The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-12-10
8reot Jriqis of
History!
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
TRIAL OF THE DUKE
OF ORLEANS.

&~~%~~~~~%~~%~~~~~~~~~%~~%
TRIAL OF THE DUKE
OF ORLEANS.
The present Duke of Orleans, Louis
PHILIPPE Robert. the pretender to the
throne of France, has had a stormy
career through the most part of his
life. With his father, the Comic de
Paris, the Duke was exiled from
France in 1886. For several years
thereafter he served with the English
army in India, and upon his return.
and having obtained his majority, he
entered Paris on February 7, 1890
expressing his desire as Frenchman
to perform his military service.
This act on the part of the Duke
caused great excitement, and he was
arrested in conformity, with the law
of 1886, which forbade the soil of
France to the direct heirs of the fam
lilies which had reigned there.
When the Duke reached Paris or
February z, he was driven to the home
of the Duke de Luynes where he was
arrested and taken to the Prefecture
of Police. On the afternoon of the
same day he was arraigned befor the
military authorities, following which
the Minister of the Interior, NJ Con-
STAINS, ordered that he be held in Gus
tody. He was placed in the Concier-
gerie prison.
On the first day of his triel, when
the charges were read to him, his only
reply was that he had come to France
to perform his military duties and
drafted a letter to president Carnot
stating his desire to serve his country.
The trial was continued until the
following Wednesday. February 18th.
On that last day the crowd of spec
tators was so large and so demonstra-
tive in favor of young Orleans thai
the gendarmes were compelled to clear
the room. During the hearing the
Duke asked his counsel not to defend
him. He said that he had learned in
exile to honor the magistracy and re-
spect its decision. If condemned by
the codre he was sure of acquittal at
the hands of 100000 conscripts of his
class who were more fortunate than
he had been and who were able to
serve their country.
The counsel for the defendant de-
clared that the Dukes act was the re-
suit of generous impulse and would
be an honor to him throughout his life.
The counsel further contended that
the law imposing military service up
on all Frenchman nullified the law re-
lating to the exile of princes.
The Duke addressed the court in his
own behalf. He said: II came to
France to serve as common soldier.
have nothing to do with politics,
which only concerns my father, whose
obedient son and faithful servant | am.
| knew that by entering France / rem
dered myself liable to the law, but |
that knowledge did not stop me- love
my country and wish to serve her.
am guilty of no crime.
In spite of these expressions of 10y
atty, they fell upon the deaf ears of
his judges, and he was found guilty of |
the law and was sentenced to |
two years Imprisonment. The demon
stration that followed the sentence
was so violent that twenty-five arrests |
we're necessary. Upon being taken |
back to his cell the Duke drew back |
The curtain which covered the window |
and saluted the crowd.
The Count of Paris who arrived at |
Porto Rico on the day that sentence
was pronounced, then first learned of
he arrest of his son. He Immediately |
sent cable dispatch to M. Baucher,
IN Orleanist member of the Chamber
If Dupities saying: my heart is with
ny dear prisoner.
Orleans continued in Jail until June
}, 1890, nearly four monehs, when he
vas pardoned by President Carnot and
exiled. On the same night he was con-
lucted to the Swiss frontier by the
Duke de Luynes, arriving in Brussels
IN the 9Th, where he was met at the
'ailway station by one of the royel
carriages and conveyed to the palace,
where he took breakfast with King
leopold. The following day he arrived
It Dover, England, where he was mel
" his father and large number OF
riends, and where he was given a
most cordial reception.
Since his Punishment the Duke OF
orleans has lived at various points in
europe. in England, in Belgium and
n Spain. Less and less is France in
lined again to take UP monarchy,
nd more and more is the Duke Civ
ng up the idea of ever becoming the
overeign of that country, but instead
las been devoting his life to explora-
oiis and to writing on this subject