The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-31
THE HELL
 FIRE" DUKE

Tn all history there have been few men more remafkable for brilliant de- pravitys and spectacular wickedness than Philip, Duke of Wharton, the Ipossessor of six peerages, the inherit or of noble estates, the founder of the fstHeu-F1re Club,' poet, diplomat and soldier of exceptional ability, and withaI one of the most vicious men that the world has ever held. It was l1S5 years ago today, May 31, 17S1, ithat the Duke died and went to his re- ward. Reared in the odor of sancti- ity as a strict Presbyterian, he died a. l penniless mendicant monk, also in the 4 odor. Of sanctity. Between his virtu- ous beginning and his equally vfrtuous finish were compressed enough vice and Wickedness and villainy and I crimes to have sent a thousand humb- Ter men to the gaIIows.
 Special interest attaches to the his- tory Of st41is absolute nobleman be- cause of the fact that an American, I George l.. TsIves, a distinguished New York lawyer, was recently declared by the committee of privileges of the House of Lords to be one of tho two | co-heirs to the Barony of Wharton, one Of the titles of the 'eHel-F'ire Duke,
 DaLe Philip was the son of the fifth Baron Wharton. who was also xgiven the titles of Earl of Wharton, yisco11nt Winchenden, Earl of IsatI1- farnham, Marquis of Catherlough. and Marquis of Wharton and Malmes- bury. As an only son, Philip was carefully. reared, and spent his youth in a very pious and strict atmosphere He developed a brilliant mind, and was versed in tiie language and litera- ture of many lands. while from his 7is+;ng uished father he inherited a fgreat gift of oratory. He had attain led his majority, however, when he began to manifest a liking for disso- 1ute society. He was only fifteen when he aroused the passionate ad- rniration of a woman much older than himself, with whom he contracted a clandestine marriage.
 While travelling in SEurcpe he was invited to the court of trie Pretender, who was so snnitten with the charms and graces of the youth that he creat- ed him Duke of Northumberland On his return to England he entered Par 1iament and deserted the cause of the Pretender.s King George I. then re- warded his allegiance by making him Duke of Wharton. After a brilliant but brief 1poIiticaI career he fell a victim to drink and dissipation and went to Spain. There he embraced the Roman Catholic faith and mar ried one Of the queens maids of hon. or. He fought againet the English at the seige of Gibraltar. After various other vicissitudes he entered monas-
 
 znafnder of his life.
 The Duke was the father and founder of the 'HelI-Fire CIubs'' which f1ourished for a time in Eng land and Ireland, and was the leader in their wild orgies. Young men of good birth and breeding were the rank and file of Philips following. The obscene and horrible rites which characterized the meetings of the clubs cannot be revealed in print. The abduction of young and innocent girls was one of the favorite pastimes of these noble rakes. For a> time they chose their victims from among the poor, but growing boIder because of their past immunity, they at last ven fured to abduct and outrage even girls of their own social status. The au- thorities at last suppressed these iI1- famous proceedings Duke Philip was not implicated in any of the pros- lecutions of He11-Fire members, but this was generally believed to be due to his superior cIeverness and not to his innocence. By Philips death his family became extinct. Pope describ- led him asN ''the scorn and wonder of our day'-''a fool, with more of wit than half mankind"