The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-13
MISS GOELET'S SUIToRS.
Roxburghe's Promised Bride Was
Much Sought After.

that of q twentieth century fairy prln-
cess, who in her present incarnation
is the daughter of the very rich Amer
lean. says the New York Sun. She has
all the pleasures that any princess of
the bIuest blood and the richest prop
critics can enjoy, and she has had also
freedom, which the other princess may
not have, however closely the lives of
American girls may be modelled now
after those of the titled women of Eu-
rope.
Miss Goelet, born to wealth and po-
sition, Was brought up here among her
nurses ana governesses. Her younger
brother and she are the only children
of the late Ogden Goelet When she
was only five years old she went abroad
with q retinue of Wallets, maids and
companions such as Americans who
travel much abroad had already begun
TO carry about with them.
That was twenty years ago. Before
that time-in 1SS0-her father. who had
always been devoted to yachting, join
ed the New York Yacht Club and built
the Norseman. So the youthful Miss
Goelet began to taste the luxury of
yachting at a tender age. Her life
then comprised the frequent journeys
10 Europe, where her father delighted
70 stay, sojourns at Newport in his
palace there and periods of home life
in the city home at COB Fifth avenue.
During these years she was preparing
herself for such u high social destiny
as the world said was inevitable.
one Of the first of her suitors, like the
last, was 81 Duke This was the young
Duke of Manchester who has since
married Miss Zimmerman of Ohio and
seems likely, after all, to be wealthy
in his own right as the Dowager EN-
press of Manchester recently inherited
$l,000,000 from her brother. Then there
were Prince Henri of Orleans, who was
nearly allied to royalty even though
it be unthloned royalty; Prince Henry
of Teck, brother of the present Prin-
cess of Wales, the Earl of Shaftes-
bury, who would have been a suitable
match in point Of years, as he is now
only "a; Capt. Oswald Ames, said to be
the handsomest as we'll as the talest
man in the British army; Prince Ho-
henIohe of the German chancellor's
family, poor, though of the most aristo-
cratic German descent; and Craig
Wadsworth of Geneseo, the cotillon
leader. All these men were in the army
Miss Goelet met here and in Europe
and whom rumor pronounced most de-
voted to her.
After a period of mourning Miss Goe-
let returned to society and several years
passed with only stories of suitors, de-
voted admirers and contemplated en-
gagements. But there were no engage
ments. Miss GOelet remained, to all
appearances, as free from any prefer
ence as she ever had been. She was
at Newport and Homburg, New York
and London, travelling with her friends,
the Mills twins or visiting at Cleve-
land with Pauline Astor-and there was
no definite announcement of FORTH
coming wedding. These were always
tales of the suiUOrs and there were not
always pleasant. The story of Prince
Hugo Won Hohenloche was one OF these
Cant. Ladislas de Porkony once mil
itary attache of the Austrian embassy
in London, and Luclus o Brlen, an
Irish collector in London, were IN 1888
engaged in the business of arranging
international marriages between PEN
niless aristocrats and wealthy Amerl-
can women. Prince Won Hohenlohe,
according to the stories told by
O'Rrien. who drifted to this country,
when the Prince was also here, prom
ised these enterprising partners Sl0,-
900 as a commission if they could Sc
cure from Miss Goelet consideration
of his offer of marriage. According TO
O'Brien, Won Hohenlohes offer was
laid before Mrs. Goelet through two
women in London society. This let
Ter. which the agent made public la
ter, reveal the extent to which the
negotiations progressed:
Belgrade Square (Ss W), Jan, II,
1S90.-Dear Sir-I saw Mrs. Goelet yes
terday and she begged me to say how
flattered she felt at the proposal with
regard to Prince Hohenlohe, but that
her daughter was still very young,
and, as she had never seen him, she
must decline the proposal. Should they
meet hereafter. it would be different
matter, but without any personal
knowledge on either side the thing
would be impossible.
Miss Goelet is a charming girl in eV-
cry way, but is very English in her
feelings and views, and dislikes the
marriage de CONVEYANCE" system
abroad extremely. l do not think
she will ever marry unless she falls
in love with man. Yours very faith
fully.
A few days after indlcting this the
writer of the letter learned that Won
Hohenlohe was 80 years old and i'm
parted that information to Mrs. Goeler,
who at once informed her that the
Prince need not make any further eff
fort to press his suit. as he was be-
yond the age limit.
Undismayed by this apparently ire
trievable disadvantage, the Prince, who
had gone to London from Berlin after
the negotiations began, persisted in his
efforts to get an interview with Mrs.
Goelet. But when he returned to Ber-
lin he forgot to pay the agents and suit
was brought against him in England.
Part of the money was then paid. When
further proceedings were threatened in
Berlin a thrifty maiden aunt of Won
Hohenlohe paid $500 to save the family
reputation.
Prince Won Hohenlohe denied categor-
ically the story of the agents, saying
that for him dealings with matrimonial
go-betweens were quite unnecessary.
He came here in the spring of 1901 and
took a place as clerk with Ladenburg,
Thalmann & Co., to learn the banking
business. During that summer he went
to Newport as the guest of Mrs. Cor
nelius Vanderbilt. aunt of Miss Goelet,
and was entertained by Mrs. Goelet.
Meantime, while the fairy princess
had been enjoying the pleasures of the
world, the great increase in the value
of New York real estate was making
her richer every day. Now her fortune
is said to be. at a conservative esti-
mate s20.000000. Much of the increase
to this large sum came during her own
lifetime.
Reservations on Old Dominion s. s.
Co.