The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-07

1t is hardly fair to describe the SEN
sauonal suit for separation which has
Just been decided at Rome in favor
Of Count R,occa Guglielma. as a Bour-
bon divorce: for. in the first place.
there is no such thing as divorce in
Italy. and, secondly. the count is only
a Bourbon by the left hand, so TO
speak. The case presents some fea-
lures of interest for Americans. since
the counts mother Is an American
girl. Miss Mary Hamci. whose mar
riase to the late Prince Louis OF Bour-
hon; Count d'Aquila, took place in New
York some forty-threc years ago.
Prince Louis was the son OF the first
Count d Aquiia. (uncle of the last King
OF Naples) and Princess Januaria OF
Brazil. sister of that oountry's last
Emperor.
With royal father ana an imperial
mother. Prince Louis was naturally re-
quired TO wed princess of similar
rank, and when he led Miss Iamel to
the altar, it was regarded by all his
relatives and by all European courts
as an absolute mesalliancc. and a sim
ply morEanatic union. the wife admit
ting this fact by accepting the Italian
title OF Countess Rocca Guglielma.
The marriage turned out very unhap-
PLY. and after the birth of a boy and
girl. the pair separated, the prince.
now dead. being condemned by the
Paris courts 10 pay alimony to her TO
he neglected to do this. his Brazilian
mother furnished the money instead.
But after her death in 1901. all pay
ings brought by the eX-Miss Hamel
against the prince We're unavailing.
since he possessed no property that
could be attached.
or his financial difficulties. his
mother had always been aware. and
at his request had bequeathed all of
his predominant share in her large
fortune to his TWO children by Miss
Hamel: Count Louis Rocca GugIielma
and Il sister married to an English
man named William Freeman.
OF course the late Prince Louis's
brother. Philip of Bourbon. and other
relatives of old Princess Januaria. con-
tested the will on the ground that the
Rocca Gugliema children were merely
morganatic; and the Inter were obliged
To sustain no less than seventeen law
| suits in Italy and France. before they
could secure possession or their i'm
perial Srandmothcr's large bcquest.
Prince Louis spent his declining wears
with his daughter and English son-in-
entertained at dinner by Queen Vic
toria whenever she visited the South
of France. Count Rocca Gugliclma
was allowed by the late King Hum
bert to enter the Italian army. and un-
III recently held a captains commits
sion in crack cavalry regiment He
was treated hy the King with partic-
niar favor. and 1T was largely owing
~ AHi' tiI'it ht SNNNt'utu III Winning
the hand of the sole hciress OF q, very
rich German merchant named Weiss.
established in Rome, and who for his
services as unpaid consul general of
Portugal, had received the Portuguese
title of Count Vallafranoa
Some time ago she cloped with Il
painter OF the name Of Campriani, and
when she resisted all entreatics TO re-
turn to her husband and her two child :
rem: declaring that she was determined
to live as she pleased. he instituted u
suit for judicial separation. which has
now been granted to him. Purely by
, courtesy. and without the slightest
"7i t"s count md countess had been
accorded BY the Roman society IN which
they moved. the titles OF Prince and
Princess OF Bourbon; and that is why
the news of the separation has been
announced as that of Royal Bour-
bon cause celebre
This is. indeed. an extraordinary
case. For as general rule Roman
society" by which I mean the high
est nobility is what is called here
exclusive"
To II" presented at court ,hcrc In
no way means that such n person or
persons belong 10 the few VINO from
days almost immemoriaI nave formed
the nucleus OF the real inner set In
I latte: years. one or two of the men
| belonging To the ancient patriciatc.
and who until then had possessed ped
! igrces without flaw or n mesalliance.
" broken through tho rules by mar.
rying women with no pretcnslons what
soever to birth" This has not been