Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-05-17
THE SOCIAL SIDE Of LONDON.
Great Interest CenterS in the Next
Drawing Room.
The Duchess Of Marlborough Will
be Presented by Lady Blandford.
The Duke and Duchess Much
Sought After in Society-A Series
of Remarkable Trials.

Copyright, 1896, Associated Press)
London, May 16.-The continued
warm, dry weather Of the past week i'm
parted gaiety to the streets, the parks
were unusually full of people, and the
clubs like the Nottingham and Rane-
lagh, where polo playing is in full
swing, were largely patronized. The
terrace of the House Of Commons is
again crowded at tea time by gayly
dressed ladies'; but many of the smartest
set are still in the country and New
market this week has absorbed all the
racing set, including the Prince Of
Wales.
Great interest centres upon the next
drawing room. upon which occasion
Lady Blandford will present the young
Duchess Of Marlborough formerly
Conseulo Vanderbilt, and Lady Henry
Somerset will present her daughterin-
law, formerly Lady Catherine De We're
Beauclerk. daughter of the Duke of st.
Adams. Many other notabilities will
be presented on the same day. The
Princess of Wales, it is expected, will
represent the queen.
Florists. dressmakers, etc. are loudly
complaining at the fact that the draw
ing room is to be held on a Monday. in
volving working the whole of Sunday.
Last year the queen altered the date OF
a drawing room in order to obviate this
extra inconvenience and labor for those
called upon to furnish the finery and
other features of drawing room.
The Duke and Duchess Of York re-
turned here from Copenhagen on
Thursday, and the Princess Of Wales
and her daughters arrived home from
the South of France yesterday evening.
The Duke and Duchess of Marlbor-
ough have taken UP their residence in
Audley Square. and were very much
sought after for the affairs of the
week The duchess is being critically
inspected by society, which is much
struck by her simplicity and absence Of
jewels at the opera, etc. One newspa-
per said: "She is so young and simply
dressed that you scarcely notice her in
a crowd"
Another paper remarks: "She is con-
tented with small town house on ac-
count Of her determination TO some day
restore Marlborough House to the fam
lily" the inference being that when the
queen dies the duchess will be able 10
buy it.
A series of remarkable divorce, breach
of promise and other trials are occupy
ing the law courts The chief interest,
however. centres in the romance which
was unfolded before Justice Hawkins.
1t was the case of Briggs VS.. the Emir
of Hafiz." an Arabian prince who has
paid several visits to America and who
has resided in princely style for years
at various London hotels. Briggs. who
is a lawyer, testified that he met the
Emir when the latter was a youth UNI
der the guardianship of Miss Burton. a
sister of the famous traveller. Accord
ing to letter from Miss Burton Emir
Hafiz's father was a prince. the ruler
of Mecca. and a thirty-third descendant
of the prophet. Hafiz claimed that his
family fortune amounted TO t2O,OOO,COO,
of which he was entitled to one-quarter.
In 1888 Hafiz summoned Briggs 10 OK
ford and informed him that his family
was coming to England TO invest the
fortune. which had been melted into
gold bars and packed in salt in order
that they might lie carried more easily.
On the strength Of this story Briggs
lent money to Hafz and afterward, on
various pleas and upon the Emir repre-
s-ntiuc that it was necessary. sent
messengers to Arabia to communicate
with Hafiz's parents and to send ships
to the coast to meet the treasure cara
van. Briggs also furnished other sums
CT money. amounting to f3.5OO. The
lawyer admitted writing letter to Ha-
fz to the effect that the advances we're
made out of Glove" but he explained
that this letter was written at the die
tation of the Emir, whom he described
as eXcitable.
Counsel for Hafz said that the latter
lived on an income furnished by his
tribe and amounting 10 from $1,000 TO
so COO yearly. He added that the
Briggs; family had for years lived with