The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-11-18

A1S
fore giving il ~publicas
ITCHY has been fully verih
from Rome:
Editor OF The Associated Pres
You have my full permission
print the enclosed, and give it as widv
a publication AS possible.
Yours truly,
(Signed.)
"MARQUISE DIES MONSTERS.
Dear Editor: 1t may interest some
OF your readers to know that h MAJ
guise des Monsters M%erinville. former
ly Miss NJ. c.. Caldwell, Who'll il will BE-
remembered founded the Roman Catho-
lie University at Washington has en-
tirely repudiated her former creed. In
an interview with me the other day,
she said:
Yes, il is true that 7 have left the
Roman Catholic church. Since / have
been living in Europe my eyes have
been opened to what that church really
is. and to its anything but sanctlty.
But the trouble goes much further
back han this. Being naturally relig-
| ious my imagination was early caught
by the idea of doing something TO lift
the church from the lowly position
which It occupied in America, so I
L ltlOuShl OI a uIllScESAlHs VI ing ucs
| school, where its clergy could be edu-
Gated, and, if possible refined. OF course
in this I was greatly influenced by
Bishop Spalding OF Peoria. who repre-
| scented il to me as one of the greatest
| works Of the day. When l was u |
| turned over to them one third of my
fortune for hat purpose.
But for years I have been trying TO
| rid myself of the subtle vet overwhelm-
1 ;n~ inRnannn Of a church which nrp-
tends, not only to the privilege of being
the only true church. but Of being
| alone able to open the gates OF heaven
to a ~sorrowful. sinful world. AT last
my honest protestant blood has assert
ed itself, and l now repudiate and cast
| off the Yoke of Rome So saying the
| Marquise politely dismissed me.
."It viii be remembered that the MAJ
quise des Monsters Merinville n her
sister. the Baroness Won Zedwitz, are
| the daughters of the late William s.
Caldwell, and his wife, who was 4
Breckenridge of Kentucky. Shortly be-
fore his death Mr.. Caldwell became Il
convert to Roman Catholicism, n lef-
his children to the care Of Irish Roman
Catholics in New York, whom his wife
had met in church circles. The younge"
sister married some fifteen years age
a German nobleman, a Lutheran, and
has since then also left the Roman
catholic communion. The elder has
been In very bad health for some years.
from having to occupy a position be-
fore the world as q prominent Roman
Catholic which was not a real one, and
into which her extreme generosity led
her. as a young and inexperienced
girl. Now at last her own mind has
asserted itself and she returns to tine
creed of her ancestors"
Mary Gwendolyen Caldwell is the
daughter of William Shakespeare Cald-
well. who after being a theatrical man
ager in England settled in Richmond,
Va, and eventually made a large for
tune in building gas-houses in Chicago.
ST. Louis, Mobile and other cites. lie
married Miss Breckenridge, a famous
Kentucky beauty. Miss Caldwell and
her sister Lima spent the summers a.
Newport, where they had a magnificent
house. and usually passed part of the
winter. when they were not abroad, in
New York. On the death OF her father
Miss Caldwell inherited 81, 000,0 G0 and
October 18th, 1896. she was married 10
the Marquise des Monsters Merinvi(le.
a French nnbleman, by Bishop Spald-
| ing. of Peoria, the guardian II admin
istratCr of the estate OF Miss Caldwell.
At the time of her marriage Miss
Caldwell was a very handsome woman,
about 35 years of age and a devoted
Roman Catholic. She had previously
shown her devotion to h church by
giving $500, 900 to fund the Divinity
college of the Roman Catholic Univer-
sity in Washington. Some seven years
previous to her marriage Miss aid
we'll was engaged 10 Prince Mural
grand son of the king Of Naples. TIL
engagement was broken because tn
prince insisted that half of Miss Caid-
wells fortune should be settled upon
him.
The Divinity college OF the Roman
Catholic University in Washington Is
known as the Mary Gwendolyn Cald-