such, the letters were destroyed.[8] Journalist Michael Killian, who has written extensively about Alice's life, believes that she chose suicide because she was depressed over her ageing appearance and her loss of beauty.[99]

White Mischief

Further information: White Mischief
Actress Sarah Miles as Alice de Janzé in White Mischief (1987)

The events surrounding the murder of Lord Erroll were the basis of James Fox's non-fiction book White Mischief (1982), which became an international success. The book investigates the murder of Lord Erroll and presents a large gallery of characters, mainly members of the Happy Valley set, including de Janzé. The book was later made into an eponymous 1987 film, directed by Michael Radford. Alice de Janzé was portrayed by British actress Sarah Miles.

The film adaptation focuses heavily on de Janzé's eccentric traits. In 1988, when asked at the Cannes Film Festival, Miles stated that de Janzé was a difficult character for her to "pin down" as an actress. Upon arrival in Kenya for the filming of White Mischief, Miles searched out people who knew Alice, but was unable to learn anything substantial, due to those acquaintances' confused perceptions of de Janzé. Some were even uncertain of her true nationality, a fact which left Miles with a slight bewilderment. [100]

Reviews of Miles' portrayal of Alice were mixed. An article of The New York Times commended Miles on her performance, claiming that few people who will see the movie "will walk away without clear memories of Sarah Miles as Alice de Janze".[100] Certain critics found her performance "mesmerizing"[101] and a "standout" of the film.[102] Conversely, other critics noted that Miles tries too hard to be outrageous and becomes grotesque,[103] whereas another critic found that Miles' "constant would-be wicked little smile seems merely silly".[104]

In culture

Over the years, Alice has been incorporated into fiction, either as a character in her own right or through oblique references.

  • Writer Joseph Matthew Broccoli alleges that the 1927 shooting incident served as a possible source of inspiration for a shooting sequence in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel Tender Is the Night (1934). In the sequence in question, character Maria Wallis is talking to a man who is about to depart from Paris by train. While on the platform, Maria takes a distance from the man, pulls a revolver from her purse and shoots him. The train stops and, minutes later, the man is carried away on a stretcher whereas the woman is taken away by gendarmes. [105][106]
  • She is one of many historical figures trapped in fictitious plots in the short story collection Lost Pages (1998) by Paul Di Filippo. Her character appears in the story "The Happy Valley at the End of the World", along with several of the real-life colonials of Happy Valley, including John Carberry and Kiki Preston.
  • She is one of the prominent characters in Michael Kilian's whodunit novel, Sinful Safari (2003). The novel is set in 1920s Kenya and encompasses a set of real-life historical figures, mainly members of the Happy Valley set and other colonials, also including Lord Erroll, Idina Sackville, Beryl Markham, Karen Blixen, Denys Finch Hatton and Lord Delamere. Inspired by the real-life Lord Erroll murder mystery, the book's plot revolves around the murder of the fictional Lord Ramms. Alice is also referenced in another Killian novel of historical fantasy, Dance on a Sinking Ship (1988), where a fictional character boasts to have claimed her virginity.
  • She is a character in Stephen Maitland-Lewis's novel Hero on Three Continents (2004). Alice is comically depicted recounting how she once shot one of her former husbands but "sadly botched it up".[107]

Descendants and relatives

  • Alice's oldest daughter, Nolwén, became a fashion designer and was president of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers in the 1950s.[108] She had two children, a daughter, Angelique and a son, Frederic Armand-Delille. In 1981, Angelique worked as picture assistant for the film Quartet. In 1977, Nolwén married the well known art historian Kenneth Clark. He died in 1983. Nolwén died on 7 March 1989 in France, at the age of 67, after undergoing a heart surgery.
  • Her second daughter, Paola, died in Normandy, near the family property, at Dieppe on 24 December 2006 at the age of 82. She married amateur rider John Ciechanowski and had a son with him.[109]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Reed, Frank Fremont (1982). History of the Silverthorn Family, Vol. 4,p. 550. Chicago: DuBane's Print Shop. Her birth and death date can also be found at http://www.ancestry.com/trees/awt/main.aspx. (free registration required)
  2. ^ a b c Reed, Frank Fremont. The History of the Silverthorn Family, Vol. 4. Chicago: DuBane's Print Shop, 1982, p. 434
  3. ^ Chapin, Gilbert Warren. The Chapin Book of Genealogical Data: With Brief Biographical Sketches, of the Descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin, Vol. 2. Chapin Family Association (1924), p. 1795
  4. ^ "Chapin Will Is In Probate", Chicago Tribune, November 18, 1897
  5. ^ Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
  6. ^ "Month of Weddings". Chicago Tribune. 29 May 1892.
  7. ^ a b c Chicago Tribune. 26 May 1996. pp. Hey Lady! Britain's Beleaguered Princess Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet - Chicago's Rendition. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Battered Brides: Unhappy Hunt of the Golden Girl". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 27 June 1948.
  9. ^ a b Fox James. White Mischief. New York: Vintage Books, 1988, p. 39
  10. ^ Reed, Frank Fremont. History of the Silverthorn Family, Vol. 4. Chicago: DuBane's Print Shop, 1982, p. 562
  11. ^ a b c White Mischief, p. 40
  12. ^ Killian, Michael. "Unhappy Endings When Chicago and Europe Play at Love, the Consequences Can be Disastrous", Chicago Tribune, August 20, 1986
  13. ^ Killian, Michael. "Making Mischief Take It from the Brits: After Decades of Civility, America is Due for Some Decadence". Chicago Tribune, June 1, 1988
  14. ^ Killian, Michael. "Shrink to Fit? What Ever Happened to Good, Old-Fashioned Lunacy? Now, Even New Yorkers are Buying into the Therapy Fad", Chicago Tribune, September 16, 1987
  15. ^ "Chicago Tragic Countess Slain in East Africa", Chicago Tribune, October 1, 1941
  16. ^ "Parisian Makes Home Here", Chicago Tribune, July 11, 1941
  17. ^ "De Janzes Divorced by Paris Tribunal", The New York Times, June 16, 1927
  18. ^ White Mischief, p. 35
  19. ^ a b c "Chicago Relatives Amazed", The New York Times, March 27, 1927
  20. ^ "Alice Silverthorne is Vicomte's Bride", The New York Times, September 21, 1921
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Killed Herself Where She Lost Her Honor 15 Years Before", The Milwaukee Sentinel, October 26, 1941 Cite error: The named reference "ReferenceL" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  22. ^ "Wedding of Mary Baker is Delayed", Los Angeles Times, April 20, 1922
  23. ^ Marnham, Patrick. "Dirty Work at the Crossroads", The Spectator, March 18, 2000
  24. ^ Errol Trzebinski. This enclave had become notorious among socialites in England for being a paradise for all those seeking a hedonistic lifestyle, including drugs, alcohol and sexual promiscuity. Noticing that Alice had become restless, Frederic decided to distract her and agreed to the trip. The Life and Death of Lord Erroll, Fourth Estate, 2009, p. 76
  25. ^ a b "She Loved Him, Shot Him, Married Him, Divorced Him", The Oakland Tribune, December 12, 1937
  26. ^ [http://illadvised.blogspot.com/2007/02/book-fr-vertical-land.html Frédéric de Janzé: Vertical Land
  27. ^ De Janzé, Frédéric.Vertical Land. London: Duckworth Press, 1928, Chapter VIII
  28. ^ Morrow, Anne. Picnic in a Foreign Land: The Eccentric Lives of the Anglo-Irish. Grafton: 2003, p. 54 ISBN 978-0-246-13204-8
  29. ^ a b c White Mischief, p. 41
  30. ^ a b c Osborne, Frances. "Sex Games and Murder in Idina's Happy Valley", Times Online, May 4, 2008
  31. ^ The Life and Death of Lord Erroll: The Truth Behind the Happy Valley Murder, p. 86
  32. ^ "Chicago Countess and Dashing Briton She Shot Are Near Death in Paris", Chicago Tribune, March 28, 1927
  33. ^ a b "Used Pistol Bullets Instead of Cupid Darts", The Milwaukee Sentinel, February 18, 1933
  34. ^ a b "First Shot Lover and then Herself", Ottawa Citizen, March 28, 1927
  35. ^ White Mischief, p. 42
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Fined the Countess 4$ For Shooting Her Boy-Friend", The Star, January 28, 1928
  37. ^ a b "Countess Reticent With Victim Dying", The New York Times, March 28, 1927
  38. ^ "Countess de Janze Weaker", Hartford Courant, May 29, 1927
  39. ^ Chicago Tribune, April 7, 1927
  40. ^ "Countess Near Death of Wound", The Pittsburgh Press, March 28, 1927
  41. ^ "Countess Improves, Victim Near Death", The Washington Post, March 31, 1927
  42. ^ "Countess Janze Better", The New York Times, March 31, 1927
  43. ^ "Countess Gives First Story of Shooting Lover", Chicago Daily Tribune, April 3, 1927
  44. ^ The Times, June 1, 1927
  45. ^ "American Countess Shoots Self After Woonding Admirer", Washington Post, March 27, 1927.
  46. ^ "Society Girl Shoots Lover and Herself", The Hartford Courant, March 27, 1927
  47. ^ Fort Covington Sun, April 14, 1927
  48. ^ "Countess Is Accused of Attempted Murder", New York Times, April 5, 1927
  49. ^ "Serve Countess with Homicide Attempt Papers", Chicago Tribune, April 5, 1927
  50. ^ "Countess Explains Double Shooting", The New York Times, April 9, 1927
  51. ^ "Plane Trip Made by de Trafford", The Miami News, April 18, 1927
  52. ^ Chicago Tribune, May 8, 1927
  53. ^ "Lazare Day", Time, August 22, 1932
  54. ^ Barrow, Andrew (1979). Gossip: A History of High Society from 1920 to 1970, p. 33. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.
  55. ^ Secrest, Meryle. Kenneth Clark: A Biography. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1985, p. 143
  56. ^ a b c d The Best Jail Cell in Paris
  57. ^ "As the Fabulous French Women's Prison Falls After 14 Years, Comes the First Look-in on its Million Secrets", The Miami News, June 19, 1932
  58. ^ "De Janze Asks Bail", Herald-Journal, May 22, 1927
  59. ^ "Countess de Janze is Temporarily Freed", The New York Times, May 20, 1927
  60. ^ "Will Try Countess Today", The New York Times, December 23, 1927
  61. ^ Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1927
  62. ^ "Alice de Janze to Go on Trial in Paris Tomorrow", Chicago Tribune, December 22, 1927
  63. ^ a b "Alice de Janze Kept from Cell by Man She Shot", Chicago Daily Tribune, 24 December 1927
  64. ^ "Countess de Luxe", Palm Beach Daily News, December 27, 1927
  65. ^ "Chicago Countess Who Shot Lover and Herself Gets Off With a 4$ in French Court", The New York Times, December 24, 1927
  66. ^ Gossip: A History of High Society from 1920 to 1970, p. 36
  67. ^ Gossip: A History of High Society from 1920 to 1970, p. 33
  68. ^ "Frees Countess de Janze", The New York Times, April 14, 1929
  69. ^ The Evening Independent, April 13, 1929
  70. ^ "American Countess is Pardoned in Shooting", The Lima News, April 13, 1929
  71. ^ "De Janzes Divorced by Paris Tribunal", New York Times, June 16, 1927
  72. ^ "Count de Janze Divorces Wife, Who Shot Man", Chicago Tribune, June 16, 1927
  73. ^ "Americans Win Paris Divorces", Los Angeles Times, June 16, 1927
  74. ^ "Milestone" Time, August 6, 1928
  75. ^ Chicago Tribune, July 26, 1928
  76. ^ "Com. F. Janze, Sportsman, Dead", The New York Times, December 25, 1933
  77. ^ a b White Mischief, p. 47
  78. ^ L'Intermédiaire des chercheurs et curieux, issue 643, June 2006.
  79. ^ "Countess de Janze Says She Was Not Ousted From Africa", Chicago Tribune, May 8, 1928
  80. ^ Chicago Tribune, May 8, 1927
  81. ^ "Shot Wins Hubby", The Charleston Gazette, September 15, 1927
  82. ^ "American May Marry Britisher She Shot", The Pittsburgh Press, January 30, 1928
  83. ^ "Lawyer Denies Alice de Janze Plans to Marry", Chicago Daily Tribune, January 30, 1928
  84. ^ Syracuse Herald, April 7, 1930
  85. ^ "Weds Man She Shot", The Evening Independent, February 20, 1932
  86. ^ Ottawa Citizen, June 23, 1939
  87. ^ "Asks Paris Divorce from de Trafford", The New York Times, November 19, 1932
  88. ^ a b "Chased Him 3 Years to Marry - Chased Him 3 Years to Divorce", The Milwaukee Sentinel, September 16, 1934
  89. ^ "Divorce Suit Filed in London", Chicago Daily Tribune, May 22, 1937
  90. ^ "Decree Nisi Granted", The Montreal Gazette, October 26, 1937
  91. ^ a b White Mischief, p. 193
  92. ^ White Mischief, p. 44
  93. ^ White Mischief, p. 144, 159-160
  94. ^ Evans, Collins. A Question of Evidence: The Casebook of Great Forensic Controversies, from Napoleon to O.J., p. 88. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2003. ISBN 978-0-471-46268-2
  95. ^ a b c White Mischief, p. 216
  96. ^ "An Ex-Countess Shot Found Dead", The New York Times, October 1, 1941
  97. ^ "Young Society Husband Kills Himself in Home", Chicago Tribune, January 24, 1933
  98. ^ "Verdict of Suicide Returned in Death of Armour Niece", The Milwaukee Journal, January 21, 1942
  99. ^ Killian, Michael. "Vainest Woman Met Museum of Art Exhibit Shows 'La Divine Comtesse' in her Glory", Chicago Tribune, November 2, 2000
  100. ^ a b Lawrence van Gelder (1988-04-29). "At the Movies". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  101. ^ "White Mischief Focuses on the Luxurious and Lusty", Richmond Times, June 17, 1988
  102. ^ "Mischief": Bygone Life of Decadent Leisure", Richmond Times, June 17, 1988
  103. ^ "Scenic Sex, Drugs, Murder - And It's Boring!", Toronto Star, May 13, 1988
  104. ^ Gross, John. "Two New Movies Suggest that Shock Tactics are Best Muted In a Work of Art", The New York Times, May 22, 1988
  105. ^ Bruccoli, Joseph Matthew & Baughman, Judith S. (1996). Reader's Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night, p. 91. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 1-57003-078-2
  106. ^ Tate, Jo Mary (2007), p. 224. F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Lirerary Reference to his Life and Work. New York: Facts on File, Inc
  107. ^ Maitland-Lewis, Stephen (2004). Hero on Three Continents, p. 210. Xlibris Corporation.
  108. ^ "Nolwen de Janze Clark, Fashion Designer, 65". New York Times. 1989-03-09. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  109. ^ Obituary of John Ciechanowski

External links

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