New-York tribune., 1911-03-25
PRINCE RUELENS
Roous Noble Jailed for Fraud at
Philadelphia.

.-,,,cbf 1911. nv the Brentwood Company
v,c,or s Ruelens. who has just been
eo,v;c;ed IN the United States District
court AZ Philadelphia of the crime of using
.he mails TO defraud. posturing as repre-
,or,ative of the French Credit Bank at
paris is the same individual whom | ex-
rosod as a fraud In these letters a little
moro than a year ago. Al that time he
r,as nassing himself off in the Southern
s,a,ss rs a French Prince" Victor Rue
,ers describing himself as a French cti-
zen whose princey title was bestowed
,pon his great-crandfather by the first
Emperor Napoleon.
The good people at Meridian, Miss, took
him at his face value ann entered ex-
.ensively into his schemes, which included
,bo construction Of railroad from
Meridian to Natchez and the acquisition
of the control OF the Mississippi Western
Railroad: and so impressed were the
Neridianites that a banquet was given at
the Great Southern Hotel by the Mayor
~ Meridian in honor OF Prince" Ruelens
an OF the woman who was announced by
the local papers to be his fiancee. Miss
Lnian SETTER. of Philadelphia The re-
mainder OF the princes" party comprised
Mrs. Dc Wal6, mother Of his fiancee. and
Ms secretary. II. y. Garsheis
Two citizens OF Meridian, with more
perspicac acity than the others, were un-
fsvorably impressed by the pseudo prince.
END wrote n me. whereupon pointed out
10 them in print that the man was an
irrpostor: that there is no record of the
great Napoleon having ever conferred the
q Of Of har M
,pon any one Of the name Of Ruelens.
Moreover. titles bestowed by Napoleon,
i.e those Of the Bourbon kings OF France,
only descend by pyimogeniture, through the
male line direct. and consequently Ruelens
cannot put forward the plea that he has
inherited his princely coronet through the
Gistaff side Of the house. Although he gave
~ the time mis- place Of residence as Paris,
so there was not then. nor IS there to-day.
ANY, member Of a reputable club in the
r~.Nch capital who bears the name Of
Rus'cns. either with o. without the title
~ prince Nor can anv such name be
r-uud in such standard works of reference
o. ,he "Annuaire de Ia Nobesse." the
'Hozie-." or even the "Hachette," the
Tout Paris" or the "Bottn Mondaine," ."
q, ich may be regarded as constituting the
ca4r,errart Of the Social Register" of the
PIG cities here IN America.
The only trace Of any Victor Ruelens that
could find was IN the commercial directo-
ries If Paris where amorg the tradesmen
f7rrs is 4 solitary individual Of that name
whose calline is appropriately described as
"fumistcrie." This has q double meaning.
Y stands for chimney sweeping and con-
st-,ictlor and also for "a hoax"
notice that when brought before the
United States District Court 1T Philadel-
rr'a from his Office IN the Lafayette Build
i7c. there be i'd not any longer adorn him
sig with The title Of prince. which he had
tliue1 To- sucn good account in Mississippi
and ot-.r Southern states, but declared
vat 20 VAS related 10 the French Duke
o. Balfromcnt. This statement is as who'll
), merl3cioYs IS his claim TO he French
prince To Duke dc Baufrenont as I
need scarcely add. has no kinsman, far or
rear. of the name Of Ruelens or who an
swers ~ any reSuect 10 tie French swim
,ler who has Just been convicted in the
-odera' courts of Philadelphia. De Bauffre-
mont. who is a duke in France, a prince of
sc kingdom Of Sardinia-now Of italy-a
PRINCE Of the Holy Roman Empire and n
' lndee cf the first class Of Spain makes
lis home Al No. s. Rue de Grenelle, in
a7,s and at the Castle Of Bauffremont, in
-, VoSses and either he or his eldest son.
Theodore dc BauHremont. who on his
mothers death succeeded 10 her Spanish
,itic as tenth Duke OF Atrisco and as elev-
9th MerqUis dc Ia Vega, will doubtless
applied to, bear out my statement that
f9"- have ID knowledge OF any relative
= the name OF Prince" Victor Ruclens.