The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-16
HOW MRS. .WETW0RE
SNUBBED THE PRINCE.
Now Her Son Is a Member of the
Coronation Embassy From
America.
WALES SOUGHT TO MEET HER.
She Declined His Invitation to
Luncheon Because Her IuS-
band Was Not In
Guided.
WALES SOUGHT TO MEET HER.
EEPI Bill, SPECIAL.

REPJ BL.lc SPECIAL.
New York. Jan. l5.-Friends of Mr. Will
lam 5. X. Wetmore express much indgna-
ton at the publication of a story 10 the
effect that his appointment as secretary 10
the special embassy of the United States
at the coronation of King Edward next
June will be withdrawn as the result OF
an incident in which his mother was one
of the central figures fourteen years ago.
There are good reasons for the belief
that Mr.. Wetmore', position is assured. 1t
is understood that the names of all those
connected with the special embassy were
submitted TO the proper functionary in Lon
don before the appointments Were an
nounced from Washington.
In reviving an OLD story an attempt
seems to have been made TO apply an in
ference that is entirely erroneous. Some
one. perhaps personal enemy Of Mr.. Wet
more. has placed his mother in the posi-
ton of having administered a snub to the
Prince of Wales who is now King of Eng
land. Continuing. the story runs that the
Prince gave positive instructions that no
one named Wetmore should ever be pre-
Sented at court.
Friends Story of the Incident.
to-day gave this account of the incident to
The Republic correspondent:
Mrs. Wetmore and her husband. who
then had just completed his term as Gov
ernor OF Rhode Island. were in HomburS
in 1855. when the Prince Of Wales was also
in that city. Mrs. Wetmore was noted for
her beauty. ard for years she had been 4
leader of society in this country. The
Of al eSnreSSed a ipSra To
the handsome young American matron and
word of this reached her in an indirect
manner.
Mrs. Wetmore paid little attention to
the matter until she received a note from
another well-known American woman. said
to have been Mrs. James Potter. who had
not then gone upon the stage. In this note
Mrs. Wetmore received an invitation TO
meet the Prince of Wales at breakfast.
which Mrs. Wetmore did not accept.
Mrs. Wetmore's Explanation.
when the two women next met Mrs.
Wetmore explained that she felt it would
not be right for her to meet even the
Prince of Wales outside of her own :iouse
when the invitation did not include her hus-
band. She looked upon the incident as
nothing more than the result of the we'll
known gallantry of the Prince. who de-
sired to extend an honor to handsome
young American woman abroad.
1T would have been entirely forgotten
had it not been for the fact that Mrs Pot
ter. it was said. told at a gathering of So
ciety how an American woman had dared
to snub the future King of England. Then
the story began to grow, and some one was
found to tmbellish II by announcing that
Instructions had been given that ven
geance should be visited upon the entire
Wetmore family
Mr. William 6. X. Wetm2re was in this
city to-day. but he refused to dignity the
story that he might not be permitted 20
accompany the embassy TO London by dis
cussing il.
SENATOR WETMORE REAsSURED.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington. Jan. Ex-senator Wetmore
called on Secretary Hay a the State De-
partment this morning. presumably with
reference to the report that King Edward.
as Prince of Wales, had directed that no
at court. II was evident from Senator Wet
more's manner after the interview that
Secretary Hay had assured him that there
was nothing in the story.
He subsequently called at the White
House and saw the President. 1t was an
nounced this evening that the President tas
no intention Of canceling the appointment
of Mr.. Wetmors.
Both the President and Secretary Hay. it
is said assured the Senator that in their
opinion. there was no ground for appre-
hersion that his son would not be received
They are c-nfident that the incident has
entirely passed from King Edwards mind
though they hasten to add gallan.iy that
they doubt If he has forgotten Mrs. Wet