The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-19
MISS BRADLEY MARTINS WEDDING


The marriage in Now York yesterday Of
William George Robert, fourth Earl of
Craven and Vigcount Of L ffington. to
Ccrnela, daughter Of Bradley Martin, Esq. ,
Of New York. is the society" event Of the
week.
The Bradley Martins have figured con-
! spicuously for the past ten years In that set
or society known as the millionaire set. "
Mrs. Bradley Martin, who was known to
her intimate school friends as Nellie"
Sherman, was the only child Of Isaac Sher-
man, who up to the time Of his death was
regarded as q swell to do" man and one
who could give his family comforts above
the ordinary, but not great Injuries. Isaac
SHERMAN was the son of a cooper.
In early life be had followed the
same calling and when he had
amassed the sum of 100000 in the western
part OF New York declared to one of his old
friends and advisers that be was as rich as
he ever desired to be- With this amount be
went to New York city something more than
quarter Of a century ago, when with his
ready mouey he began to look about for
chances OF investment. He invested, but
did not speculate, and the government
bonds and railroad shares which he accumu-
lated made q fortune which no one sus-
pected. After his death New York was
! dumfounded at the amount Of his estate,
| which reached up into the millions and
| which was left to hls widow and only child.
| While at school, Miss Nellie Sherman was
mate OF certain members Of the Vanderbilt
family Her most Intimate friend was
| Miss Margaret Louise Vanderbilt, at whose
wedding to Col Elliott +. Shepard she be-
! came acquainted with Bradley Martin.
Isaac Sherman died about fifteen years
| ago, and after coming into possession Of her
| great fortune his daughter began to enjoy
| 1t. She built, OF rather reconstructed,
I eEwaa lgv-- 81.
! which were made into one. The richest
! furniture that Europe and America could
afford was placed within its walls. and the
rarest tapestries and paintings, objets dart
| without number. Then with the compile
| ton OF such a house entertainments on an
elaborate scale began. Mrs. Martin, by
marriage, is connected with the Townsends
Lansings and Van Rensselaers Of Albany
and the Lawrences of Long Island, that
placing her at once on q certain footing with
families whose names are historical in New
York state.
Eight years ago a great ball was given by
the Bradley Martins, for which temporary
structure was built, extending from the
rear Of the houses to Nineteenth street.
For that week Mrs. Bradley Martin carried
an insurance policy on the entire block
| bounded by Fifth and Sixth avenues and
Nineteenth and Twentieth streets.
While abroad, soon after the death of her
| unlike other Americans, the taste for
foreign life. Her husband being fond of
sport they determined to take a place in
| Scotland, which they leased for long term
of years. This place, called Bal Ma Caan,
\ is in Invernesshire, the heart OF the Scotch
| Highlands. The house itself is unattractiveS
like any Scotch place, without the archi-
| tectural beauties Of some old English
| country seats. There the Bradley Martins
would HE themselves with many Of their
American friendships. Arthur Paget, the
Beach Grants. the Brockholst Cuttings,
| Mrs MackaY and many others. In course
| of time they entertained many of the nobil~
| ity. The luxurious life which exists at Bal
Ma Caan was unknown TO Scotland, Rarely
did the household sit down fewer than forty
at dinner.
Their daily country life was otherwise
| like that of any old country family. They
| always went to the northern gatherings,
where Mrs. Bradley Martins jewels became
| the talk of the United Kingdom. Ii was
not altogether the fashion to wear so many
! jewels at a county ball, but the English now
are getting to follow in Mrs. Bradley Mar
tins footsteps at such gatherings.
She would oCcasionly display the FAM
| GUS Marie Antoinette rubies and the more
modern arrangements OF precious gems
Mrs. Bradley Martin, Mrs. George L.
Rives and Mrs. w k. Vanderbilt we're the
first wonIenin New York to wear the dia-
mond sun, they having bought the first
! three ever made. Then came Mrs. Bradley
| Martins tiara of solitaire diamonds, her
ropes Of pearls and every conceivable form
of jewels With all this spirit of generosity
| it is no wonder that the family became
| popular in England and Scotland. They
not only have received visitors, but what is
! Tarer still, have been invited to the best
| country houses. In all the time Of resis
dence in Europe the family has never had a
! house in London. While in the metropolis
! they stay at Thomas hotel in Berkeley
square. Needless to say, owing to her
| youth, their daughter has not been seen in
society.
THE GROOM.
Lord Craven has been a frequent visitor
| at Bal Ma Caan for some years. He was on
| terms of the greatest intimacy with the
| family and was q chum of young Sherman
Martin, who married unfortunately.
| Craven is retiring and almost bashful. He
does not care a snap for society. This is
probably from the reason that he was not
town bred. His long minority was passed
in the country at one Of the smaller estates
of the Cravens 1t was rather fortunate
that he was not of age when his father died,
! for then the estates we're somewhat encum-
bered. For years Combe abbey, Coventry,
the seat of the CraVens was taken by Capt.
and Lady Mary Lloyd, who now have the
famous place Charlotte, the home of the
Lucys. Capt. Lloyd's wealth did much
toward keeping up Combe abbey; conse-
| quently when the earl came into his own he
found it in good trim and free from debt
Craven's aunts, Lady Cadogan and Lady
Coventry, favored his early marriage. 1t
was at first intended to have the engage
ment last year
Mr.. Bradley Martin greatly against the
desire Of Craven's relatives, insisted on hav-
ing the marriage in New York, SO that ali
his kin might be present.
SOME OF THE PRESENTS.
The jewels given by Mrs. Martin, Mrs.
| Sherman and the Dowager Countess of
Craven, the earl's grandmother, are mag
nifcent. Mrs. Sherman's gift, a necklace
of pearls, three strings, is said to have cost
! 600. Mrs. Martins gift, a tiara of
diamonds, an exact copy Of one worn by
the Empress Josephine, is composed Of
diamonds of the purest water. The stones
are all picked, the central one, very large,
being so set as to swing with each move
ment. The setting of these stones is almost
invisible.