Evening journal., 1897-11-17
DESCENDED From KINGS.
Jnostentatious New Workers Whose
Ancestors Ruled Kingdoms.

=
There is an unwritten nobility in the
United States, a nobility that is proud
of its blue blood, its origin, its fore
fathers who held exalted rank and wore
titles that were in some instances royal.
a society was quietly organized some
years ago with the avowed purpose of
vcgenerating those neglected and for
gotten sprigs of nobility, and tracing
the family trees to their very roots, un-
covering the secrets of an ancestry that
might extend back to the crusaders.
This society made considerable head
way and exposed the royal connection
in very many instances, and the re-
searches so thoroughly satisfied a GER
tain number of their blood--so intense
" blue was it-that they in turn formed
themselves into a second society, con-
ssting of those whose line extends
back to the throne-to some throne
whose importance among the then ma
tions of the earth was not considered, so
long as it was a bona fide throne, with a
genuine ruler sitting thereon welding
u seepter and wearing the imperial pur-
pie.
The members of this inner circle are
Cor the most part New Workers by birth
and residence. The most conspicuous,
probably, is James Gordon Bennett, of
the Herald. Mr.. Bennett is q direct de-
scendant on his mothers side of Edward
l. of England and the probability of his
sitting one day on the trone of Great
/ britain is. it must be confessed, not
I. II.
side the limits Of possibility. lie is the
47th in the line of hermitage, and a revolu-
ton might bring him much closer. As
10 the present mode of addressing Mr.
Bennett, az he has practically become a
Partisan, would no doubt prefer Son
Altess to his highness should he con-
clude to claim the title to which il is
certain his descent gives him every
right to use. As relative of Mr.. Ben
nett, the distinction of royalty natural.
| ly belongs also to Narmaduke Richard
son, who is duke fSchomberg, and has
vo!uminous documents to prove not
alone his regal lineage, but The actual
personal claim he possesses to the title
of duke. 1t must be understood that in
correspondence between the various
mebmers Of this society their ancestral
titles are always employed, and they
are addressed as my Dear Prince" as
in the case of Mr.. Bennett, for example,
or "My Dear Duke as with Mr.. Rich
arlson. And many members have let
ter paper emblazoned with their indi-
vidual position.
George Mclean, an official in one OF
The large fire insurance companies on
Broadway, New York, is a leading mem.
Der of the society. and enjoys the title
of earl of Iona. a distinction that has
been recognized through many genera.
tions of his family. buthas never beer
publicly claimed. Mr.. Mclean is pos
sessed of documents showing a descent
from Louis TX. of France, whose cru
sades in the establishment of Chris
tianity and whose tireiess efforts in tn,
direction of civilization earned him th'
name of Saint Louis. This ruler made
his nephew lord of the Holy isles, war
ranted to employ the title of carl o
. Iona. Charles Heidsleck. well-known il
: New York. is, in reality, Prince Held
sleek Won Ravensberg. inheriting hi
title from an old German family O
; great distinction. and whose estates
were at one period the most eXtensiv
on the Rhine. The artist Thulstrup
, now making n tour of Scotland to com
plete series of illustrations for worl
, to be brought out by Harper Brother
, shortly, is Comte de Thulstrup, al
= though he never makes use of the homo
5 and few of his acquaintances are evei
aware that he possesses it. In fact, T.
, give him entire credit he is authorize,
TO sign himself Gen. Comte de Thu
strup." Connolly, the wel-lnown hat
ter modestly conceals the fact that a
., q direct descendant OF the last Iris
king he is none other than Lord Con
nelly, although it is doubtful that h
4 has ever said so outside the society O
which he has long been a member
There are n hundred others enjoying
> if it be an enjoyment, the possession @
0 a title while apparently only unassun
ing American. citizens. but these in
h stances are sufficient to Indicate that W
really have an unwritten nobility
Y Nfof1 and 1Tx-rrncr