The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06
NO MILLIONS FOR CIYRY.
GENEVA HOLDS FAsT TO THE DUKE
OF BR " DICK,s BEQUEsT.
F"iure OF the Attempt TO Prove He Had
n Natural DauR or
the Diamond Buke-Bnd Record OF the
Ctntmnnt-Oue or fh. I.nhnudv l.eHCheN. |

Failure OF the Attempt TO Prove He Had
n Natural DauR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of
the Diamond buke-Bad Record of the
Cinimnnt-one or the Lebaudy Leochep.
A recent decision Of the Paris courts has
brought up again the story of tho eccentric
Duke of brunswick and strengthened the hold
of the city of Geneva on the millions he be-
qusathed to it. Tho vIcomto de Civry. who
was mixed up In the Max Lebaudy scandal, and
his brothers, have been non-suited In the action
they brought TO prove that their dead mother
was the natural daughter of the late duke and,
therefore, untitled to n share in the Inheritance.
The decision is the more emphatic In that the
Swiss municipality refused to appear In court
on the ground that tho French courts had no
Jurisdiction In the matter-n course that called
out unfavorable comment from the Judge who
delivered the opinion. His decision, however,
was that the de Civrys had not proved their
case, 80 that Geneva will probably be saved
from any more litigntion-in France, at least
Charles Frederick Louis William. Duke OF
Brunswick. managed to keep himself before tho
eyes of Europe as n public scandal during tho
whole of his miserable life, and by his extraor-
binary will prevented mon from for
getting him. lie was the eldest son OF
"Brunswick's fated chieftain," who fell at
Quatro Bras, fighting against the French.
and left him. q motherloss boy Of ten, to
w ~ " az hhSiC "a "a W
Great Britain. He grew up so vicious and dis
sipated that his accession to the throne OF
Brunswick was put of till he was 10 years Of
age. Then for seven years he ruled according to
his own will. violating all public law and pri-
vate morality. and plundering the state do
mains aud revenues so shamelessly that the
Princes Of Germany were called upon to inter-
fcre. While they were making arrangements
for his formal deposition. Charles's indignant
49, -l A. -. -. -..N
boots and stones into his palace, where they be-
sieged him till he ran away, carrying with him
his jewels and money. much of which properly
belonged to the state. This was In 1880.
From that time till his death In 1873 no
wandered about Europe. first to London, then to
Paris, and after the fall OF Napoleon III. to
Geneva, dragging with him his treasures and
his low companions. schemlng for his ~restora-
tion and openly indulging in every form OF vice.
He made q compact with Louis Bonaparte,
when the latter engaged in the Boulogne fzzle
that landed him in the fortress of Ham, each
engaging to establish the other in his domlnlons
as soon as he could. When the Second
Empire was set up the exlled Duke Of
Brunswick moved to Paris. into a villa In the
Avenue Friedland. that soon became notorious.
The house was painted outside in glaring colors,
while the groundt and the interior of the build
ing were filled with all kinds of mantraps an
burglar alarms, with which the suspicious Duke,
who had developed into u miser, sought to pro-
tect his money and his now celebrated collec-
ton of diamonds. For these, safes and under
ground hiding places were constructed.
AS his associates. however. were all persons Of
bad character he was often robbed. his dia-
monds being stolen almost as frequently as
those OF an opera comlque singer. On one &C.
casion one Of his servants got away with $780,
900 worth OF the diamonds. The Duke went
ahout In strange, etfeminRte costumes. with his
face painted and wearing eItreordinary blond
him. and at the fall OF the Second Empire
the old man hed with his possessions to
that nothing he owned should go to
his relatives, so he left everything %
erect an expensive monument to him, He is
believed to have left rs. 900. 900 francs In Sc
c1rIties; jewels: ana cash: Inc city was sued
~reigning Duke William OF Brunswick, who had
been substituted in his place by the rulers Of
claimed as heirlooms and other property. II re.
talned 20, 900, 600 francs, which II employed for
ment that now stands in the Piaee des Aipcs.
1t 10 a ~tasteless imitation OF the Scaliger toinbs
childiess in 1851 the line became eItinc. and
the sovereignty aud revenues of Brunswick
s oSe4. sh sH as.sse sni ny Of 5iF ths 70 Sr tas k'e oi q Ge asD,
Nv. OF England. He. however. had been driven
out OF his kingdom by Prussia and the duchy Of
brunswick was given to n Prussian prince 10
administer. England not caring TO intervene.
The Dc Civry part of the story 10 q curious
Charles adopted q little girl. who wa, therefore
snpp" 10 be his natural daughter. and
/" B9sn J, WICK. ~ 81. crew ,.S M fTi', Wns cS . pyestn9
10 Ca holicism by Pere Lacordaire. whereupon
the Duke turned her out of his house and re-
fused TO have anything more to do with her.
She married the Comte de Civry, founded n re-
view. wrote religious books. became the mother
OF eight children and entered on q career, of liti.
CATION. which continued till her death. She first
sued tho D,ke in Paris for means OF
who has formally adopted q child to throw 1t
gan actions at Brunswtck, at Geneva. and in
Paris for a share In the Inheritance. on the
ground that she was his natural daughter. In
the first two cases she was thrown out OF court
before she died, in 1850. Her children kept up
the suit in France aud have now lost il, being
Tue French law In the best OF cases stands in
the way Of such an attempt; as the code reads:
Her SON. Vieomte prnli ric de CivrS. has made
himself notorious in France. He Is a brilliant
military subjects. He lived far beyond his
means. however. used Questionable methods IN
obtain money. and In 1850, after having fled 60
to prison for three years. beirg convicted OF
swindiins. smbezIlrmcnL and wearing decorH;
In getting on his feet again, wrote for the news
papers. and established a military review. He
rich men. He was accused a year ago
OF using HIS review TO black mail young
Max Lebaudy, the -ugar millionaire. In the
sensational trial that followed l.ehaudy's death
the ' icomte Uric and ono OF his brothers were
among the defendants. The brother was ac-
Quilted, but Uric was Que Of the only two men
condemned to imprisonment. He was, released
soon after. before he had served the full term.
He admitted having received money from Le-
bnudy at his trial. but asserted that 1t had been
paid for him to USE his influence with the SUI
perior officers. and that he had pleaded for him.
although Mt the same time in his review lie was
complaining Of, the favors improperly shown In
the army TO rich men.
W DESTITUTES MEET.