New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-13
coyrnSTING the BIRONS VIII.

THE FAMILY or ROGER pE sEIIIIERE. WHO DIED
MysrEmorsLY Is THIS CITY. DECLINES To
GIVE 1900 rr>~cs TO ONE or THE BENE-
rIcr.nIrs- RELATIVES ~ THIS COUNTRY
NEWCOMERS may remember the sudden death OF
R1ron Roger de Scllerc. brother OF the Princess lie
sagan. and brother-in-law of Baroness Raymond
De s;ellllerc formerly Mrs. Lvcrmorc. OF this city
which occurred in a hotel In the central part Of
town about two years ago. Considerable mystery
surrounded the end Of the wealthy and eccentric
Young nobl,man whose life had many unusual
touches
When his VIII was opened In Paris. whittier the
body was taken FOR burial u was found that he
had left 10000 francs to a Nine Merlier. whom he
had met some years ago. The family declined 10
Day the legacy on the pround that the baron was
unable TO make a Will. Nine Merlier brought suit
against the family: L clme u trial few days ago
and some strange tales were brought 10 Hight In
the course Of the hearing.
Roger de Sellliere. who inherited n fortune or
5000 900 francs was the counsel for the defendants
declared wealt-mlnded from early youth. and the
kind OF a man for whom "chevaliers OF industry
were always on the lookout 1t had been almost
impossible for him to learn TO read. and from the
..Consen dc Revision had come the remark:
"Iiorer dc Seilliarc. exempt. IDIOT"
lie had early begun life OF adventure. and mar
rowly escaped death many times because Of his
mad actions when a young man. travelling on
tho Rhine he had suddenly picked up n little boy
on tho boat and attempted to throw him into the
r,ater Later he had accused his sister the Prncesse
dc Sagan, OF making him deaf by boxing his ears.
Men Of all kinds helped him to spend his millions.
and Induced him to embark in all sorts OF wild
sprculations
After he had undertaken to explore the mercury
mines OF Panama. In 1877. his family tried TO have
him placed in confinement. But they did not sue
cecd and De seI,ere spent his money more mady
than ever counsel was useless
II was In 1879 that he had made the acquaintance
OF the plaintiff. She. counsel alleged. had pro-
posed his marriage with an Englishwoman said to
ella red was none other than the sister of the pain
I'm She carried "A long correspondence with the
baron and described IN glowing terms her castles
I'm Spain and the necessity OF having man 10
look after them. Mime. Merlier. II Is alleged IN
spired these letters. II was thus that she Kept con-
troll OF the young man. and accornng 10 coui,
money aided by two Americans who also secured
great influence the nobleman. &C.,
ia folie dc erandeurs' about this time. ana told
his friends that he was the owner OF halt OF san
Francisco the ma Jorlty OF the gold mines or call
fornia and the whole city OF Sydney Austtdiih
lie remarked to any who would listen TO him
that place was reserved for him on throne
OF the new world , 49,, ,.,.,.,
counsel used TO prove that the baron was incapa
HE OF making a will In reading his address he
declared that n few months after making the Will
in favor Of Nine Meriler De Seilliere had started
for this country In company with an american or
uncertain antecedents. and 'thout having niormed
and unexpained death In New-York hotel
The attorneys for the plaintiff naturally put In a
general denial and tried to prove that DE Seilliere
11orune Was stlll five or six millions OF francs at
the time OF his DEATH and that 100000 francs were
mere nothing" to which his client was entitled
not only in Paris. but by many or the trienoe ana
relatives OF the family IN this country