Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-07-26
THE BARONESS Won KETTELER
Born in Baltimore and Well Remem-
bered There.

Baltlmoreans have a right to even a
stronger interest than Americans gem
orally feel in the fate of the Baroness
Won ketteler, the wife of the German
minister who was murdered by the
| boxers at Pekin on June IS. Madame
Won ketteler, who was formerly Miss
Maud Ledyard, was a native of Balti-
more. Her father, Henry B. Ledyard,
is now president of the Michigan Cen
tai railroad, but between the years IS
and 20 he was a lieutenant in the
| United States army and during part of
that time was stationed at Fort Nc
henry. On October Is, 1867, he mar
ried Miss Mary r. 'Hommedieu. Their
daughter Maud was born during their
residence at Fort McHenry.
Nothing definite is known of the fate
of the Baroness Won Ketteler. The
ambassador was attacked by Chinese
! troops and boxers while riding on
Legation street. was dragged from his
horse and killed. His body was terribly
mutilated. The German legation and
| other buildings were burned and a
| number of the servants of the legation
were killed. A week before the muir
der of the baron the members Of the
Ledyard family received word by cable,
at their home in Detroit, that the
| baroness was with her husband in
| Pekin and both were safe. Whether
she has found her way to some place
or whether she has been butchered also
| is unknown.
| The baron was we'll known in
America He was first secretary of the
German embassy from 1892 to 1896, and
it was while he was living in Washing
ton that he made the acquaintance OF
Miss Ledyard, who was visiting 10 the
home of Senator Mcmillan. The mar
Tiage took place in Detroit in 1897,
Baron van Ketteler at that time was
minister to Mexico
Captain Leary, the commanding Of
ficer at Fort McHenry, says that he
was living at Fort McHenry when Mr..
| Ledyard was stationed there. Captain
Leary at that time was second lieu
| tenant in Col. Beach's battery of the
fourth artillery, and Mr.. Ledyard was
| first lieutenant in Major Rodney's bat
| terry.
DO you see that open space over
| there near the water front?" the cap
tain said, pointing to a place opposite
the commanding officers house. Lieu
tenant Ledyard's house stood there.
It was torn down several years ago
and the open space left, when some
improvements were made in the fort.
mo, don't recall any particular
incident connected with the life there"
he answered in response to a question.
lieutenant and Mrs. Ledyard led the
usual life Of the regular army officer.
Mr.. Ledyard is a man of very fine
character" the captain continued. He
was very highly thought of while he
was in the army and be is as higly
thought Of in his business connections.
He has had an interesting career He
was born in France in 1844-his father
was secretary of the United States le-
cation there at that time He was ap-
pointed cadet-at-large to West Point in
1861 by President Lincoln and was
graduated from there in 1865. He was
promoted to the first I.eutenancy on
the day of his graduation, was trans
ferred to the thirty-seventh infantry
September 81, 1866, and transferred
from that to the fourth artillery Feb
ruary %, 1867.
My acquaintance with him began
in 1867 when we were both stationed
at Fort Harker in Kansas In the fall
Of 81 he was sent to West Point and
made assistant professor of French.
He was relieved from duty at West
Point in 1869 and ordered to Fort Nc
Henry, where he Joined Battery D OF
the fourth artillery, then commanded
by Major (now Lieutenant ColoneD
Rodney.
I'm the meantime he had married
Miss L'Hommedieu, the daughter of a
railroad president. Miss Maud Led
yard was born while Lieutenant and
Mrs. Ledyard were living here. In
1870 Mr.. Ledyard retired from the
army, and since then he has had one
position Of authority after another,
until now he is president Of the Mich
igan Central"
Lieutenant Ledyard, who was killed
in Manila about six months ago, was
a son of H. 3. Ledyard. Lewis Cass
Ledyard of New York, the commodore
of the New York Yacht club, is also a
son Of H. B. Ledyard.