Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-05-27
SUIT AGAINST BROOKE
Countess of Buena Vista Asks For
$23O,OOO From General.
CLAIMS INCOME WIPED OUT.
Says Her Slaughter House Business
In Havana Was Ruined by Him
When Commander In Cuba.
An Ancient Grant.

New York, May 26.--Suit has been
entered in the United States district
court by Donna Maria Francisco
O'Reilly de Camera, countess Of Buena
Vista, through Coudert Bros, against
John r. Brooke, major general of the
United States army, for $25O,OOO. The
complaint alleges that General Brooke
deprived the countess of the slaughter
house privileges in Havana and the
other emoluments attached thereto.
In 1904 by decree of the king OF
Spain the office of alguacil mayor, OF
high sheriff, of Havana was establish
ed. This entitled the holder to seat
in the municipal council of the city
and to slaughter all the cattle for the
city, to sell the meat and to collect all
moneys for the same at fixed charges
This office was aienable and heredita
ry. 1t was sold at auction and up to
1888 was in the family of De La Puerta.
Soon after that it passed by pur-
chase to Count O'Reilly, husband of
the daughter of the last incumbent
and from him to his heirs, one of whom
is Donna Francesca.
Business Originally Successful.
In 1873 the privilege of sitting in the
municipal council was denied the high
sheriff, but the slaughter house priv
ilege was still in effect and was exer-
cised by the plaintiff until 1899 In
1895, the estate of Count O'Reilly hay
ing become indebted to several peo-
pie, suit was brought and settled with
the understanding that one-half inter-
est in the slaughter house be sold for
the benefit of the creditors. This half
interest was purchased by DR.. Gustave
Gallet Duplessis. The countess AYERS
that she employed in the business sew
enty workmen, fifty oxen and more
than twenty carts. All went well, and
the business of killing the cattle and
selling the meat was successful and
lucrative until 1899.
In that year General Brooke, then
military governor of Cuba, issued civil
order No. 8 to the effect that the hered-
itary privileges connected with the
the O'Reilly family were terminated
and declared null and void and that
the business should be conducted by
the authorized agents of the city of
Havana.
No Charge of Neglect.
AS there was no charge of neglect in
General Brookes order the countess
appealed from it on Aug. II, 1899.
General Brooke replied by order
No. 1877, which says that in view Of
the appeal the military governor di-
reefs the publication of the order, that
he considers it prejudicial to the gen
eral interests and welfare of the mu-
nicipalty of Havana and that the Of
flee of alguacl mayor, with all it's priv
ileges, be abolished. The rights of
claimants to the office and cmolulncnts,
etc, We're denied, and the municipality
slaughter of all cattle
Thus the countess was prevented
from any redress for the deprivation
of her rights. emoluments. etc.
The countess claims that General
Brooke exceeded the scope of his au-
thority, for since Aug. 10, 1899, he pre-
vented by force the exercise of the
franchise which the countess held and
deprived her of the rents and moneys
from the interests which she held in
the administration of the slaughter
hnnsp of Havana