Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-16
RUSSIA.

A Foreign Prince OF Royal Bioos
lraistsa pr fosSssy,anis S :, Z n.
From tho Exdhange Gazette. Of ST. Peters
burg, Decemher 81
A few days since the public Of st
Peiersbnrg saw standing before the baI
OF ST. Petersburg court Of justice
Prince Michael Lusignan, a descendant
of the former kiRgs Of Cyprus, Jerusa
lem and Armenia. The family OF the
Lusignans is one Of the Oldest OF royal
origin, and goes back TO the twelfth cen
fury. Il is, therefore, not to be won
dered at that when Prince Lusignan ap.
peared before the court TO answer a
charge OF forgery a large audience had
gathered together TO witness the event.
Among those present IN the court was
the father OF the accnsed, Prince Louis
Lusignan, bent down with age and sor-
row. II was sad 10 look upon the old
man, reduced from great wealth 60 ex.
IRENE penury, aud condemned 70 witness
the disgrace Of bis family In the person
Of his only son.
rHE PERSONAL HISTORY or THIS OLD MAN
Is so full tf interest that we cannot
refrain from giving few Of It's main in
cidents. Prince Louis Lusignan was
born in Cyprus, April 10, 1908, and re-
ceived from his father an inheritance
which amounted TO about 10000, 900,
mostly in money. This fortune had
been placed for safe keeping in the
hands of bis uncle on the mothers side,
Athanasius, Metropolitan OF income
dia. On Easter Sunday, 1921, Athana-
sius was arrested by the Turkish Gov
eminent, and, together with the Pa
triarch of Constantinople, put TO death.
The entire fortune of Prince Louis was
confscated, and he himself barely es-
capped with his life, owing to the exer-
tons of the Spanish Minister in Con-
stantinople and the good offices of some
members Of the British Bible Society
then in Turkey. After wandering about
for nearly year Prince Lusignan went
to Athens and entered the Greek service.
In the year 1928 he came to st. Peters.
burg and offered his services tothe Rus
sian government on the following con-
ditons:
First--To receive no pay nor mark of
distinction for bis services.
Second-Not to become a Russian
subject.
The conditions were accepted, and
Prince Lusignan was assigned to ser
vice in one Of the regiments with the
rank of Captain. Since entering SER
vice the Prince has taken part in nearly
yer campaign made by the Russian
army. By degeees his means of living
became well nigh exhausted, and his eff
forts for recovering his lost fortune from
the Turkish government met with con-
tinual obstacles till few weeks before
the war between France and Germany,
when Napoleon III, through one of his
ministers, offered TO use all his influenee
to recover the property of Lusignan on
condition of receiving 100000 francs
for his services in case of success. |
Prince Lusignan on this occasion re-
ceived an autograph letter from Napo- |
leon, in which the above mentioned con-
ditions are referred to. The war with |
Prussia, however, gave the hero of Sedan
something else to think of besides saw
ing the property Of the Lusignans.
Failing fortune and money embarrass-
ments prompted his son TO commit the
crime of forgery. He has been found |
guilty and condemned to exile. in the |
Ural country. The decision ofthe court
will be submitted to his Majesty the
Gear, and some mitigation of the pun
is hoped for.