Palatial Arson?

Twenty British and 20 French insurance companies piled their experts on firebugs into airplanes, sent them roaring down to Nice last week to view two acres of dismal smouldering smudge, stabbed by bits of cracked marble walls.

"The Caesars could not have built it!" admiring friends have agreed with Frank J. Gould. It cost him 100,000,000 francs ($6,200,000 at current exchange), was insured for 47,000,000 francs. He called it the Palais de la Mediterranee, looked upon it as a sumptuous temple to opera, drama, gastronomie and baccarat. Nobody could deny that it was at least the largest gambling casino in Europe, equipped with one of the best theatres and finest restaurants in France. The Palais never paid, but Mr. Gould, who has hotel properties in Nice, used to say, "Never mind, the casino makes the resort." It also made the six other baccarat casinos in Nice, including that owned by the city, furious. Mr. Gould liked the Palais so well that he had a medal struck in white gold for the architect. He liked the medal so well that he had a second one struck for Mrs. Gould.

Year ago the Palais was leased to a French syndicate for 2,000,000 francs while Mr. Gould retired to his French estate at Maisons-Laffitte (TIME, Dec. 5, 1932). The syndicate was behind on gambling taxes due the state one day last week, but insisted that they would open the Palais for the season next evening. Just after noon flames burst from the restaurant, the theatre, the baccarat room and swept in a crackling torrent through the whole Palais.

Every fire engine for miles around streaked for Nice, one fire engine careening into two men, squashing them dead. In the blazing Palais two firemen were injured and the whole Riviera was in uproar before the huge pyre was put out. "Whatever the flames did not destroy the water spoiled," mourned the Palais manager, "and this fire has thrown 500 men out of work." Nice police grimly arrested two Palais employes, charged them with arson.

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