The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-13
Won wALDERsEE's WIFE.
American Womnn's influence Credit
ed with Husbands Advancement.

American MOmnn's inuuence trchit-
ed with Husbands Advancement.
1t will be said in Europe. II it falls to
the lot of Field Marshal Count Won Wal
dersee to lead the allied forces to victory
against the myriads barring the way to
Pekin, that the count owes his oppor-
tunity to his American wife, Mary Es-
Their Lea that was. the daughter of a
New York grocer. Though himself man
OF brilliant attachments and undisputed
abilities. IL has been the fate of the
count to have the honors which the pres
emit emperor has showered upon him at
tributed more to his wife's influence than
to his own force of character.
The Countess Won Waldersee bears a
higher title than that which her mar
riage to this, her second husband. has
conferred upon her. She is the Princess
Won Noer, the only American woman who
is a princess in. her own right. The title
was conferred upon her by the emperor
of Austria, after the death of her first
husband who mad relinquished the title
of Prince OF Schleswig- Holstein TO con-
| tract morganatlc marriage with her,
and became the Count Won Noer, taking
the title from one OF his extensive es-
tates in Austria. He had already been put
out of business as prince by the Prus.
SLAMS and the claim he renounced was
a shadowy one
This marriage was contracted in 1854
when the prince was "a years old and
his beautiful American bride "a. Mary
Lea S father had come to New York from
Connecticut in 1910, established a bust
mes as wholesale grocer in this CITY,
died and left his widow a fortuue SO
small that she was obliged to find cheap
living for herself and daughters in SUIT
CART. After Mary Leas marriage she
and her aged husband went to tne Holy
Land. where he died within a year. leay-
ing her his immense fortune. She =
I turned TO Vienna, where she met aai
was welded to the Count Won Waldersee,
the scion OF an ancient Prussan family,
ana favorite OF the old Emperor VII
liam and Bismarck.
The countess influence in the present
German court where she is often spoken
OF as the power behind the throne -
came about through the marriage of the
Kaiser, then Prince Wilhelm of Prus-
STA, which she is credited with having
brought about in face of the angry OPP
position of the princes mother. The
bride was the countess grandniece by her
hrst marriage, the Princess Augusta Vic
Z tull COluly treated by her royal moth
er-in-law, the princess found a refuge
In the arms of the American aunt for
whom the present emperor also conceiye1
a deep regard.
/ Meantime the affairs Of the Count Won
( Waldersee had prospered so greatly that
nothing but the influence of the American
aunt seemed to account for 1t ALL B1rr
In 1892 ho had entered the army in 1860.
and though he served with distinction
through the war with Austria in 1856 and
that with France IN lS70-71 it was no.
until his wife's influence began to b
lett that he succeeded the aged Field
Marshal Count Won Moltke as chief of the
general STAFF.
/ u was even said that the downfall or
Bismarck was brought about largely
through the influence OF the Countess Won
Waldersee, who wished her husband to
succeed him, but who. It was said chang
ed her mind al the last moment and adj
Vi5ed him not to accept the appointment.
showing that he would encounter great
dlihculties and that II he did not accent
she could continue to exercise her greal
influence all the more freely oyar tha
emperor. At any rate. the name of Count
! Won Waldersee was Ciyen out at the time
as that of Prince Bismarck's SUCCESSOR
and the news was cabled TO all parts of
the world
/ The Countess Won Waldersee Is still a
beautiful woman, with snowy hair and
queenly Bearing She has never returned
TO America since she left 1t more than
/ forty years ago,