Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-06
A FLY YOUNG DUKE
FINALLY CAPTURES AN AMERl-
CAN HElRESS.
WHO ISN'T HALF BAD
And Now Comes Over to See His AZ
fluent Papa-in-Law. Who Quite
Sensibly Is Willing to Forgive All
Varied Escapades of His Ducai
Nibs.

Events move swiftly in the career
Of William Angus Drogo Montagu,
ninth duke of Manchester, who few
days ago in London quietly married
Miss Zimmerman, daughter of a Gin
cinnati millionaire and who with his
bride has just reached New York.
A cablegram from London August |
20, of this year, announced that his |
grace had on that day been adjudlcat-
ed a bankrupt. Now he's married, as
one of his friends announced to the
clergyman Who tied the knot, to AN
American heiress, with ten thousand
year and unlimited prospects, Thus
do events compensate for each other.
Another dispatch at the time of the
bankruptcy incident announced that
the young sprig of nobility told the
court he had forgotten many Of his
debts. His creditors will doubtless
recollect them now, and the American
duchess affection for her husband
will be put to a severe strain-like-
wise her pocketbook.
In his statement to the court the
duke said his family estates, of which
he is a life tenant, were so heavily
incumbered that the receipts sufdced
only to pay the interest. Since at
tanning his majority his relatives had
allowed him $40 (about $500 month
ly, but his expenditure had been from
twenty to thirty times that much. In
addition to his known liabilities of
G15,O0O (about $75,000) there were
many acceptances outstanding, the
amount and whereabouts Of which he
had no knowledge. The duke said
his debts were largely due to renew
ing Endorsements in behalf of friends
without ascertaining that the first in
dorsements We're destroyed
The duke is only % years old, but
he has managed to fill his young life
with excitement and sensations. Ethel
Mackenzie, well-known London cor
respondent, said in recent letter:
1.-THE young duke of Manchester is
more successful in keeping his name
before the public than any other Eng
lish peer. There is nearly always some
Jew months ago it was his acceptance
of a lucrative induCement from Mr..
Frohman to join the dramatic profess
sion; then came the widespread
whisper that he had privately married
one of the charming members of the
Gaiety company, while incidentally
Iparagraphmakers have had much to
al l.,
motor car, his success in amateur
theatricals, his takings at this or that
charity bazaar and other kindred do
ings. His family make no secret of
their desire to see him married. but,
Of course, his marriage is impossible
except under certain condftions-co
ditions not easy to fulfill. With an
infnitesimal income like the dukes
it is, of course, necessary that his
bride should possess a fortune, and
fortunes of sufficient size to main
tain a dukedom are not common. 1t
is not surprising that the duchess
hopes to find an American daughter
in-law."
His grace's alleged engagements
have been a favorite theme with
Dame Rumor. Lately it had been re-
ported that he was to marry Miss
Pauline Aston, William Waldorf AS
tors daughter; Miss May Goelet,
daughter of the late Ogden Goelct:
Miss Joan Wilson, daughter of a
brother of the Wilson's, Of Tranby
Croft-of baccarat fame. And always
these rumors have beer promptly
denied by the young women.
But it was not always riches that
marry. He paid court to Miss Ethel
barrymore and to Miss Gertrude Eli
OFT, sister of Nat Goodwin's wife.
Early in 1899 Cleo de Merode, a
Partisan stage beauty, it was ru-
mored, was about to become duchess
of Manchester.
The duke is half an American, his
mother having been Consuelo, daugh-
ter of Antonio Yznaga de Vale of
RavenswOod, La Miss Yznaga was
married to the late duke, then Wis
count Vaudeville, in Grace church,
New York, in 1876. She soon became
popular in English society. Miss
Yznaga's brother-Fernando-
Miss Smith, of Mobile.
The eighth duke did not succeed to
the title until 1890 He spent what
remained of the family fortune and in |
two years died. The present duke, !
who succeeded to the title in 1892, |
was left legacy of debts.
The young man has been through
Elton and Cambridge. He took parties
OF felloW-students to his home at
klmbolton Castle, where he enter
tanned lavishly, selling the pictures
and furniture, it is said, to defray the
expenses. Some time ago a suit was
brought by the guardians of the duke
against a former housekeeper at
hlmbolton. She had been charged.
IN effect, with stealing such things as
rugs and pictures from the castle But
it was shown by her counsel that the
duke was so hard up" that the wo-
man had received no salary and the
articles had been sold to paw
-or provisions and drinks to serve he
-ore the duke and his guests, party
Of college chums.
At the death of his father the duke
ell heir to three country seats
Almbolton castle in Huntingdonshire.
orampton castle in the same county {
IND Tanderagen castle in County Ar z
nagh, Ireland. With these three T
palaces of poverty on his hands he q
urned his eyes toward the stage as a /
means of livelihood Tho 1,o,,,, d,,Ivo T