The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-28
Bestowal of Honor Brings to
Mind Extraordinary Charge
Against Rich Uncle.
Y LA MARauIsE DE FoNrENoY.

Against Rich Uncle.
BY LA NARQUIsE DE FONTENoY.
.I1NG ALFoNsos action in bes,ow-
n ing during his recent stay In
Paris, the Grandezza OF Spain
upon the aged Marquis Atessandro di
casa Riera. whose mansion In the Rue d Q
whose stately mansion in the Rue de
Berri of that city has for half a CEN
fury past enjoyed European re-
nown for Its art treasures and for its
hospitality. serves to recall the extra
ordinary charges brought against this
multi millionaire noble some ten years
ago: charges to the effect that he was
"A fraud. and had obtained inheritance
OF the Casa Riera fortune and mar
quisatc by means of forgery and per-
tured testimony. In 1903 he had oc-
caslon to sue the editor OF an obscure
Partisan newspaper for libel and at
tempted blackmail. The case was post
poned for one reason or another for
several months, and when it ultimately
came up for trial, counsel for the de-
PENDANT put forward the amazing pre-
tension that the plaintiff had no locus
standi. that he was not the real Mar
quis d Casa Riera, that he was in
reality the son Of the late marquis's
chief steward or land agent and then
went on 10 assert that the real
nephew and heir of the late marquis,
who should have inherited the titles
and the wealth, amounting TO about
S20.0o0.ooo. mad been assassinated a
few weeks after his uncle's death, in
timating that tho plaintiff was the
murderer.
Not conten, with this, the defendant
actually produced Catalan black
smith of the name OF Pedro Riera,
who he declared to be the real heir
TO the late marquis, as third cousin,
and backed up the blacksmith's claims
by birth and marriage certificates, ex-
tracts from municipal records. parish
registers, etc. which were afterwards
proved 10 have been forged.
The affair developed into cause
celebre: the more so as among the
witnesses against the marquis who ap-
peared upon the scene was included
a former Spanish consul-general
The marquis insisted that all these
witnesses formed part of a syndicate
organized to eXtort money. from him
That such a syndicate did exist was
subsequently SHOWN by the discovery
that all sorts Of credulous people had
been induced to subscribe considerable
sums OF money towards the prosecution
OF the black smiths claims on the
understanding that in the event of
his winning the case they would re-
ceivc back their investment twenty
fold Indeed, almost identically, the
same tactics were pursued as those
employed by that celebrated swindler
Mime. Humbert, to carry on her al
legged war for the mythical Crawford
millions. the Crawfords, according to
her, hailing from the United. states.
Much of the money thus obtained by
the adversaries of the Marquis di Casa
Ricra. was employed in influencing
the venal portion of the Partisan press
against him. After legal proceedings
which extended over more than year
and which cost both the French gov
ernmcnt and the marquis mint of
money. he was able to defeat his adj
versaries and to secure the sentence
Of several Of them to long terms OF I'm
prisonment, the remainder OF them es-
caping a similar fate by fleeing the
country If the claimant. the black
smith Pedro Riera, was let off without
punishment. II was because it was as
certained that ne himself had been
duped by the authors OF the conspiracy,
who had convinced him, by means of
their forged birth and marriage GER
tiGcates, and analogous documents.
that he was really the riShtful heir
to the late marquis. II was shown
that it was at their instance he had
deserted his forge near Barcelona. and
had come on to live in Paris, on funds
pN u
who had been so foolish to sub
scribe money TO the undertaking-and
they included people OF every class Of
society-became as much an object OF
ridicule as the dupes of Nine Hum
bert
When the case came up for trial.
the old marquis was able to show that
he had been living with his uncle, the
late marquis in Paris, In the mansion
rri fn,. IN
years before his relatives death, more
than tire. decades ago: that the late
Queen Isabella. who had known him
as an inmate of the house OF his uncle.
had continued TO him the favor and
friendship which she had always &C
corded to that relative: the Spanish
ambassador in Paris bore testimony to
the fact that Riera had been a mem
Der of the Spanish Senate, that he was
n Knight Grand Cross OF the Spanish
Order of Isabella the Catholic; and that
he had been n schoolfellow and warm
friend throughout his life OF the late
Spanish Prime Minister Sagasta. who,
indeed. had nominated aim for tho
senatorship that ne had been for near
fifty years member OF the Union ana
Of the Epatant clubs: that as one of
the vice. presidents OF the Spanish
commission to the International EN-
hibition In Paris of 1900. he had been
decorated by the French government
with a knight commandership OF the
Order of the Legion of Honor: and that
three weeks before her death Queen
Isabella, with her daughters, the In
fantas Enlalie and Paz. had beon his
guests in his box at the opera.
That a man, who, save when ooou-
pied by his senatorial duties at Ma
drid. had spent his entire life In Paris,
more than half a century a prominent
figure In society, in clubland. in the
artistic and In the Official W Grid, should