Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-24
81 MPATHIZE WITH THE DUKE.
Acqunintances DcplOrc the Annoy
ances He Has suffered.
New York Herald)

New York Herald)
The men in this city who have had the
pleasure of meeting the Duke OF mari
borough were discussing what they term
ed the latest unfortunate occurrence IN
his American experience. They reierreo
to the fact that although he and MS
bride will go to Europe as soon as 'hey
are married, the customs authorities nave
declined TO admit his wedding presents
free of duty, and by holding the first oil
them to- arrive, have made II plain that
II he were to pay the regular tarin on
those which are to come II would cost
him a fortune.
And that led to a discussion or the
Dukes unfortunate experiences III
America during the last six weeks anu
generally expressed regret that a gentle
man who is as anxious to avoid offensive
notoriety as he is TO obey the laws ana
observe the customs of this country
should be subjected to the continual an
noyance which has been the fate OF the
peer ever since his engagement was an
nounced.
To begin with the young man has been
stared at wherever he has appeared In
public, and has been spoken of In con-
versation and in print in no very dignified
fashion As matter of fact the men
who have met the Duke socially nave
found good companion, man OF the
world without what Americans call IN
sular prejudices." frank, easy hammered,
and keenly interested in the pursuits ana
amusements OF life.
TROUBLE FROM THE FIRST.
Then say his friends, think what has
happened to HIM His arrival here was
heralded in manner which made IL lnl-
possible for him TO escape notoriety there-
after. The little incidents or MS dally IRE
were chronced from the moment ne
landed on American soil. The general
interest i'm what he said and did afforded
an opportunity Of which sensational pup
LEGATIONS were not slow TO take adyan-
Tage.
The Duke went bicycling. He rides well
and he felt the need OF brisk run over
the smooth roads in the park. without
dreaming that he was violating an ordi-
nance or doing anything which would
create notoriety. he rode beyond the speed
limit set by the police. Just how fast he
rode is not known.
A policeman saw an noffensive looking
young man, who was doing something
that gave him a chance to assert his au-
thority and he promptly pursued and ar
rested him.
Naturally enough. the young man said
II am the Duke of Marlborough" as if
that were recognized guarantee that he
had intended 20 violate no law and had
erred through ignorance, II at all. The
Duke, his friends say, expected that
having given his TITLE and having thus
proven that he was not a dangerous
"scorcher" in the sense Intended by the
law. he would be released without further
parley. as doubtless would have been the
case in London.
But the policeman had case" against
his prisoner and nothing would do short
of going to the Arsenal and having the
peers pedigree" taken like that of a
criminal The nobleman. accustomed TO
different conditions thought his arrest
an indignty. He conducted himself with
dignity and got out Of the affair with as
little noise as possible. The news OF his
arrest, told In a dozen different ways,
WAS flashed all over the civilized world.
He did not like IT, That. say the men
who know him, is scarcely strange.
THE LATEST ANNOYANCE.
And now comes the announcement that
the wedding presents Of English friends
forwarded TO this city have been inter-
cepted by the custom-house officials. More
annoyance. 1t profits nothing to explain
that these gifts will be carried out OF
America to the future home OF the bride
and bridegroom--no more. in fact. than
it does 10 say that this is not England
and a Duke can expect no more conside-
ration than any one else.
But, say his friends the Duke expects
no more consideration than any one else
and simply wishes TO be allowed TO come
and go as quietly as any other gentleman
1t is well known that 10 escape the mis-
representation that he fears the Duke
has itf f1lr t.afY \,
movements and intentions for the news
papers, in spite OF the fact that for three
weeks he has had scarcely a moment that
he could call his own.