New-York tribune., 1905-08-23
LORD OF GooDwooD.


The duke is the only member of the Jockey Club
who enjoys the distinction OF owning as his private
property one OF the most famous racecourses in
England. OF course. mean Goodwood 1t is situ-
ated in the park by which Goodwood House his
ancestral home In Sussex, IS surrounded and he
could shut II up tomorrow ana put an END TO the
meetings If he chose. The is shaped like q
horseshoe and around deep ravine. which
effectualy divides the start from the finish A
feature OF the Goodwood races is that being a pri-
vate course. there is none of that outside element
OF gypsies sh9rpers. boothkeepers, itinerant min
stres and trenps who constitute so marked a
feature OF The Derby and OF other race meetings
Goodwood has been in the possession OF the
family OF the Duke OF Richmond since the end Of
the seventeenth century, the present house being
designed by Sir William Chambers and added 10 by
Wyatt. II is filled from garret to cellar with
pictures and treasures OF one kind and another
Nandyke, Kneller, Lely, Reynolds, Gainsborough
and Romney being represented on the walls the
strnngest picture OF all being the one hung IN the
billiard room. brought from the castle OF Aubigny
in France. and giving complete representation OF
all the phases Of the murder of Lord Darnley the
III fated husband Of the equally unfortunate Mary
Queen OF Scots The artist is unknown bu+ the
picture is known TO have been painted in the reign
OF her son, James !. There are also some superb
Gobelin tapestries representing scenes from Don
QuiEote.' which, together with the wellnigh price
less sevres porcelain service. were presented by
King Louis XIV Of France TO the second Duke Of
Richmond OF whom he very fond.
The duke, who has been twice married and who
is widower-he published the other day an in
dignant denial OF the story that he was about to
wed the widowed Lady Alngton-served with dis
tincton in the Boer war and holds no less than
four dukedoms. The Scotch one of Iennox and the
English Of Richmond were created by Charles
II IN favor Of HIS son by the Duchess Of Ports
mouth. upon whom the French dukedorn was like
wise conferred. To these three honors Queen Vic
toria added the English dukedom Of Gordon when
the last Of the Scotch dukes of Gordon died.
about thrty-fve years ago. bequeathing all his
estates. including Gordon Castle. 10 his sisters
son. the late Duke OF Richmond.
WHERE WITTE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF.
1t is a pity that one does not avail himself
of the presence Of NJ Witte in this country to
ask him for explanation Of the extraordinary
railroad accident at Bovkl In which the late
car, his consort and HIS children so narrowly
escaped with their lives. It is generally known
that Wltte. as manager of the Southwestern Rail-
road. was IN charge of the imperial train on that
occasion. and that 1t the presence OF mind,
the energy and the resourcefulness which he dis
played at that time which created such i'm
preston Alexander III that he insisted upon
appointing him first director Of all the state rail-
roads. and afterward Minister Of Finance
The accident, which resulted In a large loss OF
life has always remained shrouded in the most
impenetrabe mystery. To this day the general
public does not know positively whether the
catastrophe resulted from faulty construction Of
the rOadbed and its weakening by rains, or was
caused by bomb of some kind placed beneath
! the rails TO explode as the imperial
! train ratified il. That any one in the din
ing car escaped seemed little short Of miraculous
/ for the Car. with his wife and children, had
4 just sat down 10 dinner when the pre-
cipitated down q steep embankment, rolling over
and over. The two servants who waiting
at table were killed the spot. Of them hav-
| ing his head completely cut or while the nurse
who held the little Grand Duchess Olga (now mar
rled TO Duke Peter of Oldenburg) in her arms, was
likewise killed the princess receiving no other
/ injury than that caused by fork which had in
some way pierced her The shock, however.
terrible that for years both she and her
mother suffered from nervous ailments. for
| the treatment of which the late DR.. Charcot was
repeatedly summoned from Paris. Both imperial
ladies have entirely recovered from the effects
OF the accident, but it is doubtful whether they
forget the of the catastrophe. when
so many of their trusted retainers lay dead
and dying. shockngly mangled. around them. Per-
haps n. Wltte might be more communicative about
this mysterious accident than about the peace
mission. MARQUI6E DE FONTENOY.