The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-11
COL. CUPID'S RICH CLAIM
HE MIKES UP IN THE ALASK A
BUSINESS, TOO
Two of His Personal Representa-
tives From Buffalo Going West
Incognfto Members of the
French Nobility Among the KIon-
dixie Passengers Leaving ST. Paul.

This Klondike movement is not with
out its touches Of romance. In the
union depot yesterday, when Northern
Pacific sleeper 492 came into the long
train shed attached to the Milwaukee
train, an unusually bright-looking lot
Of people, after eating breakfast cooked
by their own man on the train. alighted
from the car and walked about the
place to get breath of fresh air, even
if 1t was damp and disagreeable. On
the surface the fact was not apparent
that, in jolly big party of Buffalo
mans like that bound for the Klon-
dixie. there was secret so carefully
kept that none but the two people in
terested knew anything about it, they
and one other member of the party.
When the Buffalo party was made up
by the leader, James L. McCulloch, the
names Of Mr.. and Mrs. V. D. Baird
were given him by Mr.. Baird, and were
added to the list. Mr.. Baird explained
that, although he and his wife would
go through to Alaska, they would not
purchase their steamer tickets until
Seattle was reached.
Mr.. and Mrs. Baird Joined the party
at starting, but did not fraternize with
the others, and had nothing to add to
the general conversation or intercourse
during the trip to st. Paul.
Mr.. Baird was liberal with his money,
and cheerfully paid his share Of what
| ever was expended during the journey,
but both he and his companion grace
fully, yet firmly, resisted all efforts to
IND out anything about them.
/ AT Chicago. when the newspaper men
| asked for a list of names, theirs were
given as Mr.. and Mrs. Baird. The same
! yesterday in st. Paul.
| But 1t seems a cOlOred porter in Buff
falo was a friend Of the colored porter
who was attached to the car, and knew
| Thomas A. Van Buren, very well by
reputation. Mr. Van Buren, is the Sc
| Nor member Of an insurance firm in
Buffalo. and is supposed to have been
married just before the party started
to Miss Amy Remsen, an exceedingly
pretty girl then living with her parents
! at Cazenovia in the same state.
The porter on the car, long after New
| York state had been left behind, con-
| fided this information to Mrs. Marie
Mix. the chaperon of the party, and the
| latter woman being experienced and
| discreet and thoughtful, had told no
other members Of the party. Mrs.
Mix will allow the young couple to fin
ish the trip before letting the other
members of the party into it.
Mr.. Baird or Mr.. Van Buren, did tell
one of the party that he was a barber
in Buffalo, but, if any of them knew
him or of him, they said nothing about
it. The couple will probably journey as
| far as Seattle incognito.
| When the Wisconsin Central train
from Chicago pulled into the union de-
| pot train shed yesterday afternoon
shortly after 4 o'clock, two people left
| the train and We're shown, without de-
| lay, to the first-class sleeper on the
| Northern Pacific train, where the state
| room and two sections had been re-
served for them.
They were the Duke and Duchess of
| Duval, hailing from Paris, and a few
weeks ago left there and came to this
country to investigate this KIondike
| boom, about which they had heard
even across the waters.
The duke, who is a big, distinguished
! looking man, has purchased, through
representatives on the ground, several
claims near Dawson City, on the Pelly
river, and says he means to get there
| to see them for himself
His wife a beautiful and somewhat
younger woman, smiled and said she
| believed they would really go only as
| far as Juneau and allow the agent to
come to them and report. The duke,
| she said, had, upon the advice Of his
American agent in Boston, purchased
| some claims at the beginning of the
Klondike fever, and was anxious to
| know something about them.
The titled couple were accompanied
| by maid and valet, and We're shown
| every courtesy by the railroad people.
They spent just twenty minutes in
st. Paul, and are not sure when they
will return.