The Washington herald., 1908-04-12

Naples. April 1.-THE mysterious dis
appearance of $4,000 worth of heirloom
jewels, together with all the title deeds
Of the ancient Neapolitan ducal family Of
Laurito Monforte. has put the Naples po-
lice on the track of a whole series Of
gravely suspicious incidents.
The old Duke Of Monforte expired std
denly last year at his villa, Lydia, which
he had specially constructed in his youth
as a present to his charming English
bride. Miss Lydia Berth.
Ever since the wedding day the Duke
and Duchess OF Montforte had been abso-
lutely boycotted by the other branches Of
the family. because Miss Berth. who was
Of Protestant ancestry, felt she could not
conseientiously embrace the Roman Cath
olic faith, of which the Carignani and
Montemayor branches Of the family were
adherents
The Duchess of Montforte was an at
tractive figure in aTistOcratic circles. and
she endeared herself TO NeapOltans not
only by her surprising beauty, but by her
characteristic benehcence. The last years
Of her married life were embittered
through the intrusion into the ducal pal
ace Of d pretty. young German goyerness,
named Francesca BugneT, for whom the
duke conceived a passionate attachment.
Then the duchess was removed by g sud
den and unaccountable death while not
many months later the governess met a
similar mysterious fate.
FFiar and NaIef.
All this time the Duke Of Monforte.
being a particularly pious man. and pos
sessing a gorgeous private chapel. had as
resident chaplain q friar. who was known
as Padre Valeriano; also a Calabrian
valet. bearing the name siciliana.
The friar and the valet play big part
in the drama, for the police accuse them
OF having not merely stolen the Monforte
heirlooms and title deeds, but of having
poisoned the duchess and the governess,
and finally the old man himself When
the dukes relatives, reconciled by his de-
cease. came from Paris TO take posses
sion. they were amazed to find the sealed
strong room quite empty, though the seals
were not apparently tampered with They
tried to keep the affair secret, but the
| Naples chief Of police, after discovering
that Padre ValeTiano had pawned S2B,OyV
worth OF the Monforte jewels at city
bank, pounced upon him.
The superiors of the order Of san Pas
quale, to which Valeriano belonged, dis
claim responsibility. as they say the fTiar
has lived outside his monastery for over
\ wear on the score of weak health, and
TO the discovery of his carrying on an
arnorous correspondence with one of his
numerous fashionable penitents
Friar Lives at Hotels.
Little is known of the aged dukes last
days. as. after his dual bereavement, he
lived a retired. misanthropic existence.
Since the Duke Of Monfortes deeease, the
renegade friar has been living in first
class hotels in Naples under the false
name Of de Angels. The valet was also
arrested but has been released, as it ap-
reared from the ducal testament that the
valet had really been left the negotiated
bonds. The police are pursuing their in
oulrv into the mysterious deaths of the
Monforte household with unwonted alac-
rity
The position Of the friar has been as-
eravated through the discovery of various
property Of the late Duke Of Monforte IN
the friars cell at the San Pasquale mon
astery. as well as at hotel where he last
eojourned His story that the duke had
beaueathed him $4,000 worth Of iewelry is
disproved by the discovery OF the noble
mans will. dividing the same between his
three nephews.