The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-05

under the surgeons knife, death by acct
dent-death always premature and trag-
ic-has logged the Havemeyer family
in its several branches from generation
to generation. and combined with di-
vorces and will contests, to give the name
a sad eminence all It's own.
More than commonly startling was the
death by pistol shot week ago Of Mrs
Natalie Mayer, daughter Of the late
Theodore A. Havemeyer. because 1t SO
closely resembled the tragic taking off
of her favorite brother Charles f. Have
meyer, two years ago.
Mrs. Mayer was a woman of strong
emotions and active imagination. To a
psychologist will occur the question: Was
she oppressed in spirit by broodfng over
her brothers fate, and the long list Of
disasters that darken the history Of her
family, until an overwhelming sense Of
fatality prompted her to court speedy
death? og.s ee4 4?
This Is a scientific point Of view; but
superstition dies hard, and even in soei-
ETY. there are not wanting men and wo-
men who believe in Havemeyer
curse" and point to Mrs Mayors
death as it's most recent manifestation.
The years that pile up tragedies for the
Havemeyers also pile up millions. The
family was never so rich as 1t is now.
Only the other day the sugar trust ad-
vanced the price of refined sugar 10
cents per 100 pounds, which made the
highest point it has reached for several
years Wall street statisticians ealculat-
ed that the advance brought the trusts
profits up to $4,000 a day-and the trust
consists largely of the Havermeyer fam
lily.
MILLIONS IN PROFIT.
That means $25, 900 a year clear profit.
And yet-are they unlucky millions that
pour into the Golfers of the HaYemeyers?
In vain do the superstitious study the
history of the family in search of any
excuse any provoea ton for the so-calicd
curse. It resembles many another
American family history. There Is the
dry romance Of millions, thrilling enough
from one point Of view, but offering no
suggestion to the believer in ocu1t inf1u-
ences.
Frederick c. Havemeyer came to New
! York from Germany in 1902 with his
brother. William F. Havemeyer. They
opened a sugar refinery in Vandam street.
From that little enterprise to the sugar
+ trust, with its $25. $4,000 a year is a long
and intricate story of finance not worth
/
ever that personal disasters in the family
began in the third generation from the
| founders of the business.
Frederick C. Havemeyer H., son of the
| original head of the firm, was the father
of three sons. Two of them are dead.
The third. Henry o. Hayemeyer, is the
present head of the family and of the
| sugar trust.
The first of the victims was GeoI ge
Ha+ emeyer. The refinery business had
been extended and the big plant at Will
iamsburg was in its infancy. Young
George HaVemeyer went there to learn
the business.
Before his fathers eyes one day he fell
into a deep shaft and was kiIled-and
that was the first of the Havemeyer trag-
edies.
The second of the sons Of Frederick c.
Havemeyer II. to die was Theodore A.
That was many years later. Those who
knew him best said that he died from
| dieappointment-beca the one ardent
wish of his life remained ungrattfed.
He was fifty-eight years old, but in the
full viger of manhood. 1t made him fret
full that he was not appointed United
States minister to Austria. For twenty
five years he had been Austrian consul I'm
New York. His wife was the daughter
of a distinguished Austrian, Chevalier de
Loosely. He and she were both wrapped
up in the ambition to go to Vienna with
all the prestige that such an appointment
would give them.
But one president succeeded another,
and although Theorode A Haveme~er's
name headed all the campaign contribu-
lions, he was not appointed minister to
Austria. 1t was disappointed and en-
Uttered man who died in 1897.
ACCIDENTS
This narrative is not following the mis-.
fortunes of the family chronoIogically
but tracing first the tragic deaths in a
direct line. The divorces and other