New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-03
DUKE In JAIL
Charged srath Counterfeit"g
Bears Title of The Borg1ds.

rr-.-,,,. ,o,o hx the brentwood Company
nasa Maria TeIez-Giron. in her own
-,.tt sixteenth Duchess of Benavente, sew
.nteantt duchess of Gambia, owner OF
-,s,v other equally historic titles. lady
Of the palace TO the young Queen OF SPAIN
and uneaI descendant of the olddme
kings of Leon has just Instituted proceed
incs az Madrid for judicial separation
from her husband. the duke, IN conse-
orJence Of his capture redhanded ana SUI
seo;eut Indictment as the leader OF uie
gang Of counterfeiters who for several
years mast have been flooding Spain, and
in fact all Continental Europe, with couh-
terfeit Spanish money. His name was orig
,,gr,, Fnliiio Ressieres and he was q mem
her Of the legislature at Madrid, acqnlr-
inc according to Spanish law, the rlSht
70 share the ducal honors of his Wiie "Heh
he married the only daughter ana mere
Of the thirteenth Duke of Osuna ana Iiieoo
OF the twelfth duke OF that hh' perhaps
the most magnificent of Spanish statesmen
and ambassadors of the nineteenth century
At the coronation OF Alexander II OF NUS
s;s when ire Austrian Special AuhaSSa-
6or with his diamond studded coat OF rap
,,lo,,e valJe. which cost him thousands OF
dollars each time that he wore II, owing
70 the injury 10 the larger stones ana 10
The loss of the smaller ones. We'd IN Spieh-
dor with Emperor Napoleons PIehlpoteh-
,isrv and hslf-hrother the terribly eHtraNd-
cant Due de Mor1y, the Duke OF osuna
eKcelIed them all in magnlncence' anu i1io
wealth was SO great that IL was asSei 'eu
AT the time that he could nave driven an
rhe wsv from Madrid 10 MOSCOW ana nave
slept each night in one of his own chaIeauS
or 7,alaces It is said that each OF these
castles and rs laces. no matter "here he
might be. II the time, was held IN reaol-
ness for his immediate occupation all the
80 -o,,nd the servants being in full liv-
-. every evening and a handsome dinner
t55 in readiness ny the chef for his ar
-5--aI M matter If the duke were at me
,,bs- emo Of the world. Not only would he
accent no salary or allowances Tor DIS
dipIor7atic services, but he INSISTED on
maintaining the entire staff OF secretaries
ATTACHES. clerks and servants of his en-
hassv At his own expense in a most ioAu-
rious manner, and there are no END OF
stories told of his utter regardlessness OF
money.
Under tbs circumstances II Is not al
together surprising that although at the
outset Of his career his fortune was esu-
mated 81 considerably over $1oo,ooo.oeo. his
affairs were in a terribly embarrassed CON
1ition az his death. while the Monte Cristo-
like eYtravagance Of his widow, by birth
: Princess Eleanor of Salm-Salm, COM
-ie+A6 The ruin She survived him for
several years marrying the late Duke or
Grow Of Belgium, father of Archduchess
Frederick OF Austria. and although over
forty years OF age at the time was so
fascinating as to completely capuvate the
affections Of the late King Alfonso. and to
became The heroine of one OF the most
sensational. romances in which he was con-
cerred.
Her death vas FOLLOWED by the sale by
public auction OF the contents of the Osuna
pa1ace q Madrid. and OF the other Osuna
chsteaux IN Spain The sale lasted months
md 70 convey an idea Of the extent or
She property brought under the hammer
7 may mention that II Included no fewer
than twenty superb gilt and crystal stage
coaches. masterpieces of eighteenth cen
rgI-7- panel painting and cabinet making;
~ aruory so extensive that an entire regi-
n?ent Of rlledi#val cavalry might have been
fl1llv- equipped tllerefrom without exhaust
ny It's resources. gold and silver plate by
the ton. priceless manuscripts and ancient
foIios- and UNIQUE examples Of medieval
isrelry. besides paintings and statuary
galore There were also all the ecclesias-
ricsl robes Of the first Duke Of Gambia,
ancestor Of Jhe nineteenth century dukes
n Osuna, and also Of the present Duchess
~ Benavente and Of Gambia
This arst Duke OF Gambia was the brother
- Lucrezia Borgia, son Of Pope Alex
=nder VI born prior, Of course, to the
EATERS elevation 70 the Chair of St. Peter.
This Duke OF Gambia, after attaining the
rank Of Cardinal IN the Church. was re-
lieved by the Pon-if OF his ecclesiastical
Offices and obligations. and, after marry
ny. vas murdered by the retaIners Of his
brother. Cesar Borgia. the crime consti-
- tut1ng the theme of many dramas, TRACE
g. dies and novels. by. Victor Hugo, Alex
znder Dumas and others -'tE
The second Duke Of Gambia. after MS
fathers murder. returned from Rome 10
Spain, and toward the end of his life en-
tered those holy orders which his father
had fcrssken. became 4 monk. and has
since beer cenonized as st. Francis de
Forgia. The above. then. shows the an
~estry Of the Duchess of Benavente- and
of Gambia whose husband is now in prison
charged with counterfeiting. and with being
the leader Of g gang in which some other
extremely prominent persons in Spain arc
concerned.