Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-21


Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON. April l. 1907
~ ONSUELO VANDERBILT, Duchess
of Marlborough. now pract cally
las completed plans for a unique
~ charity on Il Zig scale. She has
done It quietly that the facts
are made known here for the first time.
The duchess hasn't joined the directorate
of the Church Army. as some American
PAPERS hev" been SAYING. nor is she going
to work in its ranks, to devote her time
and money to it. She has. it is true, given
her hei1 &c the army's ''treN cd depart
men: foc several years. but 50 have many
other aristocratic women of England. No.
the clarity on which she has just embark
Ell Is fe~ own. She is the supreme head
IN plating. in management
iHls rev benevolent enterprise OF the
duchess takes the form of a home in Lon
don Tor women and children of a special
AMI previously almost neglected class They
are the wives and children of imprisoned
crlmtnais-innocent sufferers for the mis-
deeds of husbands and fathers-and to
make home for them, or at least some of
them. the Duchess of Marlborough has Just
taken twenty-one years lease Of a roomy
building in Endsleigh street St Pancras
This Is being reconstructed entirely by her
orders. and negotiations are in progress for
the use of two buildings on either side.
When all these have been opened and time
has proved their usefulness the duchess.
out of her American millions NAV put IN
special buildings add to her leases the
adjoining houses on the same block For
with her this is not a new charitable &C.
cupation of the Lenten season nor the
passing and forced duty of a great lady
OF the land, but life work in carving ont
which she hopes to solve one of London's
many social problems
READERS. OF course. are familiar with the
family troubles of the Duke and Duchess Of
Marlborough. The duchess has the friend
snip OF queen Alexandra. BY marriage her
aunt Is the Marchioness of Lansdowne
wife OF the former foreign minister. She
is the acknowledged leader among women
In political society. Lady Lansdowne also
IS a great friend of the queen, and may
become mistress Of the robes at court. The
queen and Lady Lansdowne deeply sympa-
thize with the duchess. They have cheered
her up and advised her on more than one
occasion.
Soon after the estrangement between the
Marlboroughs the queen suggested that the
duchess devote her time to hard work In
order to get her mind off her troubles, Her
mother. Mrs. o. H. P. Belmont, was with
the duchess at the time. and together they
went to the Church Army and had a talk
with Its leader, the Rev. Wilson Garlic
The duchess wanted occupation which
would not bring her before the public Mi
Garlic took her to No. 9 Banner street St
Luke's. where in the midst of the city
Sums, the army has its little branch de-
voted to the aid of prisoners wives and
families. The work is carried on in a mod
est way without publicity by Mrs. Holder,
wife of Capt. Holder, the man In charge
OF the frewood department Of the Church
Army
The duchess was asked to help and help
she did. She went feverishly into the work.
She bought 200 blankets. 1000 yards of cot
tor to be made into sheets and undercoth-
Ing, boots and shoes-everything, in fact.
that Mrs. Holder said needed. And she
began visiting the wives of the jailblrds.
Rcketty stairs in noisome sums she
climbed by the score. Dark, evil-smelling
and evil-looking alleys and tumbledown
rookeries knew her.
Then Mrs. elmont stepped in and stop
ped her. 1t was dangerous work. There
was not only fear OF infection. but fear that
she would give way physically under the
heavy self-imposed tasks. There was no
thought on the courageous little woman's
part of attack. perhaps murder by some
drunken ruffian in that crime-infested
district.
1t was christmas time. and though her