Evening journal., 1913-06-10
GOSSIP OF THE COURTS
sY hNEU R.

very few persons can realize the
temptations that arc thrown in the
way Of employees in The household Of
king or of officials connected with
any royal court. TO their credit may
IL be said that such temptations, as a
rule. are treated with contempt Yet
a recent incident, in which two officers
in the department Of the British Lord
Chamberlain we're implicated. shows
that sometimes the bribery offered
is more than can be resisted. Punish
ont in such a case is swift and severe.
Whenever any one enters tho SER
vice OF the royal British household il
Is made perfectly clear TO him or her
that any attempt to gain personal
profit by reason OF their position viii
mean instant dismissal. This rule
is nevor departed from no mat
ter how important the position. No
mitigating circumstances are ever
taken into consideration i'm such
case. and the mere fact that tho con-
ddcnco of the sovereign has been be-
trayed is regarded as sufficient to
have the guilty removed.
Scarcely a day passes but that some
one known to be connected with the
court or possessed Of any influence
at all with the household Of the King
is approached with suggestions that
he might benefit his own interests by
falling in with certain schemes. Only
a few months ago an official I'm the
British Lord Chamberlain's depart
ment was offered a check for 600
pounds II he would be willing to OBJ
tain a royal warrant stating that the
firm in question had been appointed
specially to supply a certain article TO
the King II was known TO the firm
in question that the official had ac-
cess TO the blank forms upon which
these warrants are drawn up and
that il would not have been a difficult
matter to get one of these signed by
the Lord Chamberlain.
The offer was rejected and the mat
ter reported 10 Lord Knollys. then the
King Of England's principal private
secretary. with the result that the
concern which made the proposal has
lost the royal patronage. But it is
not always money that is offered as
bribe to court officials. Often social
advancement is the bait dangled be-
fore their eyes One OF the principal
subordinates Of the Master of the
Horse several years ago was ap-
preached by a lady of title with the
suggestion that she could obtain
handsome fees for presenting young
ladies at court if he would under
take that they should receive the
necessary commands to appear be-
fore the majestics The lady in ques-
tion possessed great influence in the
political world. and quite openly
promised the official a baronctcy IL he
would be willing to fall in with her
wishes. When he declined he was
threatened with the lady's grave dis
pleasure and was told bluntly that
she would make II her business to
sec to it that he would he removed
from his place His action was as
prompt as it was surprising to her.
He went direct to his chief and laid
before him the entire incident. The
result is that he still holds his posi-
tions. and that the lady has not re-
ceived another invitation to court
functions.
Lady Stamfordham once remarked
that one never knows how popular
one Is until one is appointed to a
position at court. This is quite true,
since invitations from persons OF
whom nc had 10 previous knowledge
Just pour in from all quarters upon
those who are employed by royalty.