Connecticut western news., 1897-09-09
IN A LONDON PRISON.
PROMINENT AMERICAN WOMAN HELD
 ON A CRIMINAL CHARGE.
With Her Husband, Who Claims to Re . Brazilian Duke. She Is Accused of De- fraudinR Boarding Houses-Known In New York as Clara de cossa Conger.


 Brazilian Duke. She Is Accused of De-
 frauding Boarding Houses-Known In
 New York Clara de cossa Conger.
 London, Sept. s.-The Duke and Duchess of Rio Grande were arraigned in the Marylebone police court, charged with defrauding hotels and boarding houses. The duke is said to be a Bra zilian nobleman, and the duchess, 1t Is asserted, is a niece of former Senator Conger of Michigan.
 The prisoners were brought up in the midst of motly assemblage of ragged criminals. They had slept in the cells at Holloway anu showed the effects of the uncomfortable night they had pass ed. Nevertheless the duke rested his chin jauntily on his gloved hand. He is a short, dapper man, with pompadour cut hair. pointed beard and waxed mus tache. The duchess is a handsome wo- man, about 30 years of age. with refined features. Her face was swollen with weeping. The duchess said her father lived In a village in northern New York, and she added that he was an artist and member of the artists board of awards of the Chicago exposition.
 A hotel keeper and the landladies of two boarding houses confronted the couple in court. Mrs. Elizabeth Stanley, one of the landladies. described her ex- perience. She said a lady-the female prlsoner-with an infant and nurse, went to her house on June 20. at night and engaged a room, the lady saying that her husband was dining at his club. The husband-the male prisoner arrived late, explaining that he had Uan ha ha rre was delayed.
 Made Many Excuses About Money.
 They staid at Mrs. Stanley's house un- til Aug. 10. making many excuses when asked for money or for explanations as to why their baggage was not forth coming. Finally Mrs. Stanley was com pelled 10 have the duke and duchess ex- pelled from her house. The landlady said she felt sorry for the lady as her husband neglected her shamefully.
 While residing with Mrs. Stanley the duke and duchess gave the names of M and Mime. Edgar Serge de Mel. The lady said her husband was duke and a count; that he had half dozen titles, and that some emperor was about to confer another title upon him. This portion of the evidence caused the pre- siding magistrate to remark sarcas- tically:
 And that will make seven titles"
 Continuing, the landlady said the duchess assured her that Mrs. Colonel W. H. Reynolds of Providence was her best friend and would pay her board. but Mrs. Reynolds called, and no money was mentioned.
 A clerk of the Royal hotel, Black friars, testified that the duke and duch- ess arrived at that hotel on May IT. They represented that they were from New York, having arrived by the steam CT Mobile. The prisoners. the witness continued, staid at the hotel a month. They failed to pay their bills and gave the name of De Mel. The husband was much away. and the couple were finally elected, and their baggage was retained owing to their failure to pay their bill.
 Said Their Baggage Was Lost.
 Another landlady testified that the prisoners represented themselves as the Duke and Duchess of Rio Grande and told a similar story about their bag gage having been lost. They were eventually elected from this house also.
 The defense claimed that the prisoners offered security in bills. but the mag istrate said 1t was clear case of de- frauding the hotel and boarding houses and he remanded the prisoners for a week. offering to release the female prisoner on S250 bail, half of the amount of the frauds charged against the pris- oners The latter were eventually re- turned to Holloway jail in the Black Maria.
 An American, who refused to give his name and who was present In court said:
 T will find ball for the woman, but the husband may rot In jail. She Is well known in Chicago. Is a woman of the highest talents and character. be- came fascinated with the worthless man, her husband. married him and had perfect faith In him. I presume he Is a duke. I have lived in Brazil and know that any one can get titles there. ,
 The female prisoner appealed to the United States embassy for protection or the ground that she was an American but the embassy officials replied that she had forfeited her citizenship by marrying a foreigner. The embassy however, will be represented at the trial.
 The woman is we'll known In New York as Mrs. Clara Conger. She mar ried De Mel there in 1896.
 The Brazilian minister says there Is no such title as duke of Rio Grande.