The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-08-11
ROYAL CASTANAY
DIES IN POVERTY
Sad Ceremony Marks End of
Once Affluent Baron
De Pury-Herve.
GOVERNMENT CLERK
IN WANING YEARS
Disinherited by Family After Di-
yorce From Princess Wife, and
Marriage With an Actress.

| With simple funeral exercises, and ac-
companied only by a few faithful
/ friends of his declining years, and
/ single representative OF the German en-
/ bassy, the body of Baron Alexander De
| Pury-Herye, an aide-de-camp to Bis
marck, and member OF one OF the oldest
| houses OF Germany, was laid 70 rest ia
a little cemetery on BIadensburg road
yesterday afternoon. Tw. lilies and
single red rose reposed on the plain
/ coffin. II was his dying request, for the
three flowers constituted his ancestral
coat OF arms.
A friend and comrade OF Bismarck,
/ he was numbered among the pride OF
/ the German army that participated In
I the FraucO-P -Prussian war. he married a
| princess OF royal blood. but he erred
once, II Il said. and rather than have
the finger Of s0orn pointed at him by
/ his comrades. he quit the army and
came 10 America. That was twenty
eight years ago. His p-iITCess wife d.
voTced him, and the little son OF whom
/ he was so proud. grew up TO forget his
Z father Today he is an officer IN the
I Kaiser's body guard.
Married An Actress.
In New York ne married an actress
I with whom he fell in love. The family
| pride Of the De Purys is great. and ne
/ was disinherited and his allowance of
/ $500 a week cut of. The rest is a long
story. He was clerk in the store house
Of the Government Printing Office when
| he was taken sick and died last satur-
/ day az the Casualty Hospital, unknown
! except by a few devoted German
! friends. who knew his story, and who
loved him.
/ The friends notified the German en-
/ bassy OF his death and when papers
were proffoced proving his Identity,
/ Hans Anderson. one OF the minor sec
/ retaries. was ordered 10 see that the
/ baron received a proper funeral and
/ that the family in Germany was noti-
fed.
Just a few years ago. his mother and
I father having died. his brother. Baron
/ Frederick De Pury, a general in the
I German army, wrote him and the two
/ brothers. who had been playmates in
/ childhood and comrades on the field Of
I battle. who had been noted as the two
most devoted brothers in the German
army, were reconciied, When he was
/ dying the baron held in his hand a
picture OF his brother, in his uniform,
/ decorated by medals. and murmured:
I "IIebe Fritz. my brother; II I only
gould see you once more 1 would die
/ FcOntented."
Didn't See Brother
/ But he never saw the brother that
I
/ opened 10 receive him, he smiled a
| smile OF peace, and talked Of the Fa-
/ therland, and the dear. old castle. high
on the hills Of NeufchateI. and of Bis
marck and a rose of red
/ All his life the old soldier wore a
rose Of red. but he never told why until
a few days before his death. and then
/ he told the secret to the man who had
befriended him in his latter days The
! odore T. Wetzel, a barber. who has
shop in New Jersey avenue.
| The story OF the red rose was woven
/ around the figure OF Bismarck. whom
/ he loved. The battle which the Iron
/ Chancellor had been witnessing was
/ over cne day, the sun was setting on a
1 field Cf carnage, and Bismarck with
I bowed head, turned and rode away. his
aids around him. The figure OF a young
/ officer In the full pride of manhood,
I lying wAite-faced on the field. caught
/ the eye of the prime minister. With
/ out a word he dismOunted, picked a red
| rose from a bush near by, and placed IL
/ over the young officers heart. And as
/ he placed II there a tear fell from his
/ eye. So when the old baron died. un-
/ honOred, unknown, they placed a red
] rose on his breast, for they knew his
! secret at last
Became Journalist.
I
| family, following his marriage TO the
American actress, he was obliged TO
/ work, but he had never worked before,
/ aad he knew not where to turn. He
/ vas a master of eight Languages, and
he turned TO Journalism. securing a
plaee on the New York Staatz Zeftuug,
! of wnich he later became political
writer. He was a close friend of David
b. Inn in his palmiest days. Then his
| actress wife died, leaving hts with
three children, he moved to Winona,
Mimi. where he. took charge Of the
/ Westlic1er Harold.
/ After few years he married again.
/ this time a young woman OF Wi
| mona, and his life there was very hap
/ nv He again became interested In pol
/ tiles and became supporter OF Con-
| gressman Tawney, and when the old
/ German soldier disagreed with the
| owners OF tllE Gldlbtu ONtE us DOllAE~
/ cal DoIfcies, Tawney brought him to
| Washington and secured for him a
! position in the folding room at the
] Capitol.
writing foi different papers. He be-
came sick and returned to Winona but
after the close of the last session came
hack here and went to work in the
| storeroom of the Government Printing
| Offce. The heavy work OF lifting docu-
/ uaants was too much for the old man.
and he suffered a severe strain which
lnecessitated an operation. He had been
living with Theodore Wetzel, at Hyatts-
vile and he held out against going to
the hospital until the last minute Then
it was too late to save him, and he died
/ following the operation
He had no money. His savings had
been consumed to defray the expenses
Of his illness. His friends had little
themselves, and they turned to the
Continued on Fifth Pagel