New-York tribune., 1909-12-31
EARL DIES IN PARIS
RUMORS OF 4 DUEL.
Duke of Northumberland's
Heir Ermred Naturally.

Paris. Dec. 3O.-Earl Percy Henry Al
gernon George), of London, member Oh
the British Parliament and formerly
British Under Secretary of State Ior
Foreign Affairs, died here to-day from
acute pleurisy. He was the eldest son
and direct heir of the Duke of Northuin-
berland.
The earls death occurred at second
class hotel situated opposite raii"a'
station. ard the fact that he had occu-
pied these humble lodgings createo .nc
impression that there was souletiiiiie
mysterious in connection with his Illness
II was rumored that he had peeh Sho'
while engaged in a duel OUTSIDE raii'
q few days ago These stories were oe-
MED to-day blythe attending physiciahs
The hotel management explained tha'
Ear, Percy arrived there last "eeA ~
perfect health having engaged rooihs -
advance II was his custom, IL was sa'N,
TO stop at this hotel whenever ne 'i'''oN
tbe c,tv Last Sunday he experienced
chill which was followed with congesio''
ora ,cute pleurisy Two doctors aiiu
+hrea English nurses were called IN anu
attended him. A brother anu
were with him at the eno.
Sir Francis Bertie. the BRUSH 1>'-'
sador at Paris. visited Eari io'0'
Yesterday, and found his condl'ioi, 'o
grave that he called in two Ensiisii uoO
tors for consultation. The conditioh
of the earl grew rapidly worse. infiam-
,oation of the pleural membrane produc-
ing Inflammation of the lungs, ana ne
died at 4:45 o'clock this morning.
Sir II. Austin Lee, counsellor OF the
British Embassy here, declared that the
story of a duel was a preposterous in
vention. The physicians state that death
was Immediately due to poor heart &C
tion following an acute inflammation OF
the lungs.
Although several strange circum-
stances surround the case, the unpre-
tentious character of the hotel where
Earl Percy registered as "Mr. Percy"
and the reticence of. his brothers. who
are still here. all inquiries fail to sub
stantiate that he died as the result of
wound received in a duel The police
report that his death was due to natural
causes.
London, Dec. 30.-The death of the
earl, when it became known here to-day.
created a sensation among those who are
more or less acquainted with the Eng
lishman's affairs
Ine sudden death of Earl Percy leaves
the Conservatives without a candidate
for South Kensington. His election ad-
dress was in the hands of printer. and
the earl had planned to open the cam
paign in his district next week.
Arthur J. Balfour, in his first speech
since his recovery, delivered tonight at
HaddinSton, paid an eloquent tribute to
Earl Percy. by whose untimely death
he said, mot merely the Unionist partv
but the nation sustained a great and
for time. he feared, an irreparable
loss"
The other Conservative speakers and
al the Conservative newspapers are
lamenting Earl Percy's death as a
serious blow to the Unionist cause.
Earl Percy was the eldest son and heir
OF the seventh Duke of Northumberland
He has represented South Kensington in
Parliament since 1898. In 19O2-n3 he
was Under Secretary of State for
India, and in the two succeeding years
Under Foreign Secretary He was born in
Ioil. and was unmarried. His home was
in London