New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-12
FRENCH WOMAN MASONS
DuchcSSeS and PrinceSses as Full
Fledgsd BLENDERS Of the Craft.

Pledged Members Of the Graft.
Although Lord DoneraHe's daughter the Hon.
EI.ssbstA st. Lege-. WHO died as Mrs. Richard
h,awc.th Is generally understood in English speak
,7g countries 20 have been the only woman ever
admitted to tile order OF Free Masons. the fact
-r,aaas that IN the eighteenth century and n Tire
o.ry years Of tho nineteenth century there were
r,,te a large number OF Masonic lodges in Franco
composed exclusively OF women. practising all The
tes AID initiated into all tho secrets OF the craft
n fact, IN 1893 Empress Josephine installed IL
orcs grand mistress OF the Order Of Women
Free Masons Of France. Tho first feminine lodge in
France founded IN 1880, and had for its grand
mistress the Marquise de Courtenonne and among
is leading mem beIs the Con.tesss de PolIgnac ths
Comtssse de Choiseul AMI the Conltesse &c Ro-
n2ret, who succeeded Nine. de Cuateauroux as
<avc-ite Of the King. IN 1755 the Duchesse de
Bouilicn foIrded the Lodge OF St Anthony and
was during .ha year invested with the dignity
CT grand mistress Of all the feminine Masonic
lodges il france. In the following years the
Alchesse q OTleaHs. consort OF the regicide Duke
"Egsiite' Orleans and mother of King Louis
Philippe Of France, Joined the craft as a member
Of La Candeur Lodge, u which belonged also
Queen Marie AntOinette's friend the III fated
Princess de Lamballe who mas torn 10 pIeces by
the Paris mob in the early days OF the Terror
Nine de Fillette, the friend and Egeria of Vol
Iaire, was grand mistress of the Nine Sisters
Lodge, founded in honor OF Benjamin Franklin,
and among the long list OF names of other women
Of lofty rank who have prded themselves on being
i.fnaIe Free Masoas at the close OF the eighteenth
and the beginning Of the nineteenth century are
those OF the Princesse de Cargnan ancestress of
the present King of Italy; the Marquise de RO-
chaTnoeau. the Duchesse de la Rochefoucauld and
&c Rochechouart, the Marquise de Bethisy the
Comtesse de Brienne Nine de Narbonne the
Comtesse de Laborde and the Comtesse de Bondy.
OF course. there those who deny that these
lodges OF women were really Masonic. The only
thing that can say Offset this Is they were
recognized by ali the masculine Masonic assocta-
tons OF the day in France as forming part and
parcel Of the craft, that they practised all the
Masonic rites ana were initiated in all the mys-
teries OF the order.
RoMANCEs OF THE HOUSE OF NUGENT.
Nugent is name that figures so honorably in
the history Of Ireland and England that it may he
Just well TO explain that the extraordinary legal
proceedings which have been occupying the atten-
ton Of the High Court Of Justice in London for
some weeks past have concerned the Austrian
branch OF this house. which has for its chief the
Ear Of Westmeath. formerly attached 70 the Brit
ish Embassy at Washington. The suit related TO
the division or certain property bequeathed by
Princess Mortleart tc the late Count and Prince
Albert Nugent Tor the benefit Of his children
These children include a son. namely, Count and
Prince Laval NuEent. officer OF the Austrian
cavalry, and three sisters who are say the least
eccentric For not only did they carry in the
most extraordinary way in court. but they likewise
furnished the witness stand enough informaticn
OF a dramatic character 10 afford materials for any
rennr dreadful novel. one Of the sisters, Coun-
tess Anna Nugeut the defendant in the case. adj
rnitted that few years ago she had shot at her
brother with revolver several times with the IN
tenon OF killing him and that If she escaped being
sent prison for this attempted murder II was
mat he had received q mere flesh wound.
Plaintiffs and defendants grandchildren OF
that distinguished soldier Laval Nugent, who, born
at Bailynacarrow. in County Wicklow. entered the
military service OF Austria and had large share
in conQuertnE Croatia and Istria for the Haps-
burgs IN the early part OF the last century lie oled
as e field marshal OF the Austrian army. a cap
tain general Of the Neapolitan army as a magnate
Of Hungary. an Austrian count and roman
prince. the latter by the grace OF the PaPacy His
wife daughter OF Duke Rafael Sforza and
Of the duchess a daughter OF Prince Francis OF
Poland and Of SaXOny. OF this marriage there was
but one son, the late Count and Prince Albert Nj
gent whose children have been the parties TO the
recent case.
Il was also brought to light during the trial that
the late Prince Albert, the father Of the defend
ant and o. the plaintiffs. had, when close upon
eighty years old. fallen into the hands OF an Eng
Iish adventures Of the name OF OrInonde, "holn
he had picked Up in the streets Of London one
night and who obtained an extraordinary influence
him and induced him TO convey TO her most
OF the money which had been bequeetEed 70 him
by Princess Montesrt in trust for his children An
attempt was made 70 poison her at Florence ana
naturally she ascribed this 20 her elderly lovers
ehild-ea and. though compelled 10 restore the
Montesrt property unlawfully decided 10 her, was
nevertheless able. the strength OF this poison
ing episode, 70 secure from the Nugent family
sun Of about 5000 with which she married an
Italian OF the name Of Nicolai.
The Nugents came originally from France 70
England IN the train OF William the Conqueror.
and have been settled in Ireland since the reign
Of King John. when they obtained lands IN West
meath and Galway which are still in the possession
OF members OF the family. The eaTldom OF West
meath dates from King James 7 The third earl
died a Capucian monk ard vas succeeded by
his brother Thomas fourth earl The eighth
earl was created marquis. and on the second mar
CUTS dying without male issue the marQuisate be-
came extinct while the earldon OF Westmeath re-
Verted distant cousin. descended from the sec
ond son OF the second earl OF Westmeath, that IS
70 say from nOblen1an who vas created Lord
Everston by King James II after his deposition,
bur whose tide was never acknowledged. The pres
ent Lord Westneath ike most OF the members Of
his family. IS 2 Roman Catholic; and while one Of
the Austrian Nugents married the late Lord South
UaifinR
toria, another Of them married OF the BaltaZzi
girls al Constaatinople and IN this way became an
uncle of Baroness Marie VetZera, who played
leading role il the tragedy Of Neyerling.