SENSATIONAL TRIAL IN SPAIN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1996, 4 February 1907, Page 1

SENSATIONAL TRIAL IN SPAIN.

ANOTHER TICHBORNE CASE As what may prove to be the last and most sensational stage in the Casa Iteira affairs will be reached in the Courts shortly.it may be well to state briefly (says a correspondent at Barcelona) the main lines of the Franco-Spauish Ticliborne case. The claimant to the Marquisate of Casa Reira made his first appearance in lei/8, when ho called upon the late Marquis in Paris and claimed close relationship. On the death of the Marquis two years later, at the age of 91, his only known relatives were his three nephews, dose, Alejandro, and Gonzalo Moray R.iera. Jose was by the will of his uncle appointed the heir, and a clauso of the will stipulated that in the event of his death without an heir the title and estates were to pass tc Alejandro The elder brother enjoyed his estate for but two months, and on his death was succeeded hv Alejandro —Moray— Riera", the present Marquis. ■ Some years elapsed, and in 1889 the. claimant Pedro Riera once more appeared upon tho scene affirming his relationship. The Marquis refused to receive him, and in 1900 he sued the Marquis for the restitution of the property and title. Tho Court decided in favor of tbc defendant, and this decision was upheld on appeal. Tlio claimant, undismayed,thou cast about for means to bolster up his ease. In the first place lie approached two friends of his, Luis Proubert, a genealogist, and Emilio Soulere, who arc both charged with forgery, to aid. him in his enterprise. A few days later Proubert called on tho Abbe Gouverd to show him n number oi documents bearing on the case. These papers the Abbe did not deem sufficient proof, and tho three friends left for Spain to prosecute their research in the archives oi' Madrid and Barcelona. They succeeded in drawing up the genealogical tree of the three families Riera, Mora, and Itoses but found no branch upon which to hang the persistent Pedro. In the meantime, however, tlio Abbe Gouverd approached a political committee which had been formed m Paris to further the aspirations of the Duke of Anjou. To this committee, which sadly lacked funds for its propaganda, the Abbe related the claims of Pedro Riera, pointing out that if Pedro were supplied with money to obtain his rights he would repay the committee with interest cut of the fortune he would obtain with its assistance. Pietro Falconete, one of the members of the committee, there upon published a manifesto in the name of all the friends of the committee, some of whom sued Falconete for the improper use of their names. The Coin to do Dion, MM. Piiuhnier. De Marcais, and Firmin Faure, 'convinced of the justice' of the claimant's cause, advanced him various sums. Then in order to prove that the •i',tual Marquis was an impostor, Soulere, with the assistance of Pedro Claret, made, the prosecution alleges, a false entry of tlie death of the Marquis Alejandro Moray Riera, on January 24, 1878. This,, however, was not enough. The youngest nephew of tlio first Marquis had to be removed in some inunil'or, and lie by the terms qf the MiySfluis’s will was entitled to the estates’ on the death of liis older brother'Alejandro. Tlie prosecution allege-that in order to effect this Soulere and Prouhet scratched out one of the entries in the Municipal Register of Santa Margarita v los Montes, anti substituted the name of Gonzalo Mora y Riera, as having died when a bov without direct heir. In order to avoid the opposition of the other members of the Riera family, bribes ranging from 100 francs to 200,000 francs were offered to the relatives, and the opposition of the cousin of tlio Marquis was overcome Ivy Magdalena Aixela impersonating he", isth the help of Antonio Calopa and Fernando Far]ete. For this series of alleged frauds the following will he tried: 1, Emilio Soulere; 2, Pedro Claret; 6, Juan Balada (a judge); 4, Antonio Calopa; 5, Luis Prouhet, genealogist; C, Jose Htiguet; 7, Jose Cubas; 8, Luis Galvez, secretary of the Municipal Tribunal; 9, Jose Queralto ; 10, Jose Doinenech ; and Magdalena Aixela and Fernando Farlete, who will be.tried in contumaciam. Over 300 witnesses will he heard, and the trial will occupy the High Court of Barcelona for some twenty sittings.