New-York tribune., 1909-04-24
THE MAN II THE IRON MASK.


T vas At the beautiful old Manor de la Trintie
.,,a- the Carterets who are closely related TO an
other Channel Island family well known IN this
country namely. the Marquands. entertained King
Charles II on numerous occasions: the first time
when ne vas sti1I Prince OF Wales. and lad OF
pa-el, eighteen: and il was then that the manor
vas the scene Of his romance with Marguerite oe
Csrteret the sister OF his host which resulted IN
the birth Of that mysterious individual known as
lanes d. IA Cloche and who is now pretty gen
ersllv admitted by students Of history 10 have
hae, the Man in the Iron Mask" He owed his
name Of de Ia Cloche 10 the fact that eleven years
sf5s- his birth his mother married kuenne &c Id
Cloche.
lanes 5e Il CIoche. whose story has been the
.5.,,a of numerous learned and authoritative
articles in the Paris Revue des Deux Mondes' IN
the Official organ Of the Jesuit order La O''ii''a
Cs1h7Iico.~ Of Rome. and ny Andrew Lang. was
recognized by Charles H. in an autograph doCu-
ment dated Whitehall. September 2. 1863 as our
natural son James Stuart. who in obedience 10 our
arasr and command is living in France and other
countries under a feigned name. namely. that OF
de Il t-loc7a dI BourK de Jersey" Charles had
simulated that James de Ia Cloche should hot re-
resl MS rs-eurage- But while staying at HAMBURG
he made the acquaintance OF Queen Chrls'll'a u
Sweden ano informing her OF his origin, carried
with him vhen he subsequently proceeded TO honle
letter from her in Latin attestins that CNdi4eS -
had prjvately Acknowledged the bearer as MS SON
In Rome James de la Cloche joined the jesuit
Order and. becoming member thereof was III
Of
,z-ion between the authorities OF the Roman Cat-
,r-c s-T7r,rrb at Rome and the King II seems
fo--ever that he lacked that quality upon "hiCh
more than any other tie Jesuit oroer x Sc1u
TONED 70 pride itself. namely discretion ana 'l6I
re ra-nirted some Information TO leak out Coii-
=.- -, --r,5e-e-a rding between Charles II, his
sister Duchess Henrietta Of Orleans, and LOUIS
KY with view war against Holland ana t'.7
-ez-oratfon of Roman Catholicism in England
Charles on learning Of this indscreuon, realized
g,sr denenueQ
,, silence about all negotiations OF this KIND ana
secrecy as to his connection with the 'huFCh u
Rome Il became necessary that james "7 Ia
,1o-le who had talked and who might 'alN iioi
should disappear, and accordingly the services OF
Louis xIV we're invoked and James De IA oIo,"e @
rse 7rr,,st into captivity. and became the Man
ir the Iron Mask -.
T,ouis's action in the matter vas pronip'eu -
the realization that the divulgauon OF me 1ecIeE
which lanes &c Ia Cloche had in MS possession
--,,,15 croe more drive Charles II into exile ana
ta-lv prevent him from continuing 70 sho" hlii',
not ouls useful ally, bur one hindiy uossr'ie"'
The interests Of France
T has re7r urged that the Man in the IRON
agasl vas either Count Matthioli, the treacheroas
minister Of Charles III. Duke Of Nantua. or eiSe
u de Na~chieI. French soldier OF fortune i'ea
of widespread and formidable conspiracy ioi ''ls
assseef,,a7for of Louis XIV But whereas Marchiei
vas Freuchrlan. and would naturaiiE spe6h "''
o.r -orr,e vrfrhour 3 foreign accent, Count Mat
rhio,I could not sneak French, while the Man III
the Iron Mask spoke the language with a 1oFesl, @
sccen;. Then, TOO. neither Matthioh nor Mafc'ie'
was of sufficient rank 10 warrant his belhs ue"'-
81 Win the extraordinary difference anu IeSPe'
-bs- ve-e shown 10 the mysterious prisoner by ms
tsfer= e,sn the governor Of the prison stanoihs
f,srebesded when addressing him This can De eA-
rlsined onr- by the fact that the man was. II lol
~ royaI birth, al any rate uie son u Ne'
Norea,er why the extravagant precautions 10 pre-
,er, .n,-lod, taking or communicating with him.
unless he was in possession Of some secrets me
revelation of which might have cost the bowman
"f Z throne and the overthrow Of dynasty