The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-16
THUS | CAST OFF
THE YOKE Of ROME
Announcement by Mar
quise Desmontiers.
SHE is AN AMERICAN
Founder of the Divinity School of the
Roman Catholic University at
Washington, She Now Repu-
dates the Creed of that
Church.
Church.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York, Nov. 15.-The Associated
Press has received the following. Be-
fore giving it publication. it's authen-
ITCHY has been fully verified by cable
from Rome:
Rome, October 80. 1904.
Editor of the Associated Press:
''You have my full permission to
print the enclosed, and give it as wide
ii publication as possible.
yours truly,
(Signed) Marquis T.. DesmonstierS.
Dear Editor: 1t may interest some
of your readers to know that the Mar.
quise Mesmonstiers Merinville, Tor
lnerly Miss NJ. G.. Caldwell. who. it will
he remembered founded the Roman
Catholic University at Washington
some years ago, has entirely repudiat-
ed her former creed. In an interview
with me, the other day she said: Yes.
il is true that | 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 sancity. 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
II occupied in America So | thought
of a university wheer its clergy could
be educated, and if possible. refined.
OF course in this | was greatly in
Euenced by Bishop SpaIding, of Peoria
who represented it me as one of the
greatest works of the day. When l
was twenty-ope. / turned over to them
one third of my fortune for that pur-
pose. But for years l have been try
iEg to rid myself of the subtle yet over
Whelming influence of a church, which
- ~ -.F
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 ard | now forever re-
pudiate and cast off the yoke of
ROme' SO saying the Marquise po-
liteIy dismissed me.
at will be remembered that the
Marquise Desmonstiers Merinvil.e and
her sister, the Baroness Won Zedwitz,
are the daughters of the late William
:. Caldwell and his wife, who was
Breckenridge. Of kentucky. Shortly
before his death Mr.. Caldwell became
a convert To Roman Catholicism, ana
left his children to the care of Irish
Roman Catholics in New York whom
his wife had met in church circles.
The younger sister marrier some fir
teen years ago German nobleman,
Lutheran, and has since then also left
the Roman aCthoiic communion. the
cider has been in very bad health for
some years. from having to occupy
position before the world as Il prom
inent Roman Catholic, which was not
a real one, and into which her extreme
generosity led her. as young and in
experienced girl Now at last her own
mind has asserted itself and she re-
turns to the creed Cf her ancestors.
Mary GWendolvn Caldwell is the
- tsrInf Of
CALDWELL who after being a theatrical
manager in England settled in Rich
mon. Va. and eventually made large
fortune i'm building gas houses in Chi
Cago, st. Louis. Mobile and other cit
ieS He MARI ed Miss Breckenridge.
famous entucky beauty. Miss Cald-
well and her sister Lima spent tho
summers at Newport, here they had
magnificent house, and usually passed
part of the winter. when they were noe
abroad. i'm New York. On the death
Of her father, Miss Caldwell inherited
81 900 900, and October 10. 1925. she
was married TO the Marquis Des Mon
stiers Merinville. French noo' 'ehan'
by Bishop Spalding, of Peoria. he
guardian and administrator of the es-
tate Of Miss Caldwell.
At the time of her marriage MISS
Caldwell was a very handsome woman.
about thir:V-five wears of age, ana q
devoted Roman aCthOlic. she nae
previously shown her devotion 70 the
church by giving 5000. coo to found
the divinity college of the Roman Cath
olic University I'm Washington. Some
seven Years previous TO her marriage
Miss Caldwell was engaged to Prince
Nurat, grandson of the ing Of Naples
"he engagement was broken because
the Prince insisted that half of Miss
Caldwelfs fortune should be settled
upon him.
The divinity college of the Roman
Catholic Universit yin Washington is
known as the Mary Gwendolyn CaId-
Wei Hall of Divinity.