New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-12
WANTS TO Be A PRINCE
Extraordinary Suit Brought by
a Cr0upier.

Copyright 1918, by the Brentwood Company
Count Jules de Lannoy-Clervaux. OF
Liege, in Belgium. who has instituted
proceedings in the Berlin courts for recog-
milton as Prince Rheina Wolbeck, OF the
Prusslan nobility. with seat In the
Prussian House OF Lords and the predi-
cate of Serene Highness. has very Curl
GUS history to which there Is an Ameri
can end.
He Is a man Of forty-eight, unmarried;
in his younger days he bore the name Of
Jules Corberon. and between 1880 and lsoo
acted as croupier for the semi-pubhc
gambling tables at Spa. Namur and Os-
tend. in Belgium. In 1902 his mother.
Marie Corberon, at that, time woman
Of ffty-six, who had amassed large
fortune as the favorte Of many men OF
rank and great wealth. contracted mar
rage with the aged and penniess Edgar,
Prince Of Rheina- olbeck in the nobility
OF Prussia. and Count CT Lannoy-Cler-
vaux In the peerage Of Belgium, and IN
the old aristocracy Of the Holy Roman
Empire. Thanks to her wealth, he was
able to free his ancestral castle OF Bent
lage. I'm Westphalia, from the heavy
mortgages by which II was encountered,
and to repair II in such fashion as 10
become once more habitable. Marie Cor
boron. however. before consenting TO wed
the at that time septuagenarian prince
stipulated that he should officially recog-
nize as his offspring her then thirty
seven-year-o son. Jules Corberon, the
ex-croupier, although he had never met
the lady until 1901. Now this act OF legal
recognition In Belgium had the effect or
Iepitimizing the ex-crouper In that coun-
try. at the same time endowing him there
with the princes Belgian name OF Ian
noy-Clervaux. II did not, however le-
gitinize him in the eyes OF Prussian OF
German law and consequently he has IN
berited neither the dignity OF Count OF
ths Holy Roman Empire. nor the Prus-
sian name and title Of Prince OF Rneina-
Uo,beck from his mothers husband. VINO
died last fall.
What may be described as the Amer'-
can end Of the story Is the follo"lhs'
In 1897 the late Prince Edgar OF fheiha-
Wolbeck sought, by correspondence on
this side Of the Atlantic a rich wlte' ana
caused n number Of letters TO be ad-
dressed from his residence, NO. boule-
ward de Hainault Brussels. by his secre-
tarv Count Nyprueck. TO several persons
on this side of the water Offering COM
mission OF 10000 TO any one who Would
sacure for him a bride willing TO setue
| upon him 81, 10000 on the day OF the "eu-
ding. -.
Among those who received letters "
this kind from the secretary was NJ, o.
| I.ustig. OF No. 20 East 9Th street ne"
york who at that time conducted the
Atlantic Hotel at Long Branch. some
! =, Tho nersons TO whom Count Nypruech
| communicated the offer OF the prince IN
,,a la,ter's name, thought 1t well to MAKE
,ba matter public. and Mr.. Lusug' OF oe
ing interviewed, admitted that there ".ie
three women-one in Boston, one !" oa'
u,rorc,.co and one in New forK-"no
- ., than possessed the necessary
| s.aro,., qualifications and were In neso-
tIation with him with we" u 49,
o Prussian princess and sere'e "Ie
noes nv wedding the prince OUT 49,
uera hampered by the fact thae nv.
| property was almost "hoily III
tate. which they found difficulty IN &c.
oI,zIne on al the time. But the neso,a'lonS
ala not materlalize, and The prince 80
60, elsewhere for a rich wife. fouha 'ne
somewhat notorious and elderly "a'''
| Corberon. .,,-;.r %
The pretensions Of the ex-croupier 70
-. pr,ncelv title and to the seat IN inc
p.,ss,an House OF Lords are being con.
,astoa IN the name OF the Princess o'
rooz ct Coswaren. The principal con-
,o.,o,t Is Prince Louis Looz ct Cos"areh.
ubo makes his home at the chateau %
| po,lez in Belgium, and who insists WIN
sor,o Justice. that the principaIity Oh
phn,na.W olheck originally belonged 10
.so Iooz-C oswarens. who are mediauhed
~ once petty sovereign house ana lha'
tho title. being only one OF the man
which II owned, was surrendered 10 t'o
King OF Prussia for bestowal upon Frrh'
cess Clementine at the time OF her mar
r,oga with Count Lannoy- Ceryaux; con-
s.nmentlv. that II her descendants nave
become extinct, the title should revert "
,,er, as its original possessors.
MARQUIsE DE FONTENof.
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