The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-04

CAN HEIRS TO FRENCH Duchess A suit has
been .ntly decided in the Tribunal Of the
Seine, in Paris, in which large amount OF
property was involved, in which interesting re-
miDiscenees Of the days Of the Revolution were
brought up, and by which some of our citizens
are declared Co heirs to the immense estates OF
a French duchess. We translate report Of the
proceedings.
The facts are briefly told: M Barbe de Mar
States, married in Philadelphia, in 1884, the
only daughter of Mr.. William Moore, at that
time President OF the Supreme Executive Coua-
cn and Commander Of the Forces of Penusyl
vania The fruit of this marriage was the lady
whose immense property was 10 dispute in this
instance Duchess de Plaisance. She died in
Athens in May, 1854, without living progenitors
or descendants, without sisters or brothers,
nieces or nephews. Her property-worth nearly
ambition of dollars--devolved upon her nearest
relatives in the male and female branches of the
family. The relatives in the male line were
all French and were represented by the Due
de Valmy and M. de Lery; those ON the female
side were all Americans On the division of
the property the latter were unrepresentsd.
But Mrs. Ridgway, an American lady residing
in Paris, Immediately afterwards preferred her
claim to the share of the property devolving on
the maternal branch, and fortified 1t with
proofs. These proofs were substantially, that
she was the grand daughter Of Thomas Lloyd
Moore, brother to Madame de Marbois.
Proceedings were commenced last October.
In less than nine months afterwards the case
came before the Tribunal Of the Seine, and was
disposed of-an instance of legal CELEBRITY which
our courts might well copy. The defendants
sought to throw cloud upon the legitimacy of
the grandfather Of the plaintiff and by infer
ence, On that Of the mother Of the lady whose
inheritance they had snatched They con-
tended that it was necessary to prove the le-
Ultimate marriage of the father and mother OF
Madame de Marbois, as well as the fliation Of
their children. The court. however, received as
competent evidence, copies of the entries in the
family Bible, recording the marriage and the
birth of their children, inasmuch as there was
no regular and compulsory system Of registra-
ton then in operation in this country. In con-
nection with this part Of the case, letter was
read from General Washington to Mr.. Moore
congratulating him on the approaching union
of his daughter, and acknowledging the love
and devotion he had shown to his adopted
country. This letter, embodied in our report,
is in itself highly interesting circumstance.
The tribunal confirmed the titles avouched by
Mrs Ridgway and ordered re.partition of the
property. Any Of our Philadelphia citizens
claiming affinity with the honorable family Of
the Moores ought to set about examining their
genealogical tree in view Of this decision.
QUEER DoISGs IN THE TAMMANY KITCHEN
We are informed that the Custom House and
Post Office officials had meeting in the kitchen
Of the Tammany Hotel on Thursday evening,
and that among other proceedings Of stormy
session, " the Sunday .Atias was repudiated
in very direct manner" and that both the
.9tlas and the Sunday Times were voted I'M
worthy the privilege Of the soft shell adver-
Using. An alleged party Misunderstanding
and rivalry between Mayor Wood and Alder
man Herrick is said to be at the bottom of the
plot. We hope the muss will not extend to the
exclusion of the hard shells in the election Of
delegates to the soit State convention. L..
there be another meeting in the coal hole.