Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-21

ONDON, April il.-An ancient
monument which must be de-
scrlbed as one Of the most curl
Gus and Interesting in London is
;ust now attracting attention, owing
to the necessity of It's renovation. This
is the tablet which was erected by
Horace Walpolc IN 1857 to Theodore I,
king Of Corsica, who, while in London,
distinguished himself by pawning his
kingdom for the benefit of his credit
ors
SINGULAR MONUMENT.
This very singular monument stands
In the courtyard of st. Anne's church
Soho in the very heart OF London. At
one time st, Annes was a fashionable
fame. attended by the great of the land
but now, II IL tucked inconspicuously
away in Wardour street, not far form
picCadllly circus, Tho curious lnscrip-
ton on the tomb of the hard-up mon
arch frequently attracts the attention
Of American visitors to London. Here
Is the inscriptions:
Near this place Is inferred
Theodore King of Corsica,
Who died IN this Parish
December IX, MDCCLIV.
Immediately after leaving the Kings
Bench Prison
BY the benefit Of the Act of Insolvency
In consequence of which
He registered his Kingdom of Corsica
For the use of his creditors.
EPITAPH IN VERSE.
Just beneath these somewhat prosaic
announcements are some verses. CONF
posed by Horace Walpole who was in
strumental in having the monument
placed over the grave of the lmpecuni-
Gus king. Walpole wFvtes"
The grave, great teacher. to level
brings,
Heroes and boggars, galley slaves. and
kings;
But Theodore this moral learned Ger
dead
Fate pour'd its lessons on his living
head
Bestowed kingdom but denied him
bread"
The story of the Corsican king reads
like one of the tragedies from German
folklore. II seems that Theodore came
by his kingdom in the good od-fash-
toned way, conquest. Originally, he
was Baron Theodore NeuhOf, son of
Westphalian nobleman; who, on March
H. 1885, landed with a band of adven-
turers at Alerla, In Corsica. He sub
lugated the wild inhabitants, and was
proclaimed king eventually by the peo-
pie themselves In those days, Corsica
was being fought over by the French
or twice driven from his kingdom by
the contestants. He returned victori-
Gus on two occasions. but ultimately
hts power was broken, and he sought
refuge in London.
PAWNED HIS KINGDOM.
The king of Corsica, 1t seems, was
able to obtain considerable credit on
the strength of his kingship, and by
paWuing his realms. he managed TO
live, Finally however, his creditors
who possibly, found 1t difficult to real
ize on their securty--seized the aug
u3t person of the king himself and
east his majesty into debtors prison
After lingering I'm durance vile for sew
elal months. he was liberated In con-
icrmity with the insolyent act.
Ills NAD 1liitli IL
on walking out of Jail, the poor
King was In worse plight than when
IN IL. He hired sedan chair--thc
prototype OF the cab of today-and
asked 10 be taken To the Portuguese
embassy The ambassador happened
70 be Out---at least, to Theodore. whose
mission was doubtless known to be an
impecunious one-and the King, on
turning to pay the sedan man, found
mat he did not possess the necessary
zee of ~ cents, Thereupon he petit
Toned To be taken 10 friend of his
~ soho, from whom he begged shelter,
Theodorc's plight must have been
very sad one indeed; for, the next
gay alter being taken TO his tailor
ilieud he became very ill., and In three
Gays was dead. He would have been
hurried I'm Potter's nell, had Dot
friendly Gilman come forward aud
gwen him decent burial IN st. Aune's
church His death occurred ON Dec,
~ 1853. hut the tablet reads pee ..
however, It probably does not make
much difference to either The royal
parsonage on mis- descendants, just now.
HELPED AFTER DEATH
Horace Walpoc who. by the way
vas great one Tor assisting people
alter lhoir death--as readers of chat
,'ttons life will recall--now cumr for-
ward and paid for a monument over
Ipor Theodore's grave which, but
lor mis- would have been unmarked
nnd unknown TO This day The crown
:, ~ over the table Ia counterpart of
. ne crowns on the kings own coins,
Wv purchasing power Of which, UNI
"'ulately, did not extend to English
,aVes " bread Reading between
r rH mos 1t Is pretty plainly seen that
,"uOdore came ~ his untimcly end
nom starvation and worry
a COSTLY MEMORIAL.
, When Walpole approached the au-
,m9lillcs of the church to put up the
aui' several Of them strcnuously OBJ
gced to Theodore being given the IT,
:" OF King, but, on going into the mat
WI Nalpole compelled them 20 adj
,''. lha royal dignity Of the august
pauper The cost of the monument
,1er King Theodore's grave would
. ."Ne Kept him alive for many a day
si,i,il'Sienuy long, perhaps, Co have en-
th"''u MIN to write home and raise
w., wind But Il Is rather late day
y. US To indulge In heroics. However
prosperous Theodore may hive been,