The morning call., 1892-09-25


the imprecations of the French, forced to
become his subjects.
The Chateau d'Urville, bought not long
ago by the Emperor, is on the road from
Metz to Strasbourg, between Pange and
Kurzel Chaussy. From documents we
know that the chateau was constructed in
the times of the Valois. and until the reyo-
luton 1t was occupied by different noble
families Of Metz. AT the time Of the revo-
luton, judging from the following inscrip-
tions in the vestibule. the chateau became
the property of the bourgeois:
Cette pierre a etc posee.
par
LIE Citoyen Durand fills.
Ian Nv de la Republique.
Citizen Durand was inspector Of forests
and member of the same family now lives
in the Chateau de Maizeroy; it was he who
created the park at Urville, and in this
park is an oak that dates from the time of
the Balafre.
At the end of the first empire the prop
erty passed into the hands OF General Baron
Sernele, whose son now lives in Italy. In
1870 the Baron Sernele came with an army
to defend the country where William III
now proposes to live for time. About 1910
Baron Sers became proprietor OF Urville
day. But it was from Monsieur Sendret. a
rich merchant of Lorraine. that the En-
peror bought the castle OF UrVllle.
The grounds of the castle of Urville are
divided into two portions; one contains the
park, the other the gardens that are united
by avenues with iron gates. In one OF these
avenues is Gothic tower, and on the ceiling
of this tower are six medallions. five OF
which frame the name of five preceding
proprietors The sixth medallion is wait
ing for the name of the sixth proprietor, the
grandson of the conquerOr at Sedan.
The court of honor Is hemicycle, and Is
reached by broad avenue, bordered with
trees and flowers. In the center is grass
plat, with pond, on which are majestic
swans. Around this is an iron fence,
chseled by LamOur; two lions are lying In
the midst Of elumps of bushes. and every
where are camellias, cactus, palms. etc.
The facade OF the castle is in Renaissance
style. There are two stories with mansard
roofs, at the corners small towers, and a
large tower containing clock.
The ground floor has large vestibule. a
magnificent staircase and grand dining
room. In the first story is long gallery, a
billiard-room. communicating with a recep-
tion-room by a large glass door, and two
doors draped with old tapestry, n library
and then the private apartments. The sec
Ond story has two rooms, decorated by Mig
cite, an artist much admired In the country,
tics of the German Emperor.
From the windows one sees forest OF
Austrian pines. in the midst of which is the
bronze status of a vestal virgin. On the
pedestal are engraved some verses, not de-
stined to give the Emperor very favorable
idea Of French poetry And for the recep-
ton OF the German Emperor the conquered
ones of Alsaee and Lorraine are obliged to
erect triumphal arches, to illuminate their
houses and to send congratulatory speeches.
One old Alsatian said:
'If we could only emigrate? But we can
not dispose of the little property we have
gained by our labor. and then the cemetery
where repose our friends. the church where
we were married, etc. If we all left who
would be here 10 welcome the French SOL
diers when they return victorious? For
they are coming, of that we are sure"
The question of the inheritance left by
the Duke of Brunswick is again attracting
the attention Of French and Swiss tribun-
ais. The eccentric Duke left three official
wills. One in favor Of Napoleon recalls
that the chief of the imperial dynasty aided
the Duke in gaining possession OF his duchy
and in making himself Emperor of Ger
many. Another will was in favor of Hol-
land. where he sought refuge from the per-
secutlons Of his daughter, and the third and
last was for the town of Geneva, where,
after the fall of the empire, he sought
home.
But the daughter Of Duke Charles of
Brunswick, Wilhelmine Elizabeth, Countess
of Colmar, married in France to the Count
de Civry, contested the will. and her cause
was pleaded by all the legal lights of
France. Germany AMI SwitZerland. Geneva
was defeated in Germany and Switzerland,
and then the battle began in France. For,
although the Duke of Brunswick lodged
for long time in Geneva hotel, paying
his board by the week, thirty-seven years
of his life had been spent IN France, where
be was taxpayer. In the midst Of the
debates, in 1880, the Countess de Civry
died and the suit was continued by her hus-
band and son. The Countess was recog-
niZed as the daughter Of the Duke of
Brunswick by all the jurisdictions of
Brunswick. and Nj. Waldeck Rousseau.
document that proved the Countess de
Civry to be the recognized daugh-
ter of Duke Charles. This document
was said to have been copied in 1891 from
the first volume Of the "Baronagium Gene
alogicnm" and its authenticity was attested
extract from this important document:
1--WE, Charles, by the grace of God. Duke of
Brunswick, etc. July 5th of the
present year. 1926, daughter was born to
us at WendeSsen. In conformity with our
wish she was baptized August II by the
well-bel0ved brother William was god
father conformity with us and we gave to the
child the names Wilhelmiua Elizabeth. in
memory OF our respected mother.
Wishing. because of our sovereign power
to give this child public pledge of our
affection, we have resolved to confer on her
the title of Countess of Colmar. We order
that this tile be given to her everywhere
and by everybody. so that she may enjoy all
the honors and privileges attached to a
title of this character" etc, etc.
Further on the Duke speaks of her well
beloved mother, Lady Colville," and his in
tenuon TO make other 'lettres patentes' to
strengthen his daughters claims TO name
and princely rights.
1t was this document that proved con-
clusively the Countess de Civry daughter
of the Duke of Brunswick, and 1t was this
document that won her case. When the
town of Geneva was defeated its wisest
librarian, Nj. Theophile Dufour, was sent to
make researches in the British Museum
Nj. Dufour has discovered that the doeu-
ment is not in the British Museum, and il
can be found in no other place. The
volume from which the document was sup
posed to be copied finishes at the year 1864,
consequently 1t contains nothing concern
lug the year 1926 M. Dufour found
that the translator and notary. who
in May, 1891. aitested the anthem
ticicity of this document, had been
very careless. From their own evidence"
he says. 'or rather from the evidence of the
translator, Tor the notary Is dead, they en-
tered the reading-room, found the parch-
ment on the table, and neither one nor the
other asked that any book or manuscript be
brought them from the shelves. Thus the
notary certified to the existence Of decu-
ment without knowing whether it belonged
to the registers of tho 'Baronagium Genea-
logicum,' and without knowing whether it
had the seal OF the British Museumn