New-York tribune., 1893-12-10

ro, credit of $4,000 or $4,000 for Il
.,,,rcbasc of works Of art, and 1t ~
tncse including pictures by Roll. Courbet
Do,acrox. Laurens and Bonnat. which have
now found there a final resting place. The
o,ty of Paris it may be added, was b. means
the only expectant legatee who was disap-
ro,nted by the tenor Of the will Of the eccentric
and imperious old Duchess, who, notwithstand.
ing her Italian title. was OF French BIRTH be-
longing to the noble family OF DE Brigole-Sale.
The Comte de Paris had been led to expect that
ne would inherit the huge mansion and mag.
n,acent garden which she owned in the Fau-
bourg Saint-Germain, that her fortune would go
IN mart 10 his sons and her celebrated collection
~ Jewels to his daughters the Queen OF
Portugal and Princess Helene. This impress
sion was confirmed by the fact that she per.
,nitted the Comte and Comtesse de Paris to in.
habit the house until the moment OF their exile
And il was there that took place the mem.
orable ball in honor of the betrothal OF Princess
Marie Amelie to the then Crown Prince q
Portugal. which developed into a political mani.
festation against the Government and led to the
banishment Of the Comte. SO angry was the
Duchess with the Pretender for having used
her house for what she considered as mani
festation against the Republic that she revoked
her will and left both her fortune and her jewels
to the widowed Empress Frederick OF Germany,
whose character she greatly admired, while the
mansion itself and the garden were bequeathed
to the Emperor of Austria for use as an
embassy.
The castle of Monte Cristo is for sale once
more It Is creation of Alexandra Dumas the
elder and stands little above the road leading
from ST. German to Portmarly, commanding
view Of the winding Seine with faint outline
of Paris itself in the distance. 1t was con-
sructed by Italian masons and builders, while
one part was specially arranged by Arabian and
Moorish experts after the manner of the Alham-
bra. There was also a miniature Chateau d'If
in the grounds, and the whole property was =.
called after the work Of fiction by which Dumas
gained most Of his glory and his gold. Long
before his death the great novelist grew tired
Of his architectural toy ard sold 1t, and since
then 1t has been held by various occupants
Some Of the articles of furniture most priced
by Dumas still in the house. and 1t Is hoped
that some wealthy admirer Of Dumass novels
will be found to purchase it and to keep up a
place which recalls one Of the most fascinating
romances of the age.
Talking Of Dumas what thrilling story he
would have evolved out of the strange affair
known as the succession Dubois" which has
once more been brought before the notice OF the
public by legal proceedings lust terminated in
Holland and France. The history Of the affair be-
gins in l7O4 on the alleged death Of one Jacques
Dubois a Frenchman settled in Batavia, who
was supposed to have left a fortune estimated
at 81, 900 000 This money was to be held, ac-
cording TO the terms Of his will, by the Dutch
India Company for a period Of ninety-nine
years at the expiration Of which it was to be
turned over to the lawful heirs of the testator,
the company having meanwhile enjoyed the use
not only of the money. but also Of the interest.
On this story becoming known, there was a
veritable procession of alleged heirs before the
Dutch courts until 1856 the Government OF
the Netherlands issued official notice to the
effect that such person as Jacques DUBOIS
ever existed and that the history Of the great
Batavian bequest was mere myth. This. how
ever. did not any diminuton in the NUM-
Der of dupes who were put forward by able
rogues as fictitious descendants of the Franco
Batavian millionaire. and ever since 1887 the
French and Dutch courts have been engaged
In sending to prison scoundrels who had
swnded credulous people out Of their money In
connection with the imaginary Dubois estate.
The latest instance Of this kind and the one
which has brought the affair Dubois into court
once more is a series Of frauds perpetrated
by a ruined gambler Of ancient lineage and bear
ing the perfectly authentic title Of Baron de
Castillon, who has just been sentenced TO nVe
years Imprisonment for his crime.