AMAZING STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15184, 9 March 1923, Page 7

AMAZING STORY.

' GLIB talk of millions. One of the most amazing persons that has ever come to Sydney arrived this week from London (says a correspondent writing on February 23). On the passenger l|st of the steamer by which she travelled her namq appeared as Her Highness ttje Grand Duchess Princess Ivanovitch. She claims to be of the Russian pobhßy. to oyyn millions of pounds, palaces.and priceless jewels.

A glance through the . Almanack de Gotha fails to reveal any such person. A glance at the person herself is even more convincing that this woman is about the least likely person In. the world to belong to nobility. She is nearer 60 than 70, frail, dishevelled, and dressed in shabby, moth-eaten clothes. But with all the pathos and humour surrounding her she tells a story so astounding that Sydney is still wondering what sort of brain this woman has that can produce such a tale.

The story told on arrival here is as follows:

She .originally was engaged to be married to Vereker Verchoyle Clay, who was one of the wealthiest Americans. While he was proceeding from Valparaiso to San Francisco, whero the marriage was to place, a seaman fell overboard from Mr Clay’s private yacht. Mr Clay dived over and saved him, but contracted double pneumonia from which he died a few weeks later. In his \vjll he bequeaLhed 12 millions of pounds t,o the Duchess. The Duke, however, who she afterwards married, would not allow .her to touch a penny of it, so her story runs. An old will was then found, in which Mr Clay bequeathed the 12 millions of pounds to American hospitals. Of this £30,000 was returned to the Duchess, and with this she had a memorial church built m a village in Virginia to Mr Clay. lls walls were lined with rare white marble. The Duchess says that she is to be joined in New Zealand in about two months by the Duke, who is now in Russia. The Duke, she says, is the handsomest man in Europe today. He is 68 years of age, but a remarkably active and upright tnan. He commands what was once the Czar's special regiment. His uniform is of white cloth covered with gold, and he wears a gold helmet with rare white plumes.

The Duchess claims that her husband is a cousin of the late Czar, and is actually heir to the Russian throne, but he is hoping he will never have to succeed to the throne. Stic says that he is at present delayed one one of his numerous estates in Siberia through an uprising among the peasants. He is coming to Australia, and will then go to New Zealand, the Duchess says, in the most gorgeous yacht in the world. It is valued at £250,000. Last year the King of England visited them at Cowes and wanted to purchase the yacht, but the Duke would not. sell.

The Duchess in now in New Zealand.