The Washington times., 1922-07-04
OCCUPANT
Of THRONE
IS IN DOUBT
Son BY AnnuIIed Marriage and
Granddaughter Probably
7 Will Be Claimants.
BY MARGERY REX.

~ AsAH
NEW YORK, July 4.-Who has
the better chance to inherit a
Kingdom, the son of an annulled
marriage or that sons legitina-
tzed daughter?
This is the strange problem
that has almost eclipsed other di.
versions, for the time being, at
the hauntingly lovely principality
of Monaco. That tiny empire is
famous chiefly as a background
for Monte Carlo, where games of
chance have made huge fortunes
and wrecked thousands of human
lives.
Ex-Ruler Devoted to Science.
Albert Honore Charles, former
ruler, has just died, ending a long
life devoted mainly to science. How.
ever, this prince, as the monarchs OF
the diminutive kingdom are called,
married twice and therein lies the
complication. His first wife was
Lady Mary Douglas Hamilton, of
England. whom ha wed in 1869; but
he had this union annulled. though
a son, Prince Louis, was born in
@o'V' HIS leli i-dpDdiSHl, do OiiS
might call him. lives now in Paris
and has been an officer in the
French army.
Nine years after this marriage
was anulled Prince Albert decided to
try matrimony again. This time, in
1883, he took for wife the widow Of
the Duke of RiChelieu, who had been
q Miss Alice Heine, of New Orleans,
Of whom he also managed to rid
himself
Meanwhile, Prince Louis. son of
the annulled first marriage of AL.
bert, was enjoying life in Paris. He
met. and provided a fine home for
a charming peasant girl, Mile.
Louvet, who later gave birth to a
daughter. For large sum Of
money the mother turned over the
child to be reared at the Monaco
courts, and in 1919 she was Iegiti.
matized, though at the age os six
teen she had met and married the
Count de Polignac, who took her
name of Valentinois. This child Of
a French peasant may gain the
throne
Her father is barred from success. !
sion since, by active service. he is
French army officer.
Gift Or Loan?
Monte Carlo is like a fascinating
and reckless woman who destroys
others fortunes and regulations.
and then earns a name for gener. |
osity by making some poor unfor-
tunate a paltry loan. You know,
they say that at Europe's gambling |
den, If you lose all your fortune |
the Casino gives you ticket home |
called ''Viatique'-and money |
for meals till you get there.
"Sprained ankles" are. a frequent |
calamity attacking visitors to the
worlds greatest chance-taking cen
ter. Quite often young man who |
has been vanQuished by the turn |
Of the roulette wheel, or who has |
suffered defeat at ''trente-et-quar.
ante" staggers from the glIdcd |
halls and a shot is heard. Porters |
rush forth and hurry off the for. |
mer customer of the Casino to some |
secluded spot and should you ask |
later what the trouble was. they |
explain that the pO1r chap sprained |
his ankle. Meanwhile servant
washes blood off the broad white !,
steps where the victim took life's
final chance.
Blanc" Always Wins.
The presiding genius for many
years of the roulette wheels used
to sing every day when the Casino
opened at 10 a. M:
Rouge perd ct noir perd, mails
ic'est toujours Blanc qui gagne,"
which means that red loses and
black loses. but Blanc or white,
always wins Which becomes quite
clear when you know that Francois
Blanc was the gambler in charge of
visiting destinies.
Into THE Sink Of Europe" Blanc
slipped after 1870. when Germany
found, after her war of that period.
that she could not allow taking
risks any longer. Papa Blanc had
been dealing in retail and whole |
sale chance at the famous HON.
burg Casino and had come to be
regarded as the father of all gam.
blers. Monaco proved to be a con-
venient harbor for the Franco-Ger-
man sharp" just as e. had been
right along for other pirates, ana |
he made a paradise of the place.
When Blanc dot ir 7NIi he left |
q fortune of $35, 900. 900.
The old days were the great DAYS, |
even in gambling. And the enthusi.
astic promoters OF Monte Carlo vii! |
tell the tourist of those stirring times |
when 5000 persons committed sui. |
eide every year for the first fifteen |
years, which seemed to have been |
hn ho rHaGt thot ha ,