National Republican., 1886-03-20
POVERTY AND A TITLE.

DEAR SIR If you call tomorrow morning at
10 o'clock l will sec you and make arrange.
ments for the sale ofmy tRlssi RDg,r, Yours SI or
i57 Fourth ave-, I'd hoor front.
When the 'tltle seeker" called he met a
small, slight, and side-whlskered French
man, Of pleasant but courteous manner, who
was Mr.. Rozier. The reporter knew little
French, and Mr.. Rozier spoke English that
was painfully dlslocated. Mr.. Rozler pro-
duced an imposing array OF old par5hments
that, he said, were the evidences that he
had right to call himself count, but he re-
fused TO let the visitor examine the papers
unless he made cash offer for the title.
The price was $4,000. The parchments
were undoubtedly genuine, and indicated
that their owner might legally call himself
Count De Lagorree Chevalier, of st. Louis,
Count Palatine and Knight OF Malta all at
one time.
Mr.. Rozier said: "The family Of Lagorree
have been settled In the province OF
Langueduoc, in the south part OF France,
for so many centuries that when they
came there or were first made mobiles OF the
land are facts that history hasn't recorded.
About 1858 Count Marie Vablntine Urban
de Lagorree, the head OF the house, took to
himself wife from the noble family Of
Daubgny. This lady lived until 1870,
when, having presented Count de Lagorree
with several daughters and one son, named
CASTOR de Iagorree she evidently considered
that she had done oil that could be expected
OF person Of her rank, and, much TO the
grief Of her husband, died. A short time
after his fathers death, he having re. mar
ried, Count CASTOR showed a decided In
clinatlon to COW wild oats, and, upon being
restricted in his expenditure by his step
mother, he instituted law proceedings to
obtain control OF his fathers estate. 1t was
proved that when Count Urban died he
had no estate worth speaking of Us
everything belonged to his wife and only
became his by the marriage laws OF France.
The case was decided against CASTOR and
extravagant habits without the means Of
gratifying them. During the law proceed
ings the widow OF Count Urban met q
young student with whom she fell In
love: The young man was unable
to withstand the attractions OF a
rich widow, and revoked his humble
love and married the titled and wealthy
lady. That young man was Paul RoZier,
who now offers the Lagorree patents OF
nobility for sale. After the widow Of Count
Urban had married p. Rozier she evidently
realized that her social position was con-
siderably different from that which she had
occupied up to that time, first as the
daughter of wealthy and noble family,
and later as the wife Of representative OF
remedy want Of title in her young
husband she authorized him to open
negotiations with young Count CASTOR for
the purchase of his titles. These negotia-
tions were carried to a successful ISSUE
Young CASTOR for a consideration, which is
not mentioned In the papers, but which he
speaks of as satisfactory remuneration, in
August, 1879, signed away all his titles and
transferred them to Mr.. Rozier, who, after the
transfer, added the title Of Countde Lagor-
rec to his name and with his wife left
Toulon to travel, finally settling In Swltzer-
land, and when In 1881 the countess died
Mr.. Rozier expected to come into the large
estate that his wife did possessed OF, but
this his family died not mean him to
do II they could prevent 1t. A
lawsuit for the possession Of the properties
was Instituted against Mr.. Rozler BY the
lady's family. The case came to trial and
was decided against Mr.. Rozier. Only
| small portion OF the property was awarded
TO him, and the bulk Of the estate went
back to the family Of the dead countess.
| MIR. Rozier had expended all his share OF
the property in defending the suits against
| him, and when he lost his cause he found
himself without money and with nothing
but the titles of nobility which he had
| purchased from CASTOR Lagorree in the
few family portraits. He returned to
| Toulon poorer than he was before he
| became the husband Of the rich Countess Of
| Lagorree, and incapacitated for struggle
with the world by life of indulgence and
luxury. At Toulon he renewed his rela-
| tions with his first love, for whom he says
| he had never ceased to entertain feelings OF
| the deepest affection. The young lady de-
| cided to forgive the man who had forsaken
her for the rich countess, and take him
back once more into his old position OF IA
vored lover. Finding ,hings not to his
| liking in Toulon, four years ago Mr.. Rozler
decided to come to America, and In a new
land TO build n fortune for himself. To
obtain the means to make this he offered
to sell the Lagorree family pictures, which
had become his, with the title to the sisters
| OF CASTOR de Lagorree, who, by this time,
was married and settled In Paris with the
money obtained from the sale Of the pic
lures. Mr.. Rozier paid his debts in Toulon
like an honest man, and having persuaded
| his first love to accompany him embarked
foY America. In tho four years that Mr..
Rozer has been In New York he has had q
pretty rocky time OF 1t. He has tried to
earn a living at gentlemanly employment,
but with Ill success. In his efforts
to get along comfortably he has
been materially assisted by the
lady who forsook her friends and country
to come here with him. She tried her hand
at dressmaking, and, having oil the talent
In that line for which the French are cele-
brated, 1t may be surmised that she con-
tributed at least as much toward their
mutual support as the count. About three
months ago Mr. Rozier received letter
from CASTOR Lagorree, dated from a small
town in Spain, in which Lagorree expresses
desire to buy back his titles. This letter
evidently opened Mr. RoSier's eyes to the
fact that the old parchment that he has
kept in his possession for the last
seven years has marketable value.
Most Of the applications for information
concerning the titles have been dated from
New York, though one or two inquiries
came from Washington, and several from
the west.
Mr.. Rozier said that several matrimonial
agents had called on him with offers OF ad'
mirable wives, who would bring him O
much larger sum than $4,000, but these
offers he had declined. The laws OF France
allow man to sell titles, but the selling OF
II does not convey the family name or any
claim on the estates Of the person who
formerly bore the title.
atan