The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-14
THE GUESTS
THIRD WEDDING IN FAMILY.
Absence of Some Prominent Members
Is Noted.

New York, Jan. 1.-THE wedding Of
Miss Elsie French, the second daughter
Of the late Francis Ormond French, &c
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. the second
son Of the late Cornelius Vanderbilt.
which took place in the Zabriskfe Me
mortal Church of ST. John the Evange-
list in Washington street, Newport to-
day. is the third in the family of the
bridegroom The eldest daughter, Ger e
trude Vanderbilt, was married nearly
five years ago TO Harry Payne Whitney,
the eldest son OF William C. Whitney,
and Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., married,
few years ago, Miss Grace Wilson
against the wishes of his parents
With all its brightness and splend7r
the wedding lacked the presence of two
persons prominent in the Vanderbilt
family These are Cornelius Vanderbilt
who was supplanted as head of tee
house by the young bridegroom-to-b be,
anu his wife.
Then marriage. celebrated against the
will of the elder Cornelius Vanderbilt
brought about a great disturbance in
society, aIraying it in two factions, and
was Of great moment even in the world
OF finance and commerce.
II arIayed father against son, and re-
suited in the bulk of the family wealth
falling to younger son. Mr.. and Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt were not at the
wedding. Like themselves also, Their
presents to the bride are conspicuous
by their absence.
The action of Alfred Vanderbilt in m
crcasing by millions the small share left
to his brother Cornelius by their fathers
VIII has been variously construed. By
the lovers OF social strife it was haFped
upon as a mere move of wisdom to pre-
vent expensive litigation and the laun-
dering in public Of even the cleanest Of
fine family linen
That rara avis of society, the peace
maker. hailed it as a sign that reunion,
If not erected in the present, was at
least a possibility of the future, and
that it was a brotherly act which in due
time would be followed by other moves
resulting IN complete destOratiOn of old
relations.
There have been rumors pro and cen
oi Late as 20 the progress or retarding of |
at by the cynical and believed in by the |
Well-wishers Of Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius |
Vanderbilt. Powerful friends of theirs |
in the fashionable set in which they |
move have quietly worked toward tie |
reconciliation.
On The other hand, there have been
Whispers of an lncident-lfttle or big as /
one chooses to view it-in connection I
with oung Cornelius Nanderbilt's busi- |
ness surroundings that seemed a straw /
In q rather chilly wind 1t is said tha.
the desk Oh the elder Vanderbilt in his /
late business Office Is occupied by Al |
Ired, and that the latter is surrounded /
by every appearance Of being his faith /
ers tuu successor while Cornelius has |
been placed in a room with several 9TH (
er men-as one who is to remain per
manently in subsidiary capacity-of 1
the name of Vanderbilt but with no !
ADDED honors to that sparse acknowl- I
edsnent conveyed by his fathers viii. 4
NO present for Miss French has been !
received from Mr. and Mrs Cornelius 4
amer oli| though practically all other /
families here and abroad have sent her
magnificent gifts.