The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-10
THE DUKE AND HIS DucATs.
The Descendant of Columbus Discovers
that He Is Ruined.


CHICAGO, July 9.-The financial crisis
through which the Duke of Veragua is
now passing, and which will end in all
probability in his being declared bank
rupt, seems to have been caused in a
great measure by speculation in Paris,
the Duke having intrusted his money to
another. The story of the Dukes
troubles comes from the Duke himself.
just before his departure from Chica-
go he called upon Mr. Thomas w. Palm
er, president of the national commiss-
ion, in the offices of the latter at the
Worlds Fair grounds and told Presi-
dent Palmer he had been specializing
with the major portion of his fortune in
Faris and had just been informed by ca
blegram that he had lost every dollar.
President Palmer sympathized with
the Duke and promised to do everything
in his power to assist him out of his
trouble. The hopeful view the Worlds
Fair official took of the situation put the
Duke in more cheerful mood, and only
few of those who stood closest to him
knew of his misfortune. Things did not
become critical until he reached New
York. There he received word that his
beautiful home had been seized by his
creditors and that his bull farm near
Toledo had also been tied up by the law.
Then the Duke fastened to leave this
country, and on Saturday started for
Spain.
In speaking today about the
matter. Mr.. Dupuy De LONE. the Span
ish Royal Commissioner General to the
Columbian Exposition, former minister
to the United States from Spain, and an
intimate friend of the Duke, said: Eyes,
it is true that the Duke of Veragua has
lost his whole fortune. His broker in
Paris has not handled his money wisely,
and it has all been sunk in the Bourse
The Duke while in Chicago was much
worried about his affairs. He often told
me that he had nothing, and felt very
badly that his wife and children would
be left almost penniless in case of his
death. The fortune of the Duchess is
compromised, and the family has abso-
lutely nothing left.
i hear fund has been proposed for
him. The Duke would, | doubt not, ac-
cept gift from the Americans in the
name of his children. The palace at
Madrid is a museum of American antiq-
uities and should not be divided or
broken up. | hope that it will be re-
deemed for the Duke and the posterity
of the Veragua family. His fortune, all
told, was about $500, 1000 several years
ago. He has lost every cent of it, and /
really do not know what he is to do. /
am heartily in sympathy with any move
ment tending toward raising fund for
him. 1t would be very graceful act
upon the part of the people Of the Unit
ed States"
Before the departure from Spain the
Hon. Pillar Colony Aguilera, his daugh-
ter. was betrothed to Spanish noble
man. Her dowry was set at a high fig
ure, and now this betrothal may be an
nulled because the Duke will not be able
to supply the money.
There was some talk of the appoint
ment of the Duke as Spanish Ambassa-
dor to the United States. 1t would re-
quire much wealth for the Ambassador
to maintain the dignity of his rank and
country at Washington. The emolu-
ments of the office are small and the calls
upon it great, and that is why the Duke
refused to consider it.