The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-23
'MENDACIOUS STOREII
IN REGARD TO PRINgi
MAKE NO
OFFERS TO STATE.
even his titular chamberlain, that
to say, an honor which goes 20 cYer1

even his titular chamberlain, that Z
to say. an honor which goes 20 every
In reply to this statement resolved
indignant letters from several of his
New York friends, calling my attention
10 the fact that no Is u born Spanlard,
the Almanach de Gotha for 1911.
Quite SO. But never denied his Span
tsh citizenship. merely denied that
his title Is a Spanish ono. or that he
belonged in any sense OF tho word TO
the Spanish artstocrncy. The princes
friends admitted In THAR letters 10 me
that the prince did not belong to the
Spanish court as grundeo and THU
lar chamberlain. but ascribed this to
tho fact that he and his family are
ardent Carlists and regard Alfonso XIII.
as a usurper L hold their letters as
sarting this In the most positive fash
ion.
Now II tho prince ie a Carlist. and re-
CARDS King Alfonso as a usurper. why
should he consider It necessary to OBJ
tain that monarch's sanction to his
marriage. The assertion that the
prince and his family are leading
Cariist5 Is something entirsly new and
slightly amazing. Don Jaime. the pres
ent head of the Cariist line. was born
under my unclc's roof. and from 1876
until 1881 l was In frequent inter-
course with the late Don Carlos, with
Madrid. and with their encourage and
! do not recall tho PignRtellis as be-
ing among tho latter Don Carlos
moreover. was far too proud OF his
crate the action of any mcra PiGnatelli
in appropriating tho royal Spanish
name and title OF Aragon. which Is that
of 4 kingdom. In lieu OF the name OF
the dirty nttlc sicilian town of Ara
gona.
BENJAMIN Duke. who Is far too sound
an American business man not to
thoroughly investigate. ths fiscal, moral
his daughters hand before giving his
sanction to a marriage. Will do we'll
to inquire whether Don LudoYico has
any actual right to the designation of
TO bear the title as Spanish citizen
hs must previously obtain n patent to
that effect from the Royal Department
of Heraldry mt Madrid. which is only
granted in the form of n patent bear
Ing tho sign manual of the sovereign
In the event that the claim thersto. by
right of primogcniturc in the male line.
ia firmly established; or else he must
obtain similar document bearing the
signature of the King of Italy from
the state department known as the
Consulta Hcraldica, at Rome. Without
either OF these, he cannot use the tito
in either Spain or Italy. tho two coun
tries with which his family mas any
associations. while. OF course no other
foreign court would recognize the title
unless 1t were guaranteed by the
crown of Spain or of Italy. Certain
branches of the Pignateliis. but not
all, have obtained the right from the
Consulta Heraldica at Rome, and there
is no mention made of that branch to
which Don Ludovtcn belongs rs having
obtained 1t. In that event he would
have no right even to the title of
prince.
He is only vary moderately we'll OF,
FOR his father Don Luigi has little of
| nothing. while his mother Is equally
badly OF. She IS nm Englishwoman OF
the name of Cavendlsh, n thfrt'cth
cousin (nbouD OF the Duke of Devon
! shire. She was born shortly after her
| mothers divorces from her father. her
| mother "a sister OF Horace Humboldt
sccondes noces, Count CASTOR La
| RochefoucRuld. who owns the pretty
Villa La Rochcfoucauld. at Biarritz
Prince Pignatellrs American friends,
! who in writing their letters are par
ticularly careful to crave that their
names and addresses should not b
printed, complain thnt have assailed
the prince by "innuendo." IL seems to
me that statements have made above
| are frank and outspoken enough In all
conscience.
I have been fortunate enough by
! means OF these letters. to prevent many
| social ID international alliance
which would certainly have proved un
fortunate. by urging the parents OF the
girl. or the relatives OF woman il
widow, 10 make a thorough investl-
cation of the foreign suitor's status
and antecedcnts, placing at their dis
posal whatever knowledge l might pos
scss. and which has sometimes been OF
an exhaustive nature. as l am endowed
with n somewhat systematic memory.
I would merely conclude this letter by
urging upon Mr.. Benjamin Duke he
fore giving his consent to tho marri-
age OF his daughter. to ascertain from
perfectly independent parties the names
OF tho principal clubs to which the
nsptrant for his daughters hand be-
longs. in Madrid. in Paris. In London
and In Rome. They would prove in
structive. They might also give food
for reflection to some of those leading
clubs that have accorded to Don I.udo-
vico hospitality while In this country
Copyright 1919, by the Brentwood
COmpanyl