SPANISH DEUCE CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9082, 6 May 1908, Page 3

SPANISH DEUCE CASE.

. Much attention is being devoted in Spain to an action which in aome of its features resembles the DruceiPorttand case, and in which several weli-known persons in Prance and Spain are implicated, says the Lonxlon" Daily Express." A few years «go the Marquis de Campo died, (leaving a fortune of several millions sterling. The Marquis was well Jknown in England, with 'which country ho had buisness connections. Ho was *.he proprietor of the trans atlantic steamship line known as Campos and Company, which ran a service to India, the Philippines, Japan, and ihe United States. Before dying, the Marquis made a , Verbal statement, which was taken •down in writing before the authorities by a notary. It was to the effect ' that his heir was a natural son} who .subsequently took possession of his father's title, which he still uses, and his money. A wealthy and honourable gentleman, Senor Macias, was appointed trustee to the heir,

•■who was then a minor. --_««4 Wnen the present Marquis entered into possession of his property, two •other claimants appeared on the alleging that they, too, were j/faiural sons of the late Marquis de .•■■' "filimpo. Actions took place in France ; Mind Spain simultaneously, the case being dismissed by the French authorities; while the Spanish tribunal admitted the demand for an inquiry, on the ground of certain letters put in as evidence, and the statements of certain witnesses. Now, the Marquis de Campo has denounced bis former trustee to the tribunal, (accusing him of conniving with the alleged sons, and adding thßtallthe letters and declarations the claimants' supposed reMtionsbip with the late Marquis are not only forgeries, but prove conspiracy between the trustee and the claintpnts, who, as a matter of fact, are, hj asserts, of French nationality. Cpunsel for the Marquis de Campo a)|eges that a plot was concocted in ' to rob the rightful heir of a •' lajge portion of his inheritance, and h$ demands the imprisonment of the oi^hirits. Sfenor Mactaa was. under examination b,y the judge destruction for over four hours. He stated that the proofs "of relationship put forward ara perfectly auth3ntic,„and affirmed that he had; loyally administered the estate in the interests of the minor. -Many sensational disilosures-are impacted, but it ia as yet too .early to refer to the matter at greater length. The amount in dispute is 8,000,000 pesetas (£3,200,000). The Marquis de Campo was wellknown in Paris for his eccentricities. On one occasion he took a journey with a poet friend whom he induced to bleach his hair from black to grey! This gave rise to a comical incident. When, on a cartain occasion, the police asked for the pnet's papers, they found that the colour nf his hair was stated to be black. They therefore imprisoned him as a suspicious personage for wearing false grey hair.'and he was only released on the intervention of the Spanish. Amba3aaJor.