River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-04-10
THREE BAD DUKES.
Members of the English Peerage Who
nishonor their T.ineage.

Members of the English Peerage Who
Dishonor their Lineage.
The Duke of Beaufort is sybarite,
and, although 60 years of age and the
father of large family, he is as notable
for his gallantries as the gayest young
millionaire about town, says a London
letter He fancies himself great pa
tron of the drama, which his grace evil
IDENTIFY believes to be most fifty repre-
scented by young ladies in curtailed
skirts, possessed of classically modelled
understandings. He is frequently
to- be seen lolling in stall at the Gaiety,
presumably Surveying the charms of the
brazen young actress popularity known
as ''the child, who for some years past
he has had the credit of furnishing with
silks, diamonds and sealskins, hardly
attainiable on the modest salary ofsome
$50 week, which this precious young
lady enjoys. For politics, the affairs of
the nation, or the good of the people,
the Dixie of Beaufort cares nothing.
He is president of the coaching club,
and one of the best four INLAND whips
in London His charitable deeds would
appear to be confined to the largesse
lavished on the interesting young female
l have referred to.
His grace the Duke of Bedford is one
of the richest men in England, his rent
roll reaching 81 900, 900 a year. A large.
amount of this enormous revenue is
wrung from some of the poorest inhabi-
tants of mighty London. The Duke
owns Covent Garden market and hun
dreds of houses in the purlieus OF the
unsavory neighbhrhood where stands
that disgrace to the greatest city IN the
world. Many of these houses are let
out in tenements and the unfortunate
occupants have during the last twenty
years been rack rented again and again
by the Dukes agents. 1t is only
three weeks ago since the board of
health had to condemn several of these
houses as being unfit for human habita-
ton. Thereupon the wretched occu-
pants were promptly evicted, and, to in
sure their getting out within the few
days the law gave them, the water sup
ply was inhumanely cut off and the poor
wretches left to sleep in the streets or
go into the workhouse, as chance might
decree. This plutocratic nobleman has
long stood in the way of the authorities,
who have been for years DESTROYS of re-
modelling and improving Covent Gar
den market, and his whole life affords
striking instance of the baneful infiu-
ences exercised upon the welfare of the
people by an irresponsible aristocracy
who the mere accident of birth has for
hundreds of years enabled to fatten on
the industries of the people.
The next duke on the list is about as
fine specimen of the titled profigate
as can be found in the whole peerage.
The Duke of Marlborough, who has only
recently succeeded to the title, led such
a life of dissipation while known as the
Marquis of Blandford, that his father
refused to see or communicate with him
for some years previous to his demise
After gambling to an extent that has
impoverished the ducal acres for years
to come, drinking so heavily that he
has already undermined an originally ro-
bust physique, he put the climax upon
career as ignoble as foolishly criminal by
running the wife of his bosom friend,
the Earl of Aylesford, while that drunk
en- and empty-headed nobleman was
travelling with the Prince of Wales in
India At this time the wretch was al
I6dNlN anu bllt ltlSllNA va pOiAo
and daughters. His amiable and long
suffering wife, daughter of the Duke
of Abercon, was willing, for the sake of
her children, to forgive the titled ruffian
and resume living with him on the con-
dition of abandoning the frail countess
who had so basely betrayed the honor
of her absent spouse. To the surprise
of everybody, the noble duke refused
to listen to the pleadings of the true
woman who was unfortunate enough
to bear his name, and the
prayers of his aged father and mother
failed to win him from the companion
of his infamy Satisfied at length of
the utter worthlessness of her hus-
band, the poor Duchess of Marlborough
eventually sued for divorce, and the de-
cree of dissolution of marriage, prompt
~ granted, has recently been made
absolute. Retribution, however, was at
hand, for when the old Duke of Malbor
ough died some few months back it was
found that he had left every shilling he
had the power to will to his second son.
Lord Randol phi Churchill, who married
the daughter of Leonard Jerome, of New
York.
This titled reprobate to-day enjoys, I
think, a pension of e10, 900 ayear, which
has been religiously paid annually to
the head of the Churchill family ever
since the great Duke of Marlborough
was endowed with his title and his es-
tates by grateful country in 1902.
The duke of Hamilton succeeded to
the title in 1868, and at once proceeded
to dissipate one of the most enormous
fortunes that ever fell into the hands of
minor, for at the time of his fathers
death the young spendthrift lacked two
years of the attainment of his majority.
Race horses, dice. cards, wine and women
solely occupied his attention for the
next 10 years or so, when his affairs be-
came so hopelessly involved that moth
ing but protracted residence abroad
and temporary sequestration of his
estates could save the then impending
collapse of Scotland's premier duke.
The late Mr. Padwick, an able financier
and large money lender, and the dukes
heaviest 4,reditor, took the young
profiigate,- affairs in hand, and about
three years since his debts were partially
paid off, and he was once more his own
| master. Since that period he has re-
sumed racing and gambling with ap-
parently as keen zest as ever. Newly
contracted debts last year compelled
him to dispose of the family heirlooms,
consisting of valuable pictures, plate,
priceless china and endless bric-a- brac
that had long been the envy of half the
collectors of Europe.
1t is almost needless to add that this
duke has never opened his mouth in the
house of lords, has never by act or deed
benefited D fellow-c creature, and the
only accomplishment | know him to be
possessed Of is that of boxing. As he
possesses the physique of Hercules
and the personal appearance of a butch
er. there is nothing remarkable in his
being an art disciple of the fistic cham
pions.
Dominion government officials have seized
30 a IL