The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-05-08
A SPORTING DUCHESS.
An Interesting Sketch Of Pictur'
esQue English Woman.
She Managed Her own Horses In Person.
Wore Masculine Apparel and Handled
the English Language with
Fluent ReckleSsne1s.

the English Language with
Fluent Recklessness.
Caroline, dowager duchess of Mont
rose, who died recently at the age OF
eighty, was fine example OF that &C.
centricity which only woman OF rank
can permit herself without being called
vulgar, says the New York World.
Her conduct was far removed from
what would be considered proper in
polite American society.
The duchess managed one Of the
largest racing stables in England with
much success. Her language on the
race-course was marked by vigor and
a wealth of profanity which were not
surpassed by many racing men.
Although horse-racing was her chief
interest, it did not occupy her undivid-
ed attention. She had engaged ex-
tensively in matrimony, having mar
ried three husbands. This record would
not, of course, be remarkable, but the
duchess has had no divorces. Her first
two husbands died and the last is now
a widower.
During the latter part of her racing
career her horses ran under the name
of Mr.. Manton. For three years they
were in the name Of her last husband,
young Henry Miner. but she quarreled
with him and MIR. Manton's name reap
peared. Recently she had the horses
in the Newmarket races
1tA1. N,-<o,>S ~. loo,x fopns1io r
figure in the paddock at every great
English race meeting. Next to that OF
the venerable Sir John Ashley, it was
probably the best known.
The duchess was tall and straight
and heavily built. In her youth she
had been rather good looking, a woman
of high-bred English type. But when
her youthful charms passed away she
made unfortunate attempts to replace
them. Her harsh and heavily lined
face was painted and her hair was of a
golden hue produced by chemical
agents.
On the race-course she wore tailor
made clothes of very horsey cut, in
cluding check-gowns, covert coats,
felt hats. At the theaters aud social
functions she did not scruple to appear
in very low-cut evening dress. This,
as Mr.. Bill Nye has noted, is quite a
well established custom among the an
tique Engligh ladies.
The duchess was originally Hon. Car
oline Agnes Beresford, daughter Of the
nd lat of
the gallant naval officer, Lord Charles
Beresford and of Lord William Beres-
ford, whose engagement to the Amer
lean duchess of Marlborough is report
ed. The second Lord Decies was born
in 1773, and his daughter Caroline made
her first appearance somewhere about
1914.
In 1886 she married James Graham,
fourth duke of Montrose, who was
also marquis of Montrose. marquis of
Graham and Buchanan, earl OF Mont
rose, earl of Kincardine, Viscount Dun
daft, Lord Graham, Aberuthven, Mug
dock and Fintrie, in Scotland; Earl
and Baron Graham, in England, etc.
The duke was the head of one of the
most historic families in the United
Kingdom, his ancestor having been
the great marquis of Montrose,
who maintained Charles LIS cause SO
successfully, in Scotland, that, but for
the surprise at Phillipsbaugh, the com
monwealth might never have been es'
tablished.
The duchess third and eldest surviv,
ing. son is now duke. He is forty-four
years of age.
The late duke was a. horse owner and
a sportsman, and his wife associated
herself enthusiastically in his pursuits.
When he died she conSoled herself by
marrying, in 1866, Mr. W. S. Stirling.
Crawfurd, who was even more of d
racing man than the duke. He won
the Derby with Seton, in 1878. For
seventeen years they led happy and
active sporting career.
Then Mr.. Crawfnrd died and his sta
BILE passed entirely under his widows
management. Mr.. Manton now came
into existence and became famous.
She was in the habit of bidding for
yearlings in public. and Of superintend-
ing the stables personally, abusing the
men in the strongest sort of language
when they did not do their work prop
erly. She had also more than one pub
lie dispute with racing men, in which
her expletive force was exhibited.
among others, with Robert Sherrard,
the wel-known trainer and owner on
Newmarket heath.
The duchess furnished material for q
comic opera entitled ''The Merry
Duchess" which was produced here
some ten years ago.
In 1888, the lamented Mr.. Crawfurd
having been dead for five years, she
married her third husband, Marcus
Henry Miner, man now thirty years
of age. The duchess, it will be per-
ceived, was old enough to be his grand
yrofhor