New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-26
FROM PRIVATE TO DUKE
Romance Recalled by 1fr. Norgan's
Purchase Of the AItempo Library.

al rcrts O. ronacce both n,o5ern ard ancient
era recalled - mind by the news Of the sale hv
rr5lc auction al Sotheby's, in London, Of a Won
de-su collection Of ancient books and priceless
-raruscrfr.s which are wrongly described as be-
lo-ein2 u The Duke Of Altera-s" IN the FIRST
r-sce there IS no Duke OF Attempts But the col
lection considerable portion Of whic.. is said 70
nave been purchased ny :. Pierpont Morgan comes
from tlo grand old Atempo palace in Rome In
- .s.1Y I.rpes was "A monastery ana IN the
Middle Ages acquired. rebuilt ernbellished ard
arranged residence by the celebrated ,,ar9ira!
Marco Aircmpo. At his death he bequeathed il 70
MS natural son. Robert Alempo, for whom he pro-
cured the Papal title Of Duke Of Cialese and who
married a Princess Orsini Toward the middle Of
TIE nineteenth century there remained Of the
AltemTo family only Dona Lucretia and a cousin
Count Albert. For the sake of family interests II
was decided that the cousins should marry. After
Few years Count Albert died, leaving widow
sno daughter The latter did not long survive
hr and so his widow. Dona Lucretia remained
sole he!ress Of the great patrimony Of the house
Tn -,-p, when the French troops were in Rome
pona --Icreua perceived one day from the window
n The AUempo palace remarkably handsome
soldier ~ one Of the French dragon regiments
WfG was grooming his horse. She made some pre-
text To send for him. and thus made his acquant-
aHos nder the circumstances it only natural
tAat This Should ripen into something warmer, and
q was not long before, through her influence the
French Dragon. Jules Hardouin offered =
commission IN the Papal army. whereupon he mar
rea her and quilted the military service. Plus TX
TOOK great fancy 70 the cX-dragOop and revived
y fS favor the old Altem1o Dukedom OF CTaiese
Within year Dona Lucretia died, leaving a baby
g. who soon followed her 10 the grave OF course
The father his chid's heir. and thus the grand
old Altempo palace one of the finest in Rome, and
t5o great AltemQo possessions passed 10 the eN-
French soldier.
The Duke Of Calese did not long remain a wild
over. He soon contracted another marriage. ms
second wife being Dona Nataia Lezzani, beau
tiful girl of distinguished family OF this mar
rage the duke, who cleo a couple OF years ago.
had children. the eldest Don Luigi, married
Ia ,a- prF IN
the SRI. Dona Maria, in evil moment became
irfa:.a ed with Signor Rapagnetta. better known
user his pen name OF Gabrielle d'Annunzio.
-rShe insisted upon marrying hiIl despite the op-
POSITION q her father and brother; hui after q
very few years Of unhappy union Dona Maria
was led by me noNeISts msconduct-above all, by
his association with one Of the most famous Of
Italian actresses-tO separate from him. taking
10 her res derce at Paris with her children he
treated The actress quite badly he did his
wife. and tlereupOn managed TO hypnotic the
,rlaou-ed daughter Of ex-PrTrrer Rudini 10 such
an extent that her family was compelled TO de-
prre her juGcially Of the control Of her fortune
her children for his sake
This particular afaire de cour Of the novelist
lasted somewhat longer than the others possibly
on account Of the rotoriety which il brought him.
for be IS consumed with vanity and egotism, ike
80 many geuiuses- He enGeaVored 10 marry her,
and, as there no divorce in Italy. he made an
attempt TO secure letters Of naturalization rs a
ct zen Of Switzerland in order 10 obtain from the
Swiss tribunals decree Of divorce But the Swiss
authorities, spprecialiug the fact that his sole
object IN applying for Hevctian citizenship was
70 eVEde the avs - his country. declined
grant him letters OF natlrs lizarion and the con-
sequence IS thai his marriage 10 the daughter Of
the late Duke Of Galese remains still und.ssolved.
PRINCE DE sAGAN SOLD OUT.
Irasnlch the Prince de sagan has Just had
his superb palace n Victoria street Berlin sold
for The benefit of his creditors. and has within
the last few weeks had judgment recorded against
him a Frankcort-on-1Le-AIaia because Of dishon-
ored prorsso-y notes Of $1,000 and $4,000 each It
IS fortunate that there is truth in the story that
Nine anna Gould, ex-COuntess &c Casteiiane. is
about 70 marry him. L would be clearly OF
out Of The frying pan into the fire. as far ex-
traFaEa-ce Is concerned, for not only has the
Prince de- Sagan judgments recorded against him
II almost every capital OF Europe but he has also
spent nearly year in prison al Paris on charges
Ct forgery and fraud.
IS positive fact that he obtained considerable
sums Il money on acceptances 70 which he had
himself added the name Of the late Max LeDaudy,
one ot The sons and heirs Of the muIr-Iniionatre
sugar retIcr Le5auGy- The Prince de Sagan says
tast when b. affixed Lebaudys signature 10 the
bills and negotiated them be did so with Lehaudy's
authority and for their joint benefit Lebaudy being
a n trle short u cash owing 10 the efforts OF
his relatives 70 arrest his insane extravaganza 1t
cannot hs denied that when the bills were signed
and discounted The Prince &C Sagan and lie Petit
SUcrer." young L@bauGy nickuamed, were
q tie closest intimacy, that subsequently,
they qusre,ed bitterly. and that the repud!stion
by Lebaudy q the signature 10 the notes was one
q the results If The dispute
Be thar may. ,he bin discounters brought
agafLE- forgery
tfacc- HIS mother, famous throughout the greater
. ps:t q -er life Princess dc Sagan, offered to
Compromise with his prosecutors and 70 induce
mem u withdraw their proceedings II he would
surrender lis lirthrigAt his younger brother.
Bozon, Count DC TalIeyraud- PerigoTd. soidigant
Duke Il Talencay and ex-sOn-in-lsw Of former
hice-F7"scaat Lesl = Morton. But He!ie De Sagan
preferred jail selling his birthright. and event
la-y has mother. who died TWO years ago as
Duchess Dc TalleyranG. shaTned by King Ed
RzFa - particular and other old friends into pay
ing o1 The hil discounters, and tAus securing the
uncoHd -0nal Liberation Of and the abandonment Of
criminal proceedings against her elder whom
tIe Gete-ted- but VINO vas AIs fathers ia
FoFlte. SIC left every Vestlge OF her fortune at
htr disposal r, her younger who enjoys the
distinction q having been piled" by altogether
Extraordinary number Of hlackballs al the ultra
smart club u The Rue I1oyale at the instigation Of
y. -3taer. when president and who makes use
O. the THE q Duke Of VaIercay, 70 which ne has
10y n Festige Of right i IL dignity thar belongs
- hlf father. who for & number % years past has
oesa completely lrbecilc and under restTaint-was
Aoeed IL That condition before tie death Of his
WI father placed him in possession OF the family
h9nors 20 that h. could not have transferred any
h0rred.
Inc Old duke. once the arbter Of all masculine
+=eance and c1ic IN France, Is Duke Of Tal!ey-
:eao' Duke ~ Pe1gord. Duke Of Valencay, and
russian Duke d Sagan: and on his death-he is
~" seVenty-siE-his eldest son, Helie de Taliey-
lSAa The sIend1Erift. bankrupt. discredied eldest
"-4 lhneri al these honors he IS cousin
y Bon! Dc Casteilane. and the old dukes half
9zleF, Dor1'rea Dc Tslleyrand- Perigord widow Of
me -4aEies tLrEIeHDeTE, IS now the VIE OF
y'A de 'asteIiaUe's elder brother, Count Jean dc
S@Stelane. ANOTHER cousin, Maurice de Talleyrand-
- cora, Duo dc Dino, has the questionable dis
I14cuon ~ having divorced in turn two American
GO, Ire 1rst Of them having been MISS Elizabeth
s-4tS, o. New York. and the second Miss Adele
eHpson previously divorced from Frederick VIII
I l~FinssroH, o. New York
WIN Prince Helie De Sagan unable TO find
we - reason IF his antecedents and insolvency
~! as bis colossal debts and Bozon de Talley-