Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-08

London. September 1.-THE Duke
and Duchess of Rio Grande were ar
raigned in the Marylbone police court
this morning, charged with defraudlng
hotels and boarding houses. The
duke is sa$d to be Brazilian noble
man, and the Duchess. it is asserted,
is a niece of ex-United States Senator
Omar d. Conger, of Michigan. The
prisoners were brought up in the
midst of a molly assemblage of ragged
criminals. They had slept in cells at
Holloway and showed the effects OF
the uncomfortable night they had
passed. Nevertheless, the duke rested
his chin jauntily on his gloved hand.
He is short, dapper man, with POM
padour cut hair, pointed beard and
waxed moustache. The duchess is
handsome woman, about 80 years of
age, with refined features Her face
was swollen with weeping. The
duchess said her father lived in viii
lage in Northern New York, and she
added that she was an artist and a
member of the artists board Of awards
OF the Chicago exposition.
hotel keeper and the landladies of
two boarding houses confronted the
couple in court to-day. Mrs. Elizabeth
Stanley, one of the landladies, de-
scribed her experience. She said
lady (the female prisoner) with an
infant and nurse went to her house
OF ierb md
room, the lady saying that her hus-
hand was dining at the club. The
husband (the male prisoner) arrived
late, explaining that he had been
yachting and that his baggage was de-
layed. They stayed at Mrs. Stanley's
house until August l, making many ex-
cuses when asked for money or an ex-
PLANTATION as to why their baggage was
not forthcoming. Finally Mrs. Stan
ley was compelled to have the duke
and duchess expelled from her house.
The landlady said she felt sorry for
the lady, as her husband neglected me-
shamefully. While residing with Mrs.
Stanley the duke and duchess gave
the names of Monsieur and Madame
Edgar Serge de Mel. The lady said
her husband was duke and count,
that he had half a 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 sarcastic
ally: And that will make seven titles"
After testimony of other landIadies
who had failed to be paid, the defense
claimed that the prisoners offered Sc
,sif tn hi h,,. h. !
it was a clear case of defrauding the
hotel and boarding houses, and he re-
manded the prisoners for a week, of
fering to release the female prisoner on
so pounds bail, half the amount of the
frauds charged against the prisoners.
The latter was eventually returned to
Holloway Jail in the black Maria.
An American who refused to give his
name was present in court to-day. He
said: II will find bail for the women.
but the husband may rot in JAIL She
is well known in Chicago and is a wo-
man of the highest talents and charac-
ter. She became fascinated with the
worthless man, her husband married
him and had perfect faith in him. I
presume he is duke | have lived in
Brazil and know that any one can get
titles there"
The female prisoner appealed to the
United States embassy for protection.
on the ground that she was an Amer
lean, but the embassy officials replied
that she had forfeited her citizenship
by marrying foreigner. The embassy,
however, will be represented at the
trial.
The woman is well 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.