The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-03
Body of American, Who Dies at
Taormina, Denied Burial in
Consecrated Ground.

ny LA MARoUIsE DE FoNTENoY.
Vie Duke OF Bronte. mentioned in
the cable dispatches from Taor-
NINA In Sicily. as having Of
fered his family vault in the cbo6e,
Oh his castle of MANAGES for the tenn
porary reception or the remains OF mn
american woman, Mrs Agnes Hodge
OF Grand Rapids. Mich, who had died
suddenly at Taormina. and whose
corpse was denied burial in conse-
Grated ground. or even a place in any
other receiving vault. until steps
could be taken for it's removal tn the
United States is not an italian. but nm
Englishman. He Is Alexander Hood
the treasurer OF Queen Mary's house
nod, and owes his Italian title of Duke
or Bronte to inheritance from his
sreat-granduncle, the famous Admiral
LORD Nelson. upon whom 1t was be-
slowed by King Ferdinand of NanIes
along with the extensive estates or
tory over the French at the battle OF
the Nile.
me vault where the remains OF this
american woman have found hospital-
ity Is beneath the private chanel or
rather church, of the dukes castle of
MANAGES. 1t is a church built I'm
lii4 Tor the preservation OF q sacred
painting brought back by one OF the
mobiles of Constantine the Great from
the Holy Land, and which. represent
ing the Virgin and the Child, is al
legged to have been painted by Saint
Luke 1t is very crudely drawn and
painted. the infant Saviour having n
distinctly Oriental appearance, and n
dark, copper colored complexion.
The castle itself is grand old place
on the slopes OF Mount E,tna, and was
built sonR thousand years ago or more
by the Greek General MANAGES who.
with Harold Hardrada and the latter's
Norsemen. drove the Saracens from
that part OF Sicily. 1t was occupied
for time by William H., grandson OF
that great King Roger of Sicily from
whom nearly every reigning dynasty.
of Europe is descended. and 1t was
there that his mother, Queen Margaret.
established monastery, the inmates
OF which were assigned to the care
of the sacred painting
At the time when the castle. the
church. the lands and the vineyards.
were bestowed by King Ferdinand I'D
on EnGlanG's great naval hero, aionc
with an Annuity OF $4,000 n year in
perpetuity, tile place was in a shock
ing condition of disrepair and re-
NAMED so until it passed into the pos
session of the late Lord Bridport. az
3.
At that time, no member Of the lam
lily had visited it in forty years. Lord
Bridport, however, took the estate in
hand, spent a considerable sum OF
money in restoring the castle and
church. and in developing the prop
erty, turning over the entire manage
ment thereof in 1876 to his third son,
Alexander Nelson Hood, to whom he
beqr eathed II at his death. along with
the italian title of Duke OF Bronte by
permission of the Italian crown
To-day the estate. which is traversed
by nearly twenty miles of excellent
roads. produces a large quantity OF
very good wine, of the Marsala order.
yielding a handsome revenue; while
the castle has been converted into n
most commodious and even luxurious
abode, crammed almost from cellar
to roof with Nelson relics The entire
| estate, which is of vast extent is
known as Bronte, taking Its name from
the rumble OF the volcano on the slopes
OF which 1t is situated, for "Bronte''
means thunder"
comptroller of the household of Queen
Marys parents, the late Duke and
Duchess OF Teck. and was the Queens
private secretary when Princess >of
Wales. He is n bachelor. and likely
to remain SO; has graduated as an
engineer, and has been decorated by
the King OF italy with the Order of the
Crown, for his services to Sicilian ag.
riculture.
In addition to his remarkable bust
ness attainments. and his accomplish
ments. he possesses a considerable de-
gree OF pluck, which he manifested