New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-05
DUKE IN POTTER'S FIELD
PenniIess Great Noble Laid in a
Pauper'S Grave.


after being ruined in the Old World seek
r.fuge and oblivion, but in his native land
Of France.
The duke in question is the late Ma
noleon Louis Macdonald. third Duke Of
Tsrento and q scion Of the historic Scotch
house OF Macdonald OF which Lord Mac
donald OF the Isles is the chief. He died
last wear alone. abandoned and in such
extreme poverty that the bes, which could
II. done for him was q pauper's funeral
and a paupers grave i'm the metropolitan
cemetery OF Bagnolet. where ne was in
tered not ir separate grave but in the
fosse commune that is to,say. the long
french III which paupers are buried. in
collins made Of rough. unplaned pine
boards without shroud and without any
form Of religious rite
These facts have just been brought 10
light by the search made by Mrs. Arthur
Hamilton Coates on her recent arrival
from India 10 ascertain what had become
NJ her brothers. body She was the Com
Jesse Marianne Macdonald. de Tarento
married in 1850 an Englishman. Arthur
Hamilton Coates. and makes her home at
p!etely lost seht O; her o1lv brother: had
in fact become more on less estrangcd
from him. on her return recently from
India she learned OF. his death. ara neing
unable 10 get any Information about him
frorn the former friends OF her family APP
nsaled 20 the French authorities. who,
after a considerable amount Of research.
Informed her that he had been buried as
rauper and that having been laid IN the
"fosse commune" which literally means
the common trench or ditch. it was hope
less TO make any attempt 10 recover the
body from the many hundreds that are
Inferred IN mat particular portion OF the
cemetery pen nell each wear.
Tho late duke was the grandson ana
he'll % the honors and estates OF that
first duke who as Marshal Macdonald
pl2ved 20 great role IN tho Napoieonlc
wars AZ the beginning OF the ninett entn
century. Descended from a branch OF
tho Macdonalds of thc Isles which hau
cspoused tho cause Of James II after the
lst,or's retirement 10 France, his father
having been a vory near relative OF the
celebrated Flora Macdonald. n captured
Rom, for the French in 1875 and TOOK
mart In most Of the Napoieonic Victories
being created r marshal OF France ana
Duke OF Tarento by the Emperor on
,hc battlefield Of Wagram. where MS
division broke tho Austrian centre ana
Won the victory lie was Napoleon
ambassador in turn 10 Copenhagen and
10 Russia. remained faithful 10 the En-
peror after all the other marshais nae
deserted him. and once having given ms
adherence TO the Bourbon reg me nj the
personal command or Napoleon remained
thereafter true TO them.
flc was one Of the very few dsun-
ruished generals OF the Napgleonic era
who could boast OF blue blo5d in his
veins ana was man Of the most per
feet breeding and unblemishcd honor lie
died as Grand Chancellor OF the legion
~ Honor a. his chateau OF Co1rc' lleH-le-
Roi being succeeded by his son. th'
second duke. who was sponsored on the
occasion Of his christening by Charles \
and bv the Duchess OF Ancoulcmc-thai
is 10 say. by the daughter ~ Louis NJ
and OF Queen Marie Antoincttc. and who
had been imprisoned with them in the
Temple.
Like most o. the parsonage Of the court
Of .te third Napoleon. he liked far bevond
his means although these were very
large and ne had biz estates; SO that
when he died in 1850 he loft his son. the
la.e duke. rather badly Of. In iact
The late Duke OF TaTcnto was heavily IN
debt Al the time when he coniTaci"" ln
1899 2 marriage with the elderly and very
wealthy widow or ". Camcscassc, VII"
Was for So manV wears Project or Polcc
in Paris She was a woman OF over fifty,
OF extremely plebcian origin. tne oniy
child and sole hfiress or old Delcscrque'
I ne founder OF the General OMNIBUS tom
many IN Paris and also OF tho Pcutes
Vo.turcs. or LEADING cab company OF the
French capital Her two daughter by
her Grst marriage served rs bridesmaids
or the occasion OF her marriage to tha
duke
Unfortunately for the latter, she VAS
woman Of very thrifty disposition ana
exceedingly close listed. She foresa" the
slumps I'm the value Of nor shares For
the extension Of the tramway system, the
under ground railroads and. above All.
the general adoption of the telephone
Rad the effect OF reducing the value OF
her stock in the General Omnibus COM
pany and in the Petites Noitures concern
by some 50 per cent.
Prior TO the introduction of the tele-
phone tho netite voitures were often used
Cor messages When old De Nillemessant
was editor H. Chief OF the Paris Figaro
he always kept half dozen of these
pstitos yoitIrcs al the door of the Figaro
offces DAY and night, so as to be always
enabled 10 hasten reporters TO the spot
where anything was going on or TO con-
vey hurried messages,
This developed In her an apprehension
that she would die in the poorhouse. and
accordingly she cut down all her house
hold expenses TO an almost incredible eN-
tent. her economies being OF A character
10 excite not only the Indignation OF her
husband. but the ridicule OF the press
MOREOVER. she was constantly being sued
by unpaid servants and for household
bills
At length the duke declined TO stand 1t
any longer. and Enclosing some OF the
newspaper cuttings I'm which her parsi-
nony and meanness were described as
savoring % dementis. ne added: MY best
Compliments on the inclosed. share the
General opinion about you. and am READY
for IN, solution that I nave already Of
fered namely. divorce. I prefer my debts
want of money II rot mortal malsdy-
10 the celebrity which you are acquiring.
10th as woman and as wife.