Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
Miss Gerhard Will Add Dis
tinction to French Nobility.
A THIRTY-MILLION DOT
THE WEALTHY BRIDE-ELECT OF
THE DUKE DE CHAULNES.
Family Lineage on Both Sides Repre-
sents Action and In
terest.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
PARIS, April 8, 1902.
The public announcement Of the engage
ment Of Miss Gerhard to young Emmanuel
Theodore Bernard Marie dAlbert de
Luynes daily, ninth Duo de Chaulnes ct
de Picquigny, Marquis de la Menleraye ct de
Dagneau, Comte daily and Vidame of
Amiens, causes no establishment in the
American colony of Paris, where the young
lady is known as a beauty and an heiress.
For some time past the young mans at
tentions have been most pronounced. He
has been seen driving Miss Gerhard and
her mother through the Bots; he has per-
formed feats Of horsemanship under their
eyes at the polo grounds and elsewhere;
he has escorted them to picture shows. an
tiquity shops and afternoon teas in the Rue
Cambon, and he has been noticed always
near them at the opera and theater. When,
therefore, they began dining together in the
full light Of the ultra fashionable Hotel
Ritz restaurant everybody knew that it
must mean an engagement.
The Paris papers give the young Amer
lean girl the noble particle describing
her as the only daughter of M. ct Nine. de
Gerhard" belonging to "a family of Hol-
land which settled in America centuries
ago, and where 1t has acquired a consid-
cradle social position and fortune" The
Gebhards are known to have a heavy in
come from New York property, and mother
and daughter have certainly lived on a
fashionable footing In Paris for a number
or years They occupy a handsome apart
ment in the Avenue d'Antin. close to the
Rond Point of the Champs ElyseeS in an
apartment house whose ground floor is oc-
cupied by Gastinne-Rennette's fashionable
shooting gallery, the practice resort of
every Partisan who has duel on his hands,
and the daily pilgrimage of aristocratic
youth. Thus looking from her easement
Miss Gerhard has seen the deile of titled
young men going and coming on what Is to
them a serious matter. The young duke
himself Is known to be a dead shot with the
present hour-although 1t is rather as a
daring all-around horseman that he has
won his principal reputation.
A Wealthy Family.
The father, Mr. William Gerhard, an
uncle of the well-dressed Frederick, alter
mates between New York and Paris. When
Mrs. Gebhard and her daughter go to Ven
ice or Rome-between which old world cities
they pass several months each year-he
often accompanies them, but 1t Is no secret
that he prefers the comforts of the Union
League Club in New York to all that Paris
offers. Partisan rumor has it that he has
been very large" nevertheless, in the
matter of the young lady's marriage por-
ton. at is said that Mile. Gerhard has a
dot Of thirty Notwithstanding &c, 0000 600
francs, or s6,O0O,OOO. Thus speaks the
Figaro. The fortune, whatever it may be-
Is generally acknowledged to be a great
prize for the young duke.
He is a well-built, good-looking young
fellow, born in April 1878, and consequently
Just twenty-four years old. Most of his
daytime hours are spent in the open air.
He has ridden In gentlemen's steeplechases
at Auteuil. He is a principal figure at 1.-The
pp1o no ,,ltr &c oh OF
Bots de Boulogne where one of the ac-
companying photographs shows him
mounted and ready to start off in letter
race" He is also member of the Societe
Hippique, which organizes the annual Paris
horse show
Still, he has little Of the stiff exclusive
ness which many young Parisians Of lesser
birth and connections feel it correct to
show. OF rainy afternoons he has not dis
dained the ''snooker pool" of the Elysee
Palace Hotels billiard room, an exercise at
which one can either pass an agreeable
hour or win or lose either large or small
sums Of money, as he chooses. For the
evenings he is a member of the excellent
club Of the Rue Royale, where there is bac-
carat, as there must be at every Paris club.
Until his enga cement he could often be OBJ
served among the gay set "of the grand
dukes supping at Maxims and it was
here that the Ignorant were wont to point
him out as the young duke with 100000
francs Of debts. 1t may be stated briefly
that he does not owe so much, and that the
reports which name the figure have their
basis in envious eXaggeration, calumny-or
boasting. 1t is quite possible that fair
portion Of Miss Gebhards dot will go to
pay old scores; but in return the marriage
will make her mistress of two chateaux,
and. much more important, launch her sue
cessfully into the smartest set of French
noblesse.
Will Be the Ninth.
Miss Gerhard is therefore, to be French
duchess, as the announcements have it, the
ninth Duchesse de Chaulnes ct de Pic
quigny; and she will enjoy her betrotheds
many other inherited noble titles. They
have. nevertheless. come to their present
holder in a curious roundabout way. His