New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-20
A DUCAL PATRIARCH.
acknowledged Leader of the Old
French NObiIitu.

I
/ France 10 yield him the pas is very far from
having been throughout his whole life the purely
/ ornamental hgurehead that the present generation
seems to imagine In his younger days he a
very useful citizen and the title of Duke or Bisac
ella, by which he know1 until his elder broth
er's death made him Duke of DoudeaGvtIe. and
which Is now borne by his younger son. con-
ferred him by the King OK Naples i recog-
milton OF valuable services rendered by him in Italy
in the middle of the lact century
The dukes mother. who a Montmorency.
had inherited extensive estates in the kingdom Of
Naples. In 1915 she intrusted the administration
thereof him. and finding that they
productive and that everything had been allow ed
TO 80 TO wrack and ruin during the two centuries
that the property had in the possession of the
pTllcely house OF P1gnateln. he TO work to
/ organize. repair and develop everything with
much success that what had been abandoned past
ureland, destitute villages and morIbund towns.
was in the OF years transformed into
. one or the busiest and most prosperous districts
OF Central and Southern Italy. The large sums %
money spent in developing the property proved d
most valuable investment For to-day the italian
{ estates Of the duke constitute his most probable
source OF
The noblemar. now In his eightieth year. may be
regarded the patriarch OF the French aristoc-
racy Cor he IS the father of the Dukes Of Estrees
and of Bisaccia the tather-in-Iaw OF the Duke OF
ltarcourt, the grandfather OF the Duke de Luynes
and OF the Duchess d. Noailles the father of the
Princess Louis de Ligne and the uncle granduncle
and kinsI1an Of at least dozen other dukes, and
France He Is a fine specimen Of the grand sci
gneur OF the old French school. and his death will
| not only a familiar landmark. but likewise
leave great void in the Faubourg St. GERMAN
Although the French authorities pride themselves
keeping the "dossier.' record. of every one
prominent even merely conspicuous. especially
II he she happens TO be a foreigner a nat
uralized citizen, there constantly things hap
, pending under the very Of the police. which
.tG-
spect is worse than useless. One cannot, for IN
/ stance. conceive OF the Humbert swndle taking
place. or being kept long without discovery.
in any other country than France. and now another
case is occupying public attention Paris. which
again shows that the police are all at sea One OF
I the magnificent mansions in the Rue de
( Berr is that occupied by the Marquis de Casa
Riera. n Spanish noble naturalized a French
citizen. Commander of the French Order Of the
Lesion OF Honor. possessed of q fortune esti-
mated at about 50. 600 900, and a well known and
popular figure IN the Partisan great world and club
life Some time ago he had occasion to sue the
editor Of obscure newspaper for libel and black
mail. When the up for trial the other
day at Paris, the counsel for the defendant put
forward the extraordinary pretensicn that the
plaintiff rad no locus standi that he was not the
Marquis de Cass Riera that the latter had died
fifteen eighteen years ago official proof being
furnished OF his death and that the plaintiff was
merely a former secretary OF the real marquis and
a son or nephew OF the latter's chief steward and
! MetiQuO
only nephew Of the old marquis. Don Jose Riera.
who should have Inherited his titles and wealth.
had been assassinated few weeks after his
uncle's death and that the soI-disant marquis was
the murderer.
The sensation created by these charges may be
imagined Although tho Riera fortune Is one OF the
very large IN Paris. Notwithstanding that the
Riera mansion has Tor score OF years been the
most notable in the Rue de Berri. and in spite OF
the fact that the present marquis has taken out
letters OF French naturalza ton and been ted
n Commander OF the Legion Of Honor, neither the
French police the authorities ot the Depart
rncnt OF the Interior have been able 20 throw any
light on hts history their dossers being altogether
AT fault In the matter
Careful investigation has now brought 70 light
that the first Marquis de Casa Riera- who acquired
his immense fortune as tax farmer In Cuba. after
building the house the Rue de Berri. did really
die Hfteen years ago: that his nephew. Don Jose
Riera who had always been regarded as his heir.
was rnysteriousiy assassinated a couple OF weeks
later before he had time TO take possession OF his
heritage that the murderers had escaped detection.
and that the property. well as the title, had
. thereupon passed 10 their present holder who
claims 70 Be Don Alessandro Riera another nephew
OF old marquis. All difficulties which Don
AIessandro might otherwise have experienced in
obtaining possession OF the fortune and title were
obviated by the assistance OF Mediano. the steward
and general factotum OF the old marquis. who had
had charge OF all the property.
French Will now have 10 determine
the multi-mllonaire. known and honored in Paris
for fifteen years the Marquis de Casa Riera, is
/ the nephew OF the steward instead OF the nephew
| OF the old marquis. and II he is fraud. forger
and possibly murderer II the plaintiff is ally
Don AIessandro Riern. the bona hde nephew and
/ heir OF the first marquis. and. he asserts, the
victim OF gang of bIackmalers The is de-
velopng into a celebre. There many
witnesses against the marquis including a former
Spanish consul general. who asserts that he has
I letters from the Premier Sagasta which the
latter denounced the present marquis a fraud
/ who should be exposed. and there even the
death certificates OF Don Alessandro Riera The
/ marquis insists that all the witnesses against him
form part Of a syndicate organized extort money
/ from him. and that he will rest until
/ ne has secured their punishment
Paris society is disposed the cause OF the
marquis. who is generous hospitable and very
popular. Still there awkward features
in the affair which require elucidaton The French
police II only their much vaunted system of rec
/ ords all that they boast be should be
able TO clear up the matter once. But the a,I-
/ thorites altogether sea, and consequently
the matter will drag for time before Paris
ing bona hde nobleman. as most people believe or
a plebeian fraud.
While could be found for Stanley in West
| minister Abbey, which is always described as the
Vahalla Of England's greatest men, yet there are
many individuals entombed there who have as
suredly claim grandeur. Thus among those
whose bodies have found a place in the ancient
Abbey is John Broughton. Il professional pugiltst
and prizehghter OF the eighteenth century who
kept Of the most dsreDutabIe resorts in Totem
ham Court Road. and who has sometimes been
described the father OF prizehghting IN England
Then there Is Thomas Parr. nuterate Shron-
I Chi F k1- I