The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-01
ny IA MAnauIsE DE roNTENoY.

scarborough. 1t may be recalled, sue
ne@asd his srandfather in this Irish
OF the proclamation of the indcpen-
ience of the United states. So that
ms mother was never permitted to
enjoy the title or the coronct.
Inc titles OF Lord and Lady New
borough are more widely known on
the continent Of Europe than those OF
ase. owing to the extraordinary ro-
nance OF the Wife or the first Lord
marlborough, who was able 20 convince
~ very large tumble OF people
inal despite her ~prc-nuptial career on
the stage as a ballerina, under The
name of Maria Stella. She was in
rea!i,y a royal princess. the daughter
OF tue duchess, and That she was the
victim OF a substitution in the cradle.
where her place had been taken by
as herself, who. according TO her, was
the son of the jailcr Chiappini, or
Nlod,Giiana in Tuscany. and who sub
seIuehtly became ruler of France. lis
kins Louis Philippe.
Maria Stella was on the stage at
Florence. NJ the theatre OF the Plaza
Necchia, when she attracted the al
~tcntion of the first Lord Ncwboro,yh.
who became 50 infatuated that lie
ended By marrying her. After twenty
Years OF marriage she became /; widow,
and -FOUR years later contracted "a
second marriage. with the Russian
B4ron ungern-Sternbcr.
IN lS2o. being Il woman of forty
seven at the time. and separated from
found herself in italy al the time wnen
Laurcnzio Chiapnini. the former TALLER
OF M~odigiiann. died at Florence. She
ni1si.ed MIN rspeatedly during. his last
received from him a letter. which she
showed, which bore his signature, In
which he confessed that sic was not
his daughter. but the child OF a French
noble, with whom he had exchanged
babies in August, 1873. at ModigIiana.
Equipped with this letter, she man
the Grand Duchy of Tuscany Il decree
ordering the amendment OF her birth
certificate, afH her designation thereof
IS tho daughter OF Tic Com,c and
stead or tta daughter Of Laurcnzio
Chilppini. This Gccrcc bore the date
Of 2sth May. 1874.
NewboronRh--for she had retained her
English title after her second marriage
built UP a story to the effect that
sno Was the lawful daughter Of
"IlSalitc," and of Ills consort, and that
Louis Philippe was merely 4 change
litiS. In fact, she embodied this story
II q pamphlet, which bore the title OF
Maria stella; or, Criminal Substitu-
non Of q Maiden Of tho Most tllustrinus
iSank. Tor Il Boy OF the Most Lowry
Parcntagc.' THIS pamphlet was cireu-
lated far and wide. 1t was sent 10
'NNiS 'fl tillttl tOuTL III Europe. and
LOT 2 time found pretty general ere
ucncc. Lady Marlborough went so far
as 10 attempt 10 institute legal pro-
ceedings In the French courts in 1893.
claim TO be q royal princess OF France.
But tile Tribunal dc la Seine, 10 which
slc addressed this applications, declined
20 ,1skc her demand into consideration.
rms was a mistake. Had the matter
,hen been brought into court ana
threshed out In duo form. tho myth
Would have been exploded long ago.
and the royal house OF Orleans would
have been spared much anioyancc.
and ospccially much indignity on the
part OF the comic press, French and
foreign. which throughout Louis Phil
irpe's long reign OF eighteen years,
Was never tired OF portraying him In
the role OF An Italian %jailcr.
For the proceedings IN court would
SHOWN, and which has never since then
been brought 10 light, namely. that
although the Florentinc tribunal had
bry its decree OF May %. 1924. ordered
81 Lady scarborough, and her dcsignn-
ttoa therein as the daughter OF the
Comtc and Comtesse DO Joinvillc
ota rI.n DUKE ,ho ana bnehess Of
been reversed hy u subsequent judg-
mcnt, rendered three years later, thai
IS 70 say, i'll 1927.
This reversal was based on the fact
that the testimony submitted 10 item
by Lady Marlborough was false from
beginning 10 end, and that the alleged
confession of substitution signed by
Laurenzio Chiappini was as fctitious
as the other documents submitted by
her In 1924. in support OF her preten-
sions. The court gives as a further
reason for this reversal Of the judg-
lnent Of 1924. the sworn testimony Of
the midwife who had been present at
the birth of the child OF the C%hiappinis
in 1918 at Modisliana. and who proved
4 IN "a fLy wa n - - - - ~ - xE-|
The wife OF the jajier had brought
In the early part OF the last century
there were relatively few newspapers.
while The means Of communicating
news from one country TO another
were of the most elementary character,
mere was no proper postal service, and
electric telegraph and railroads had
yet to be introduced. That is WHY the
second judgment rendered BY The Flor
cntinc courts in 1927 remained IN
known. until unenrthed only Il few
years ago, by means of diligcnt re-
search on the part OF that we'll known
historical student and writer, The
Niconte de Reset; who was further
able to show. by official documentary
proofs obtained from, the national Ii
brary at Paris. that Louis Philippe was
born In the summer of lI73. not In
the Tuscan town Of Modigliana, nor
indeed anywhere else in ltary. hui AT
the Palais Royal, in Paris. where his
parents were living at the time. and
where his birth was registered In due
form, within q few hours after his
appearance in the world. by the min
listers and dignitaries OF state who
are always required to be in attend
ancc at the nativity Of a prince or
princess OF the blood.
1T IS only fair to add that Maria
Stella" Lady Marlborough, died crazy:
and 1t is just II question whether she
did not get her first idea Of putting
forward pretensions of being a prin-
cess. owing to the fact that tile arr
mortal bearings Of her first husband.
Lord Marlborough, bore a considerable
resemblance to those OF the Bourbons,
consisting Of three neurs-dc-lis on.thc
shield: armorial bearings which Lord
Marlborough inherited from the an
cient Welsh chieftatn. Collyn Ap
Gangno, from whom lie was descend
cd.
One Of Lord Hcwborough's Welsh an
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