Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20
GOSSIP FROM LONDON
Disposition of Wealth of Baron
ess Burdett-Coutts.
SETTLED MANY YEARS AGO
Interesting Stories Recalled by Phil
anthropist's Death.
MEMORIES OF BELLE Billion"
How She Won the Regard Of Vicar
Plan to Send King Peter Of
Roumania Back to Geneva.
SETTLED MANY YEARS AGO
MEMORIES OF "BELLE BILTON''
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

| Special Correspondence Of The Star.
| LONDON, January g. 1907.
| The death Of the Baroness Burdett-Coutts
| has awakened many curious memories con-
corning the great philanthropist. When
! her marriage being discussed all over
! the country in 1880 It was popularity be-
| lieved that she would be compelled to sacri-
! flee her interest in the famous banking
| house. The general notion was that by a
clause in the will of Thomas Coutts none
| of the partners might marry foreigner"
and this was the way in which the prospec-
tive husband was regarded. AS all the world
| knows, he is a brother of the late Sir Ellis
I Ashmead-Bartlett Silomo'O, and assumed
| the name of Burdett-Coutts on his marriage
| with the baroness.
Though a NeW Highlander by birth, his
| grandparents were both British. But this
| did not prevent the late Mrs. Clara Money
who in 1880 assumed the name of Burdett-
| Coutts too from raising the question of
| his nationality in the law courts, and
testing the baroness title to interest in the
| bank if she married the young American.
The case came on for hearing. but COM
promise was arrived at though it's terms
were never disclosed. Still, the baroness
and the banking house not severed,
and she married the handsome New Eng
lander after all
The succession to her wealth Is settled
| matter. By the will of the Duchess of ST.
AiDans. her grandfather's widow who left
her the property that came from Thomas
Coutts, the succession to 1t devolves upon
the son of her next elder sister. who mar
ried MIR. Money, clergyman, and took the
additional name of COuttS. Mrs. Money
Coutts herself died only seven years ago.
1t is not often that good wishes SO
literally fulfilled as they were in the case
OF Lady Burdett-Coutts. The late Lord
Houghton used to tell of the party given by
the Duchess of ST. Adams in Stratton street
on the night when she declared Miss An
gela Burdett her heiress. There was a fes-
toon across the drawing room with the mot
to Long life to Angela, the happy, heiress."
The wish was all granted, even to the hap
piness
His House His Castle.
1t was Sir Francis Burdett, her father,
who brought strange happenings to the
house in Piccadilly where the baroness has
lived all her life. He lived in what is now
the Piccadilly front, next door to his father
in-law Mr.. Coutts, whose house faced STRAIT
ton street. In 1910 Sir Francis committed
what the house of commons thought a
breach Of privilege. They ordered him to be
committed to the Tower. and the sergeant
alarms was instructed to apprehend him
Burdett remained in his own house and
1t was held to be illegal to break in. All
and walt for its opening. 1t lid not Open
There was no need for it to be opened
A passage had been cut between the two
houses. and Burdetts election committee
and his friends used to call at Mr.. Coutts'
| descend the cellar and ascend into the
other house The sergeant at arms ap-
pealed at last to the house, and they
authorized him to break into the Pic
cadilly house. So Burdett was taken, and
went to the Tower. He brought action
against the speaker and the sergeant but
the courts upheld their burglarious con-
duct.
Both the houses came in time to Lady
Burdett Coutts, and she joined them lit
tie above the basement, and SO made of
them one large corner house. with a front
age both to Piccadilly and Stratton street.
The whole premises she gave to her hus-
band during her lifetime and if he gets
nothing from the will he would be exceed
ingly wealthy by selling the place, which,
from its position and extent. must be
worth fully half million sterling
The death of the baroness has excited
more interest than might have been an
ticipated. in view of the fact that for some
years she has been out of the public eve
1t Is evident, however, that her life and
work have left deep impression the
people. The body lay in state Thursday
and Friday in the largest room in he.
house, and during the two days some
twenty-five thousand people passed through
the room. A long line was formed for
blocks down Piccadilly
Many Tender Tributes.
The number of wreaths which arrived at
the house was enormous. Some of these
bear inscriptions more tender and signif-
cant than is usual in such cases. The
wreath, from the servants in the house
bears intmation that it is the last trib-
ute ito a good mistress from a sorrowing
household Another comes from a school
boy who "once kissed her hand and has
not forgotten it, Several members of the
dramatic profession sent wreaths, and
among them from Mr. and Mrs
Laurence Irving. Not the least interesting
of these tributes came from the London
flower girls class in which the baroness
took great interest. The tribute described
her as their sympathetic and generous
baroness.
Apart from the pre-eminent personal dis
tinctions of the late baroness Westminster
day, Is in several ways appropriate for her |
burial place Her father, Sir Francis Bur
dett, represented the city Of Westminster
in the house Of commons for several years !
He was returned at the top of the poll |
for Westminster in 1892 when, as in 1873 |
cepted the Chiltern Hundreds, and stood
again for the city a conservative
Forty-eight years later the baroness hus-
band, Mr.. w. Burdett-Coutts, was returned
unopposed for Westminster, and has rep |
resented the city ever since. The new par
as 1t Is in sense now. city of the poor |
Westminster owes much to the late baron
ess. Though new generation OF a new
class lives in Westminster. 1t will be long
before the good works of the baroness fade i
from the memories of the citizens AS |
IodS fn ha md AF,xp