March 10, 1913
Representatives of Princess Catherine Yourievsky, the widow of Alexander II, have sued her American agent, Victor E. Gartz for $2,900. They claim that Gartz should have turned the money over to her after he was hired to obtain payment on a $5,000 note from Krucien Luiggi, "a European promoter, by attaching his property in America." Gartz did obtain $22,000 on another note of $25,000 from Luiggi for the Princess.
In the past decade, the Princess entrusted Luiggi with 600,000 French francs to invest in South America. Most of the funds were "covered by promissory notes." Gartz was retained by the princess in order to obtain payment on a $5,000 note "by attaching Luiggi's property in this country."
Gartz's lawyer responded to the action by claiming that his client had great difficulty in locating Luiggi, but was able to obtain for the princess $22, 500 on the option. He believed that his fee of $3,900 was fair, as he did not have a contract with the princess.
The princess's lawyer's disagree. They say that the princess is "perfectly willing" that Gartz should retain $1000 as his fee, and not $3,900.
Princess Yourievsky was born Princess Catherine Dolgorouki. Although she is a member of an important Russian princely family, her marriage to Alexander II, following the death of his wife, Empress Marie, was morganatic. The princess gave birth to three children before Alexander was killed by an assassin's bomb in 1888.
I was just wondering, was the marriage to Catherine morganatic?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand, the Romanov house laws stated all dynasts had to marry by equal birth, and get the Tsar's approval. However, being as Alexander II was head of that house, it seems obvious he didn't have to seek his own approval.
Any thoughts?
Yes, the marriage was morganatic. She was not a member of a reigning or ruling house.
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