The Washington times., 1901-09-22
LIVE UNDER FALSE NAMES.
Prominent Men and Women Drop
Baptismai Patronymics.
Family Cognomens Ignored by Roy
ahy-TheRtricnl People Uusunlly
Don AIiases-Disguiscs so Com
pIete as to Obscur. Their Descent.

pIete an to Obscure Their Descent.
| More famous people are known only by
names that were not originally theirs than
most of us realize. How many know that
John RowIands, for instance. is one OF the
greatest explorers of his generations Yet
that is the real name of Sir Henry NJ
Stanley. the indomitabie hero Of Darkest
Africa
How many are aware that jeremiah
Jones Goliath was one OF the Vice Presi-
dents of the United States2 The name is
not to be found on the roll of the Presid-
| ing Officers OF the Senate. But Il is new
| ertheless true that such was the real
! name of Henry Wilson. who was Vice
| President in Grants second Administra-
ton.
| How many know that Edmund Green
was one of the most eminent Of American
| thinkers and historians? Still. that is the
name that DIR. John Fiske bore in his boy
hood. before he thought of writing such
: books as THE Destiny OF Man" and THE
| Critical Period OF American History
How many know that Milhali Iieb was
one of the most celebrated artists of re-
cent times? Yet that was the real name
of Michael Munkascy, the painter of
Christ Before Plate" and other famous
pictures.
\ How many are aware that Vincenzo
Gioacchino Pecci is revered by millions of
| peoples of different nationalities in all
parts Of the world? Yet that is the real
name of TIE present Pope, Leo XIII. and
| the one he was known by until he became
| the Supreme PoEtif In 1878.
How many would Immediately recognize
in euiogy Of Hiram U. Grant as one of
the great generals and foremost rulers of
the last century a reference to Ulysses
Simpson Grant. commander of the Union
armies and eighteenth President OF the
United States? Yet 1t is fact that HI
ram remained the real given name of
General Grant. and that Simpson. the
name officially bestowed upon him by
mistake. was never legally his.
Even reference to Stephen G. CIeve-
land one of the most prominent party
leaders and successful candidates for Of
flee in this country would puzzle most
people for awhile, until they recalled that
ex-Pre sident Cleveland was named for
Rev. Stephen Grover. but dropped the
first name. Stephen. early in his public
career.
Many other famous people are popularity
referred to by titles and names that give
hardly hint as to what their full names
or real names are. Suppose. for example.
that some morning there should appear in
the newspapers such an item as this: Mr..
and Mrs. Albert Z. Victim, accompanied
by their nephew. Frederick W. V. A. Ho-
henzollern, rallied yesterday from Liver
pool for New York. How many people
would give more than passing glance at
this announcement? Yet it would be a
piece of news of the most astounding in
terest, calculated to throw the people OF
New York and thousands of others
throughout the country into paroxysm
of excitement and feverisk expectation. as
must be admitted when the name of King
Edward VII. Queen Alexandra, and the
Emperor William are respectively substi-
tuted for the true family names given in
the supposititious item.
Such examples might almost indefinitely
be exte nded. At one time in our history
nominaliy the chief enemy Of this country
was a boy twelve years old by the name
of Alfonso Leon Ferdinand Marie Jacques
Isodore Pascal Antoine Bourbon. How
many could tell offhand who was meant?
Yet the answer is perfectly plain when
one reflects that in our war with Spain
the nominal commander chief of the
SpaDiards was their boy King. Alfonso
XIII.
Then there is the youthful matron. Mrs.
Henry Schwerin, who wields more power
than any other woman of twenty-one row
living She is known to the world as VIII
helmina of Holland, and is the only queen
regent in the world today-that is the
only female sovereign ruling in her own
right with the same powers as a king.
Outside the ranks of royalty the number
of shining examples is still greater. Prob
ably few people, even among confirmed
theatregoers. would take any special in
terest in a poster that read thus: Thes-
plan Theatre. For One Week Only-Mr.
Henry Brodribb and Mrs. E. A. Wardell in
The Merchant of Veni,n' and Other
Shakespearean Productions. Next Week
of Sir Henry Irving. Miss Ellen Terry
and Mmc. Helen Modje ska be- respect
lively, substituted for these real names of
theirs. and what rush for tickets there
would be-
The same thing may be said of similar
announcements about Miss A. Crehan,
who is known to the public as Ada Re
han; Mrs. Antonio de Navarro. who was
Mary Anderson; Mrs. Frederick C. Har-
riott. whose better known name is Clara
Morris. and many more
From among the bright. particular stars
of the operate stage may be marshaled
an even more striking array. Should 1t he
announced. for example, that among the
singers whose services had been secured
the Baroness Cedarstrom. the Countess
Miranda. Mrs. Nellie Armstrong. Mrs.
Julian Story. and Mrs Charles NJ. Ray
mond II Is improbable that there would
be so much as a ripple of excitement,
even among lovers of the opera. Perhaps
some interest might be taken in the titled
ones. and that would probably be all. But
let these real names give place to the
more famous ones of Adelina Patti. Chris
tine Nilsson. Nine. Melba. Emma Eames.
and Annie Louise Cary and the largest
opera house In the world would not be
big enough to hold the throngs that would
seek admission.
Many authors would likewise go unrec-
ognized If mentioned by the names that
were originally given to them. Most
readers would hardly be likely to distin-
guish in Francis B. Harte. Thomas H. H.
Caine. Anthony II. Hawkins, Francis NJ.
Crawford, and Charles E. Markham such
popular writer's as Bret Harte. Hall Caine.
Anthony Hope. F. Marion Crawford. and
Edwin Markham.
In most instances the change has been
made by dropping one or more of the
original names. But in some cases the
sole difference is that the first name Is
given in full and second indicated by an
initial instead of the reverse. Few ap-
preciate how confusing this simple
change is. If, for instance, u new book
by Arthur C. Doyle were announced how
many would buy it because they knew
that 1t was by the author of Sherlock
Holmes stories. whom they had hitherto
known as \. Conan Doyle? Or If
thrilling new romance by Henry r.
Haggard were advertised how many. even
among those who might wonder If he
were related to the author of She and
ALLAN Quartermain. would comprehend.
for some time at least, that it was really
by Fl. Rider Haggard himself? OR If the
statement We're made that Hugh
Wynne" was written by Sias w Mitch
ell. how many would not at first be in
clined to dispute the assertion before re-
alizinS that. of course, it referred to s.
Weir Mitchell after all?
Still more curious is the fact that some
times thu omission of even single syila-
ble is sufficient TO disguise the name al
most beyond recognition. How many
readers. for instance. if they saw the
names of Lewis Wallace or Walter Whit
nj, on the. TIL. M 90 of hnnli Nnnln re-