The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-13
CLEO ON THE SPREE
King of the Belgians' Pro-
tegee Comes to Exhibit
Her Ears to Us.
SHE is CHARMED WITH HOBOKEN
But the Chances of the Bold and
Vulgar Crowd Embarrass
Her Dreadfully.

Cleo de Merode, whose alleged beauty
has set all Europe in commotion, arrived,
appropriately, at Hoboken at 1:30 o'clock
this morning. Still more appropriately
she came on the North German Lloyd
steamship Spree. She came direct from
Paris. She brought her ears with her
also her toes-also a property" smile and
the endorsement of the naughty King OF
the Belgians as to her manifold charms.
/ The announcement here of her coming
was the signal for great excitement on
the dock, and crowds of people gathered
to get a deadhead look at her.
The Spree was scheduled to arrive at ten
o'clock, but it did not get up to the dock
until an hour and a half later. When
the gangplank was run up to the deck
the pier was thronged. Everybody
watched eagerly for the fair Partisan to
appear.
Mile de Merode, probably to avoid being
lost in the crowd, did not come out of tha
first cabin until the other passengers were
all landed and she could have the gang.
plank to herself. Then she stepped out
into the vulgar daylight. She was in
custody of mother, whom she always
keeps about her, and both worked the
property smile when their eyes met the
many that gazed up at them from the
dock. Mile de Microbes little curly-haired
dog Leo, which was presented to her by
the King of the Belgians, romped down
to the dock ahead of the party.
Neither Mile. de Merode nor the mother
who accompanies her can speak English.
1t was explained for them, however, that
Mile. deMerode has lived only nineteen
summers, some five of which have been
passed in the light of stage publicity.
Her figure appeared to be what the
Parisians call svelte. Her face Is remark
ably like her photographs. She was at
tired in fawn colored creation with
Russian blouse, to which was attached 3
high collar reaching above her ears. She
wore breastpin with two large diamonds
gift, etc. Her hat was of yellow straw
and almost as fiat as a. pancake. Her bag
gage included seven trunks, In one OF
which were her numerous stage costumes.
1t was said that she carried $120,000 in
jewelry-gifts, etc.
She was met on the pier by a press
agent from New York theatrical house,
where she will be an exhibit for twenty
weeks, beginning next Monday.
In an interview with the press agents
she said Immediately after landing
81 am pleased with the country,
especially with the newspaper men. They
were so vigilant that 1 was obliged to
seek repose in a private room on the
pier,' =.
Police Commissioner William Utz who
has charge of the freight department on
the pier invited Mile de Merode and the
accompanying mother into his private
office, and there they remained while their
baggage was being inspected SO as to
escape the steady gaze of the onlookers.
which embarrassed the simple Parisienne.
Later they were driven in a coach to the
Imperial Hotel, in New York City.
In the past few years Mile de Merode
has attracted much attention, not alone
because of her beauty, but from the
peculiar manner in which she dresses her
hair, so as to completely hide her ears.
This gave rise to the rumor that her ears
were cropped close to her head. It is not
true She has the usual allowance OF
hearing apparatus She has all gained
considerable notoriety because of the
infatuation of the King of the BeigianS
for her. The King who has an immense
private fortune, 1t is said, makes frequent
excursions to Paris. He met Mile de
Merode, it is said, on one of these, and
became strongly attached to her. 1t was
then that he gave her the little dog as 3
SOluanir Il