New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-29
Romances Of the Voss Family.


Count Victor Voss. who on Saturday, i'm
n'diatcly on landing in New York, hast
oaed Go the City Hall and after securing
tie necessary license, married bona Fran
Casca Ricci. of Florence, the divorced wife
Of Heinrich Riedemann. the "oil king OF
Hamburg, by the aid of Alderman Jim
ME Smith, who happened to he on the
premises is q scion of q family which has
PLAYED a considerable role i'm the history
Of Northern Germany, and especially OF
Prussia. one of its members. Countess
Amelia Won NosS was the mOr2anaur con-
sort Of King Frederick William II Of Prus-
Si1, her children 10y him being created
Counts and Countesses of InScnheim. An
other Countess Voss was the Grand Mis-
tress Of the Household and most devoted
attendant Of queen Louise, the national
heroine of Prussia. There was one Count
Voss who was ambassador of Frederick
the Great 10 the Court OF st. JamCs's. In
fact the Voss family has always played a
role ut the courts of Berlin ana o: Mccllen-
burg. 10 which latter Count Victor Nos~
J. now attached. in the capacity of cham
,rlain To the reigring grand duke.
The house Of Voss was recently engaged
g. an extraordinary lawsuit, which resulted
in The removal of the name of "a woman who
tad until that time figured iu the official
works of reference as Tn. daughter of the
late Count George won Noss from tn pages
devoted 10 the members OF the house II
was indeed 20 cause cclthre. II seems that
the late Count George NosS a cousin Of
Count Victor. who is now in this country
married q peasant girl of the name of Ar
t,uia Dcbska. The union, though happy IN
every other respect. proved chndlcss. and,
feeling the absence of some ono ON whom
De could lavish paternal care and affection.
Count George adopted the little daughter
Of one Of his wife's sisters. who was mar
Tied 70 a carpenter. The carpenter and his
wife relnquished all claim TO the girl,
whose name was Helen. and who was
brought up by Count ana Countess Geor1e
vose wholly as their own offspring.
IN order 10 completely establish the
position Of the child the count bribed
Lutheran clergyman TO furnish him with
q 1auti-mal and birth certificate as being
bis Offspring When the child, who was
thus brought up as Countess Helen Won
Noss and figured as such in that section
Of the Almauach de Gotha devoted 20 the
German and Austrian counts, was thirteen
years DID, her aunt and adopted mother
died This was iu 1875. A year later Count
Goora, married "a woman of his own rank,
Emc,inc Harras Won Harasscwsky of the
GalHcian, that is 20 say, of the Polish
Austrian, nobility He foolishly conddcd to
her the secret of Helen's origin. but threat
enel her with death in case she should
reveal IL 10 any one else.
When Helen grew up, in complete ignor-
auce OF her real origin, into a very lovely
girl she was married as Countess Won
NOss 10 Major lthen captain otto Won
Grone Unfortunately. Count Voss who
had been so devoted 10 his adopted daugh-
ter neglected 20 make q viii, and when
le died "a question arose as 10 the d!sposi-
lion OF his large fortune His widow was
exposed % great temptation II she kept
the secret of Helens birth she would be
obliged 20 surrender portion Other dead
husbands estate. il. on the other hand,
she revealed the true facts She would be-
come the sole heir.
IL is not surprising that she decided in
favor Of the latter alternative and one
morning Nine. Won Grouc received a letter
informing he- that instead Of having been
tae daughter Of Count George Won Voss, as
she had always supposed herself 10 be. she
.,.. r.-.,, ,b. off.nrin., of = bunbt, VIII
..e. rarpep,er and Of his peasant wife
Tf. widowed Countess Won Voss likewise
added that juasmuch as she. Nine. Won
Grons. had received so many benefactions
from her adopted father during his life
time. she would do well TO abandon all
claim 20 his inheritance and not to risk
the exposure OF her humble origin, which
lawsuit would necessarily entail
"E. widowed Countess Won Voss had.
however. rcckonea without her host
Major Won Grone. far from stunning the
revelations as 20 his wifes parsntage, took
tae Initiative I'm litigation, and before she
knew where she was the widow found her
self the defendant instead Of the plaintG