The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-15
THE TALE OF THE MoNcRErFEEs.
A Denth Bed In Chicago Relieved
Against Marriages with British


sOeItering room scarcely ten feet square,
in the basement Of dilapidated house on
C,l1met avenue. lie Marie Louise Mon
,retffe King. Great sweat drops course
down her age-graven face and her tear
5immed pain-startled eyes watch each
cioud shadow as it dims the tiny blue
scpare framed by the window Poverty
Is stamped everywhere; on the untidy bed,
The dilapidated chairs, the pitiful attempts
of decoration, and the ragged carpet. At
her side watches a patient, sorrow-bent
Uoman, her only daughter, While from
tbe room beyond come the cacklings and
bo,stfuI utterances of an old man, half
o,ack doctor, half shyster lawyer, the
husband of Maud King, now Mrs. Cum
Tirst cousins to this woman dying in
miserable poverty are half a dozen wives
of neers of the United Kingdom of Eng
land the famous Montcriffe sisters, who
were enabled through money lent them
nv Mrs Kings father to make a series
If the most brilliant matches in England
Toward the end of the eighteenth cen
tirv Thomas and David Moncrieffe sailed
from Edinburgh in a packet bound for
New York Their brother, Douglas Ran
dolph Moncrieffe, had just succeeded to
the title and estates of Moncriefte, in
Il.
HE'D old castle near the historical bride
of Earn there was little to support the
dignity of the old name, and the two
Younger brothers were following the eX-
ample of hundreds of young scions of the
British aristocracy, and making their
way to the new continent, where riches
awaited the Venturesome.
What little money they brought with
them was soon spent ia attempting TO live
I'D 10 their rank, and they turned to trade,
as many had done before and still more
since to support themselves. As boys
they had watched the making of those
WHISTLES for which Scotland is famous
and they turned their knowledge of the
process to such good advantage that in
short time they were independent, and
had acquired the largest distillery in New
York. and for that matter, in America. The
Noucreiffe whisky branded with the coat
of arms of the good old Scottish family,
lion rampant between two mullets gules
on field argent with a chief ermine, became
well known among the good livers of New
England and the family fortunes were on
the ascendant.
Then came the death of Douglass Ran
dolph Moncreiffe without male issue, and
Thomas accession to the title and estates
He decided to give up distilling, and coll
Letting al the money belonging 10 the firm,
and realizing what ready cash he could
from the distillery and property owned by
himself and his brother, he sailed for Eng
land.
David Moncreiffe had meanwhile mar
ried brilliant young girl, daughter of one
Of the generals who came from France
with Lafayette TO lend a willing sword to
the American people in their struggle for
freedom from the yoke of England. Just
what her name was neither Mrs. Cum
mngs nor her husband knows, and Mrs.
days and may carry this secret as wei "a
many others to the grave with her, for
the chances of her recovery are desperate.
The French general had been a romantic
young fellow from all accounts, for he
had fallen in love with young Indian girl
and married her. The child of this mar
rage half French, half Indian, became
Mrs David Moncreffe. The marriage was
love match and they had three children,
Douglas Randolph, Maria Louisa and Mary
Moncreiffe
Soon after the departure of Thomas to
become possessor of the Moncreiffe estates,
the wife of David Monerciffe died The
hoWishng business, impoverished by the
loss of the funds which enabled Thomas to
revive the family honor and splendor, be-
gan 20 dWindle. David, who had been pas
slon2tely in love with his brilliant half
french, half Indian wife, lost all interest
IN building up its condition. In those early
days people were supposed to ole of brok-
en- hearts though the disease, 1t Is claim
ed has become extinct, and when David
'ook TO his bed and died only few months
ailer the death of his wife they said he
mac buried his heart in his wife's grave,
ana had been unable to live without her.
Douglas Randolph Moncreiffe, David's
son7 was then 16 years old, while Maria
Louisa was Il and her sister Mary two
years younger.A friend of their father was
litfuSteQ with he care Of the children nd
WAat remained Of the property The three
cAhdreh were well educated But of the
property left them by their father no trace
was ever found though Mrs. Moncreiffe
Mug mas often told of the big distillery
ana the tenement houses where she often
accompanied her father on the days when
Ie usti TO collect the rents, and her gen.
ue mother when her charities took her
"Hiohs lAe poor who were her husbands
tenants
Inc boy Douglas Joined the army and
was k.liei in Florida during one of the
"@ts "l'h the Seminoles. Mary was adopt
81 by a family living in Poughkeepsie, ~
]" ana Maria Louisa continued to live
"'lH lne Mr.. Primrose, who was admins
N",ot OF her fathers estate until she mar
H,I Col. Robert King in 1874.
eu"Ille things had prospered with
~" lhomas Moncreffe of Moncreiffe
3gSe' Bridge of Earn, Perthshire. He
800 wei anu MS son married sun
D.s'er' thanks to the money of his Ameri-
riI uncle lie was born in 1922 and mar
t up9n attaining his majority, Lady
It5ot'sd Hay, eldest daughter Of Thomas
a'1"eIl Hay tenth Earl Of Kinnoun. He
pe appointed vice lieutenant Of County
o. IVA ana settled down in the rehabilitat-
gasle OF his ancestors
"a, anne the father Of eight sons and
c many daughters, the famous Mon
D, NHls-as famous for their beauty in
~ as they afterward became for
d 'll0n0la matches they made. To this
XIV ambitious matchmaking mothers and
,tL"r'Iones point 20 the record Of Lady
Xxx ''l'' who married six OF her daugh-
two ~ peers OF the realm and the other
4 fr. 20 Well-connected young men with
NV ,unes 10 their names.
r,i Guest daughter. Louisa. was mar
~. l,." 70 The Duke Of Athole, John
n,r Hugh Henry Stewart Murray.
49, marquis and Earl Of Athole. ana
I'D oi many other titles. Helen mar
tr,, q" l,.l Sir John Charles Forbes. bar
c,,,. NoWe. Georglana Elizabeth be-
h i,. I'D. wife Of William. Earl Of Dudley.
H.. ana year later Harriet Sarah