DUKE’S MILLIONS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 August 1925, Page 7

DUKE’S MILLIONS.

' LEGAL FIGHT

The Comte de Civry, who, in right of his mother, has for many years been claiming to be the successor of Duke Charles of Brunswick, asked the Seine Tribunal in July to accept the decision of the British College of Heralds that the letters in the possession of the British Aluseum, in which the Duke Charles acknowledged the Comte do Civrv’is mother to bo hjs daughter, may be received as proof of the paternity. The originals were burnt in the revolution of 18:10. when the duke was driven out of his estate.

Duke Charles, who died in 1873, was one of the most eccentric men of his century. His fortune was estimated at over 300,000,000 francs (£12,000,000), not to speak of a. magnificent colletcion of diamonds, among which v.ere those worn by Maty Stuart. He willed ever vailing to the city of Geneva, on condition that a statue were raised to hi.s memory. This statue was duly set up by the grateful municipality. British. Museum Search.

Goipi.es of the burnt letters, it was .stated, were inserted in a book, “Barronagicum Genealogicum,” which was put up for .sale with the rest of the Duke of Sussex's library, and bought by the British Museum British Museum officials can find no trace of the letters patent said to have been inserted in the “Baronagicum Genealagioum” bought with the Duke of Sussex’s, library in 1846. “It was quite a common thing for documents to be pasted into old books,’’ said an official, “but when these are of any value they are handed over to the MSS. Department.” Through the courtesy of the librarian, a Daily Chronicle reporter was permitted to examine the museum’s copies—thirteen in all—of the “Baronagicum Geheallogicnm,” a sort of eighteenth century Debrett, with pages almost .a& large .as those of the Daily Chronicle. One volume, ‘believed to have come from the Sussex Library, bears evidence of having had something pasted over the title page and subsequently removed, but it is impossible to say whether this has .anything to do with the statement in the Paris court.