New-York tribune., 1912-04-22
LUCK OF THE LESL|ES
I ord RotheS Receivers Estates
Countess Survives Disaster.

,,-,,yright 1872 by the Brentwood company
,r.o Countess Of Rothes's rescue from
,,h IN the wreck Of the Titanic adds one
80 70 the long list of thrilling episodes
,bs history of the House OF Leslie, one
:, tho oldest in Scotland-a history plain
teal Of whose bare events would throw
,s,o shade the widest imaginings OF any
..Lter Of fiction Lady Rothes was on her
..v here TO join her husband when the
rreat marine disaster occurred.
ord Rothes came TO this country about
,c,o months ago with his friend, Sir Curtis
1amnson. with the intention of obtaining
sata regarding the question whether the
,elerraph service, as administered by the
.,ote in England, is superior in efficiency
- and gives greater public satisfaction
thsn that furnished in the United States
-, ,riyate enterprise. There is a great diff
,srence of opinion on this subject in Eng
,o,d where it forms a continual and some
that heated subject of discussion. There
tore q man with a knowledge founded on
oynerience and personal investigation Is
no,urally listened to with attention. There
has always been a feeling in England that
tho government made bad bargain when
4, acnuired by purchase the business of the
telegraph companies.
Lord Rothes is a pleasing young fellow,
well set up. with pleasant face and man
ners. lie manifested considerable amuse-
nent on being asked by the reporters on
landing whether II is really true that he
holds the high Office Of hereditary boot
lack 10 the King in Scotland. as set forth
IN my letter printed Oh the day of his ar
rival But he objected when some dis
al v,fgcnntad M bN ask
,nr him whether he was "bootblack to the
King Of England" He was. however, COM
pelled 10 admit that he had certain pre-
rogatives which might be construed a
equivalent to the Office of grand bootjack
Of the King, as the earls and dukes of
Rothes havo for several hundred years
possessed in their family the hereditary
right OF removing the sovereigns boots on
his return from any royal chase in Scot
land.
This was, and has not ceased TO be- a
highly honorable Office, for in early times
q royal hunt was as great pageant as
nowadays is the monarch's procession TO
open Parliament or to hold some great
military review. The ancient hunting et-
ouette did not come to an end until the
monarch had been restored TO his private
snsrtments and had been duly helped Win
his ablutions, change Of clothing, etc. III
those troublous times the fact that the
rnonarch admitted one OF his mobiles 10
snnroach him while he was in such de-
fsncelsss condition showed that he had the
utmost confidence IL his loyalty
The nresent Lord Rothes has been so de-
lighted with his visit TO the United states
and has been so impressed with the ad-
ysptages offered for safe and lucrative IN
yestnent Of capital as compared with an
slogous opportunities in England, that IN
stead Of sailing home ten days ago. as
originally planned, he remained on thls
side and sent for Lady Rothes, INSISTING
that she should join him here in order IhaV
she might obtain a personal ldea OF "Ia'
ne had seen and Of the conclusions AT
which he had arrived.
The earldom Of Rothes has for two or
three centuries been financially embarrassed
,ts monetary straits dating from the reign
~ Charles II. while In more recent years
,ha nroIifc nature of the family has not
tended TO tighten the load. for the income
derived from It's property has numerous
calls On II In the way OF jointures, annul-
ties IN Younger sons etc. Thus, the late
cour+ess of Rothes. grandmother OF the
rresert earl. who died in 1870 at the age
., rjnetv-three. left eighteen children and
crazdchildren. all Of whom had TO be pro-
vidsd for in addition TO other beneficiaries,
~ho had been named IN settlements prior 10
her time and whose annuities had not yet
expired. g.,
But the most severe blow 10 the "eal'n
p, the family occurred in the reign OF
Charles H. or perhaps II would oe more
correct 10 say in that of James H. Down
N the reign Of Charles ii the family was
Immensely rich. But the seventh earl hau
The misfortune TO be on terms OF intimate
friendship with Charles ii, who over
whelned him with hOnors. bestowing OF
him the dukedom Of Rothes and the ioro
high commissionership OF Scouand' an
once resembling that of Viceroy. 1t was
while in possession of these honors that
the duke died at Edinburgh. Whlch II
considerable distance from the family man
SION leslie House. King Charles insisted
that as the duke had died as his repre-
sentative he should have all the tuherai
honors Of a sovereign, and that his oody
should be conveyed in royal state at the
expense OF the crown, from the capltaI OF
Scotland to Leslie House. This inVolNeu'
Of course an immense retinue OF aIIehu-
ants, their suitable entertainment at the
various stopping places and at their jour
ney's end, their mourning outht etc. IN
deed the funeral ceremonies lasted lot an
Incredible time, and when they came 10
close Charles II was dead and James IL
had ascended the throne. He had always
detested the Duke of Rothes, and fiatly re-
fused 10 honor the royal promise or ms
predecessor, tire 'Merrie Monarch declh-
ing 10 pay the huge bills for the funeral
expenses, and adding that In view OF the
fact that the Rothes were so rich they
could much better afford TO pay Tor the
dukes burial than he, James, could him.
self The Rothes family declined TO enter
into legal proceedings against the crown
about the matter, and assumed the expense
themselves, mortgaging their property 10
the limit in order 10 do so
Altogether it is said, the expenses OF
the funeral amounted to $l5,0OOooo-a big
enough sum now, but an almost fabulous
one in those days; and very grievous bur
den, although the family owned vast es-
tstes in Scotland. extending from one end
Of the kingdom to the other. These charges.
placed on the property so long ago, were
not entirely cleared of from what re-
malned Of their lands until the marriage
OF the present earl TO the daughter and
heiress Of the exceedingly wealthy Thomas
towards. Of Brinknash Park, Gloucester
hare Then possession was resumed OF the
Leslie House property. which had been in
shen hands for more than two centuries.
The Leslie family is descended from that
Aefthold Leslie who was one of the prin-
Spal Magyar magnates who escorted
Hueen Marguerite from Hungary to Scot