The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-17
Life of Lord Fitzgerald Has
Formed Theme for Novelists
and Poets.
ny Ia MAnoI:.s nt: rnNrE>nY.

OH thursday lhSt married Miss
May Etheridgc, a musical COM
cdy actress, of tho Shaftesbur,. Theatre
in London. and previously with tho
tGaicty Theatre. is a grandnephew Of
the famous Lord Edward FITZGERALD
the Irish patriot. who after a hard
struggle with tho English troops and
police. died in NcwRatc Prison. Dublin.
/ in 1898. OF injuries inflicted upon him
Lady Edward Fitzccrald the lovely
Paneia. who long survived him. and
who afterwards married j Pitcairn
4 tho United States consul al Hamburg
was the natural daughter of philip
/ Egalitc. Duke Of Orleans Gather of
I King Louis Philippe) 'and Of the eel
ebrated Nine. de Cienlis The romantic
| circumstances Of the marriage and life
| of Lord and Lady Edward FITZGERALD
have formed the theme for the works
/ of many novclists and pocts, including
| Thomas Moore.
! Young Lord Edward. who In accord
ance with tire regulations established
by King Edward. has been forced 10
resign his commission as lieutenant Of
| the Irish Guards. because Of his mar
riage with footlight favorite. is the
second brother Of Irclands premier
peer. the Duke Of I.eiustcr and in view
! of the extreme dclicacy Of the latter.s
health. and of the fact that the next
brother Lord Desmond, is a bachelor.
/
the family honors and the estates
! In the event of May Etheridge thus
becoming Duchess of Lcinster, and
premier peeress OF Erin. she will be
| the only actress to have become a
British duchess in tho annals OF his
tory. with the solitary exception OF
Harriet Mellon. who. after losing her
| first husband. Tom Coutts. the banker.
became the wife Of the ninth Duke Of
st. Adams. 1t is from her that the
late Baroness Burdett -Coutts inherited
the immense Coutts fortune.
| Lord Edward. like his brothers. the
Duke of Leinster and Lord Desmond
almost lost his life In the fire which
destroyed Duncombe Park the country
seat of his grandfather. the old Earl
/ OF FaverSham. whom he was but two
years old. Indeed. the three little fell
lows We're only rescued by being ear
ried envclopcd in wet blankets down n
ladder, which was being scorched by
the iiames bursting through the win
dows. their narrow escapes serving TO
/ recall the fact that the L.inster coat
of arms pcrpetuates similar narrow
escape from fire by one OF their an
cestOrS when littlo boy. 1t happened
/ In the thirteenth century. 4 tire broke
out in the Castle Of Woodstock and
/ in the confusion which cnsued the
/ infant. John Fitzgerald. who became
the first Earl Of Kildare. and the fore
bear OF the present Duke ana OF Lord
Edward Fitzgerald. was forgotten on
the servants returning TO search for
him, the room in which he had been
sleeping was found completely de-
stroyed by the flames.
/ Shortly afterwar ds a strange noise
was heard from the window Of one of
the towers, and on lool-ing up the
people saw a large ape. usually kept
chained, carefully holding the missing
q 81 II In, ~ 10 -
grew up, in gratitude for his preserva-
ton. adopted monkeys as the support
ers Of his heraldic bearings. with the
motto OF Non immcmor henehcii." in
addition to the old family motto of
the Fitzgeralds of "Crom a boo. Crom
standing for the name Of n castle which
! formerly belonged to the Fitzgeralds.
while "A boo may he Interpreted as
/ ION to victory"
The FitzEcralds. Of which great
house of the Irish aristocracS the Duke
Of Lcinster is the acknowledged chief
are of Florcntine origin. the founder
OF the family having been Ohio Gcral
DIM who. visiting England. became so
great a favorite of King Edward the
Confessor that he settled in his do
minions. becoming possessed of vast
I estates, which Will be found credited
, to him in Doomsday Book. compiled
by order of William the Conqucror.
since l11l. but Maurice Fitzgerald. the
Epatrarch OF all the Irish Geraldines
| led a body of troops from England 10
! the assistance Of Dermot MacAlurrogh.
! King of I.enster in his fight against
/ Roderick OConnor. King of Ireland
/ The fourth Earl OF Kildare was one
of the principal generals Of Edward
| Ill, in France. The ninth Earl OF Kill
/ dare died in the Tower of London for
having incurred the enmity OF Henry
! VIII. and Cardinal Wolsey. The tenth
/ carl endcavored 10 raise all ireland
against the English crown. for which
he was subjected to torture in the
/ Tower Of London, and then hanged,
| drawn and Quartercd. His brother,
! tho eleventh earl. sought refuge ut
/ Florence, and became Prime Minister
TO Cosmo de Mcdici the Duke Of Flor
encc In fact. the Fitzecralds in every
reign OF the Kings Of England have
! played q notable role in history. and
there arc few names more illustrious
| in Europe
Both the late duke and his duchess,
| the most beautiful OF all the lovely
daughters OF Lord Faycrsham. sue
cumbed 10 consumption and, whereas,
the present duke has All his life been
threatened with this dread heritage.
the so-called white plague. his young
est brother, Lord Edward Fitzgerald
seems to have escaped all proncncss
| thereto.
| Formerly the Dukes of Lcinstcr were
! the largest land owners IL: Ireland But
| the trustees OF the present duke, dur
| ing his minority. took advantage Of
| the Irish land act 10 dispose of most
of the property. with the exception of
his historic home Of Carton and tho
| large surrounding park III the neigh
| bodhood of Maynooth. in County XII
dare
| Carton. which is a beautiful place,
possesses. like every other sclf-respect-
ing old country seat in Ireland. a fam
! lily banshee. in the form of the wrath
| OF Gerald More, the eighth Earl of
Kildare. who. while Watering his horse
on the banks OF The River. Grcesc. be-
low Kilkca. was killed by an arrow
| in the back, the work of traitor.
Every seven years this earl rides
through the grounds of Carton. and
across the Curragh Of Kildare. on his
white war horse. the latter shod with
| brightly shining silver shoes. The
carl bears in his hand cup. and it
is a matter Of popular belief in that
MT pf when those eli