New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-22
AN ECCENTRIC EARL
Old Lord FeverSham, Vender OF
Rembrandt Masterpiece, Is Rich.

chaser of the famous Rembrandt picture
The Portrait of a Dutch Merchant,
from old Lord Feversham for $25O'OoV'
some insisting that il is Henry c. Flick ana
some that II Is "A London picture dealer IL
may be mentioned that Lord Feversham Is
very rich and does not need to rely on
tho sale Of ancestral treasures. 1t is
owing 10 this very fact that public re-
sentiment has been aroused against the
aged earl and "a movement has been in
augurated for the enactment of a law sim
liar to that in force In Italy, fOrbiddtng
the transfer of works of art to foreigners
without first giving the government the
option of purchasing At the first blush,
however. such scheme seems TO be i'm
practicable in Great Britain, where the
spirit Of the laws is SO diametrically OPP
posed to interference with private prop
ertv and freedom Of making lawful con-
tracts. But of late years the government
has attempted TO do many things that
TWO decades ago would have been looked
upon as outside the domain Of practical
politics.
But then. Lord Feversham is eccentric
in money matters. though his peculiari-
tics do not take the shape of avarice and
miserlness. on the contrary, he has the
reputation of being very generous. lie is
now in his eighty-fourth year, has Cor
had) an income of more than S250,000 an
nually and a fine family of sons and
daughters, all famous for their good
looks his daughter Helen. for instance.
having been one of the greatest beauties
~ the court of st. Jamess. She is married
20 Sir Edgar Vincent. Another daughter
l, Il ady
eSs of Leinster, famous all over Europe
for her perfect loyelincss, who died Of
consumption.
T have referred 10 Lord Geversham
eccoutricity. His fads are innumerabIe.
one of the most peculiar-no, that is not
the right word to use, for with better eX-
ouse many others may be found. no doubt.
with the same failing-one of the most
objectionable in a man with so large
bank account is his dislike of paying any
hill whatever until absolutely forced TO
do so. The result Of this is that his SER
wants his butcher. his baker and his
other tradesmeu all go on strike ocCa-
eionally, and he would be "marooned" in
his beautiful country seat, Duncombe
Park, if he did not capitulate This he
always does in the most Light hearted and
oy resentment against the strikers.
As regularly as clOCkwork and at inter-
walls that might be exactly measured. the
following comedy is enacted: Lord Fever
sham, seated in his study or library. rings
his bell No result. He rings again. No
one comes. All is silence. The place seems
deserted. lie keeps up continuous ring
ing At last his butler appears, stroll!ng in
Of
the usual domestic discipline. where's
John? Tell him to bring me a cup of
coffee" Tic SAYS ne won't come" replies
The butler. "his wages nave not been paid,
nav lord "Confouud his impudence Then
bring me "A cup Of coffee yourself" There
is no coffee, my lord. The grocer has not
been paid If there were any YOU couldn't
g,t it..for the chef won't work because he
hasn't been paid. Besides. ne can't make "A
ire. for TN" coal man has not been paid.
In short. my lord. none Of the servants will
Ic any work for YOU, and none 81 the
tradcsnen Will let YOU have anything to
cat or drink until you pay them what you
cNo'' Deuce take their iusolence! Here,
hand me my chcckbook' How much is il
altogether The list is handed 10 him.
tho check is signed. every body Is paid right
M 10 date. and peace and contentment
reign supreme. until there is another up
Iravai. and th" same farce Is repeated. OF
course. all this is very silly, and the only
thing that can be- said in favor OF Lord
Feyersham is that the strikers are never
reminded Of the incidents or made to suffer
I'm any way on account of their rebellion.
BuucombC is the family namc Of Lord
Fovcrsham. and Duucombe Park, in York
shire. has been ia the possession Of the
family for generations. IT was purchased in
1c95 by Sir Charles DuEcombe, who was
LORD MAYOR Of London ir l1B from the
executors Of tho Duke Of Buckingham that
reckless duke whose death AZ Kirby Moor
SIDE. in the worst inns worst ROOM" IS
described by Pope. The purchase price was
$4,000
Although the Rembrandt masterpiece
above mentioned is removed from the man
sion there are many splendid pictures left
For instance there IS Head OF st. Paul,
hv Leonardo da NncI; Rubens. and choice
specimens Of Reynolds and Titan, and,
believe. some Rembrandts still remain. In
addition to all these. there is some very
beautiful statuary. The mansion at Dun
conbc was practically destroyed by fire IN
$50 only one wing escaping the flames
This was enlarged and altered, and served
ae the family residence. But another IRE
injured the old wing, the now portion luck
fly escaping and the most valuable paint
!oge being rescued a second time. AS orig
inaIly planned by Naubrugh and as since
rebuilt. the mansion is fine specimen OF
r)oric architecture. The rooms are Of most
spacious proportions. and there IL grand
staircase. beautifully carved. The great
hall is sixty feet long by forty broad. and
+ surrounded by fourteen columns which
convey the impression Of much greater size.
Lord Fovorsham's eldest son died IN 1857,
leaving q son, who bears the title OF VS.
count Trelmslev and who I'm 1876 was
,focrod Tuiomst member OF Parliament for
tho Thirsk and Nation Division OF tho
North Riding Of Yorkshire. lie was pri-
vstr secretary TO the First Lord 0f the
Admiralty. Lord SeDourne from 1902 to
1.N I'm 1904 he married Lady Marjorie
GrecilIc. eldest daughter 81 the fifth Earl
or Warwick. Iv whom lc has several
children
Lord Foyersham has . son still living,
who spent some time i'm the United States
ir "a kind Of exile. for society here seems
10 have ignored his presence. When still
20 boy having barely reached his major
ity. he had married music hall artistic.
OF variety actress. az she would be called
ia America old Lord Feyersham, who Is
Very proud Of his lineage, was deeply Of
Tended and stopped tho young mans al
lowaucc which until then had been very
liberal Hubert DuncCmbc and his wife,
who were neither Of them of a saving dis