The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-23
z NOTED C0NVERI

e NO4GO SVs OQsA
From the Roman Catholic Churc
to the Protos:an. Church.
The Associated Pres. has receive
the following Before giving it publ!
cation, its authenticity has been tull.
verified by cable from Rome:
Rome, Oct. 30, 1904.
editor Of the Associated Press:
You have my full permission tt
print the enclosed, and give it as wild
a publication as possible.
Yours truly,
(Signed) "MarquiSe Des Monsters.
Dear Elitor: II may interes
some OF your readers to know that th'
Marquise DeS Monsters, Merinville
formerly Miss NJ. g. Caldwell, who, 1,
will be remembered, founded the Ro
nan Catholic university at Washing
ton some years ago, has entirely re
pudia5ed her former creed. In an in
terview with me the other day she
said: Yes, it is true that I have
left the Roman Catholic church
Since bave been living in Europe my
eyes have been opened to what thai
church really is, and to its anything
but sanctity. But the trouble goes
much further back than this. Being
naturally religious, my imagination
was early caught by the idea Of doing
something to lift the church from the
loWly position which it occupied il
America, so thought Of university
OF higher school where its clergy could
be educated, and, if possible, refined.
OF course in this way I was greatly
influerced by Bishop Spalding Of Peo-
ria, who repri sented IL to me as one OF
the greatest works Of the day. When
I was 81, I turned over to them one.
third of my fortune for that purpose.
But for years T have been trying to
rid myself OF the subtle yet over
whe!ming influence Of church,
which pretends, not only to the priVi-
lege 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 asserted itself and I now
forever repudiate and cast off the
yoke of Rome So saying the mar
quise politely dismissed ne.
It will be remembered that the
MarQuise Des Monsters Me'inville
and her sister, the Baroness Won Z2d.
wi,z, are the daughters Of the late
Wm. S. Caldwell and his wife, who
was a Breckenridge Of Kentucky.
Shortly before his death MI. Caldwell
became convert to Roman Catholi-
cism, and left his children to the care
OF Irish Roman Catholics in New
York, whom his wife had met in
church circles. The younger sister
married some Is years ago q, German
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 position before the
world as a 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 assert
itself and she returns to the creed OF
her ancestors.
Mary Gwendolyn Caldwell is the
daughter of VIM. Shakespeare Cald-
we'll, who after being a theatrical
in England settled in Rich
mond, and eventually made a large
fortune in building gas houses in Chi
cago, St. Lcuis. Mobile and other
cities. He married Miss Breckenridge.
a famous Kentucky beauty. Miss
Caldwell and her sister, Lima, spent
the summers at Newport, where they
had 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 s2,000,000 and October 49,,
1896, she was married to the Marquis
Des Monsters Merinville, French
nobleman, by Bishop SpaldiIg OF Peo-
ria, the guardian and administrator
Of the estate Of Miss Caldwell.
At the time Of her marriage Miss
Caldwell was a very handsome woman,
about IS years old, and devoted 70
man Catholic. She had previously
shown her devotion to the church by
giving $4,000 to found the divinity
college OF the Roman Catholic uniVer-
sity in Washington. Some seven years
previous to her marriage Miss Cald.
well twas engaged to Prince Mu1at,
grandson OF the king OF Naples. The
was broken because the
prince insisted that half Of Mis- Cald-
wells fortune should be settled upon
him. The divinity Of the Roman
Catholic university in Washington is
known as the Mary Gwendolyn Cald.
well Hall of Divinity.
Too Much Whtskey.
At Pittsburg, Pa, whiSkey duel
ended in the death Of George Platt,
aged rs, Thursday morning. He and
Andrew Bowman worked in a livery
stable at $40 Fifth avenue. They had
quarrelled frequently, aad Powman
tod Platt that he could drink him to
d ath. Platt took up the challenge.
Tbov oSiorrned tn a neiuhbOrinp bal