New-York tribune., 1909-02-19
NINE. DE LEssEPs A DUCHESS.

NINE DE LEssEPs A DUCHESS
None Of the obituary notices OF Nine Ferdinand
ds Lesseps widow of the creator Of the suez Canal
make any mention Of the fact that, besides being
countess she was likewise a duchess and IN re-
csspt Of a handsome lite annuity from the suez
Csnsl Company. The ''Mcniteur-that Is. the on
cis gazette OF the French Empire-bearing the
es.e of November Il 1859. the date Of the opening
of the suez Canal by Empress Eugene. in company
with large assembly Of crowned heads ana roSal
psrsonsges contains two DEGREES bearing the Eis-
nature Of Napoleon III. The one appoints tercl-
nspd 1e Lessons q Senator OF the Empire. while
the ether confers upon him the hereditary French
ute Of Duke OF Suez The disastrous war which
bnoke out few months afterward between Ger
msny and France contributed TO edace pdnhc rec
olsction of this last mentioned decree. and Ferdi-
rand de Iesseps himself made no attempt 10 revive
l. realizing full veIl that the use of the title Wouo
tsrsct from rather than increase. his prestige IN
republican France. and likewise abroad But To-
s1 that ths dukedorn. created in due form py Ihe
lsxt Emperor Of the French, still exists IN the
person Of Charles the chivarous eldest son "a
Ferdinand ne Iesseps q son who, when there was
question Of his father being punished Tor nrlptg
officials CwFo had blackmailed him into giving 'he
money. threatening TO ruin the Panama Naiie-A "
less be paid them 10 prison in his stead ana
suffered two wears of Incarceration He however
emerged from Jail without the slightest stigma Oh
ms honor his name indeed. being restored TO the
national Order Of the Legion OF Honor Wflie ne
himself felt fully reconpensed for ali that he had
oied in entire ignorance the fact that any crll-
ns proceedings had ever been instituted against
him
There have been few dukedoms more honoraoly
earned and more rort11ilv bestowed than that OF
ssez. It commentaries the accomplishment OF q
ossd far more glorious and Of far greater adFah-
age 70 civilization the progress and the prosperity
e mankind than any victory won on a pat'leheiu'
Under the circumstances IT Is. 70 say the least
rotevorthy that precisely this particular dukedom
has never been used and that il has been releeleu
hv its late and its present possessor TO such oo''
ion that very few persons are aware OF lis eA
istence. For Charles de Lesseps the present ci'e1
o. the family rightly feels that the name OF de
Lessons carries with II celebrity which renders
any title OF nobility saperfuous
Ths late Nine ae Lesseps was married at the age
Hf eighteen 20 Ferdinand de Lesseps, al lsuhaiiia'
fre dsvs after the Inauguration Of the Suez Iaal:
the rressnce of Empress Eugene ana Of most OF
the royal and imperial personages then IN heypl-
This was Ferdinand oe Lesseps's second marriage
and by this union he had large nuInoer OF chil
dren. They include Count Matthew de Lesseps ana
ais z5fe who was a Mile de Ia Fontsine-Solare'
Count Isnlsi de Lassep-, captain OF the 4th nus
ssrs. and named after Khedive lsrnai- he also
married Z Mile de la Fontaine-Solare- Ahei4 tiei'
are Count Bernard de Lesseps, whose wife was
Fsvre; Count Paul de Isesseps, whose countess De-
ongs by birth 10 the historic house or Betiuhe-
sally, and two other married sons f1oDeit oiio
Jacques de Lesseps the only unmarried oaOshOei
q the late Corntesse de Lesseps is Mile Soiahge 1e
lssssps while the latters sisters are marIleo 70 e
eonte de Miraman. 10 the Baron prosper ae 40
Grange, 70 the Comte de Ia Begassiere ana tIe
Bsron louis La Gaze, respectively o1 tne his'
marriage of the creator Of the Suez Cana4 only ohs
1un survives namely, Count Charles de Lesseps'
Ehcse wife was a Nile de la Maisonfort MS
hrsther Victor de Iesseps, died some years ago.
sagiag a widow a I,evantine by birth, sister ot
she BANKERS Constantine and Anbroise Sinaolno' OF
Alexandria
There are few men in France who enjoy nioIo
Profound respect on the part Of his fellow citzens
than Charles de Lesseps. II is not oniy nec@use
s hlIal conduct with regard 70 his OLD fathei' Ou
Likewise because Of the silence which he maintained
Under the most profound exasperation AT uns ti4e
q ths Panama scandal There Is no oouDt ma
had he yielded TO the provocation and revealed IN
open court and 20 the public what ne knew he
might have saved himself much trouble, SORROW
temporary ouprohraun and great expense
The fun story OF the extortions TO wnlch the
Management Of she old French Panama Canal Com
Hauy were subjected By statesmen. politicians, gov
eminent officials and editors has never yet been
made known a few names have reached the plo-
de- and IL Has through the revelations OF the pro-
faoseg Arton and through the indiscretions OF NJ
sa1hout that the latter, when Minister OF Fuo-ie
WORKS was forced &c resign his portfolio and 10
face sentence of lcng term OF imprisonment Tor
extoftioIr and blacknnil. II might be Imagined tat
me people concerned tn the scandal ana whose
names have not vet been revealed would long for
~ oeafh of a man such as Charles de Lesseps
hho Is IN the possession OF secrets affecting SO
'-~-ssig their names ard their honor. But tlAs -