The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-06
Lady Burdett-Coutts
Some Unrecorded Episodes of Her Career.

entirely voluntary-but backed by the
thunders of the church
Although the baroness was pillar Of
the Church Of England. as shown by her
endowment Of bishoprics in Australia.
Canada, and South Africa. it will be seen
from the above that her philanthropy was
ia no way restricted to any particular
creed The story 1 have just told Of her
relief of the people in the South Of
Ireland, through the Roman Catholic
parish clergy. Illustrated her freedom
from all narrow religious prejudices, and
her name is to this day held in as kindly
memory In the Moslem districts Of Tur-
key as it is in the British Isles. For, In
the Crimean war. and more especially
at the time Of the Russian invasion Of
Turkey in 1876 and 1917. she organized a
most elaborate system Of ambulances and
other services for the relief Of the Otto
man wounded and sick, and many is the
now griZzled follower Of the prophet. vet
eran of that cruel war, who owes the
preservation of his life 10 the baroness,
upon whom the Sultan lavished. with Tire
approval Of his people. every distinction
at his disposal on the restoration
of peace. II was in connection with
the administration Of her fund for
relief Of the Turkish sick and wounded
/ IN the war OF thirty years ago that
she first became acquainted with the
young American. whom she married four
years aftcrWurd Although born in Brook
iyH. 90 father who was d native Of
Plymouth New England, and Of a mother
who hailed from Philadelphia yet both
his parents and grandparents had always
r..4- ~ff..H.
consequently there was no necessity for
him to secure letters Of naturalization
when ne entered Parliament as the Con-
sentative member from Westminster. His
name was William Lehman AshmeaJ-
Bartlett. and after his marriage, he. with
the permission Of the Crown. assumed his
wifes name of BUrdett-C0utts In addi-
ton 20 his own IN spite Of the disparity
Of years-the baroness was about forty
years the senior OF her husband-the
union proved IN every respect d happy
one.
Mr. Burdett-Coutts devoted himself 10
the administration of his wife's charities.
and on one occasion. when a peerage
was offered 10 him. he declined il, lest
he should impair thereby in any way
the prestige Of his wife's barOnetcy Lady
Burdeti-COuttsh had been frequently sought
in marriage before she gave her hand 10
the young BTOJkiyuite. upon whom she
settled an annuity Of $4,000 on the day
Of the wedding. in his own right. Ma
poleOn III. when he was living in Lon
don: the Due dAumale Lord BedcOuSfeld
and many other conspicuous figures OF the
nineteenth century are on record as hav-
ing been among her suitors. and il is
doubtful whether any woman ever re-
ceived 50 large a number of matrimonial
offers as the baroness In fact, they be-
came positive nuisance. and in 1917 she
was compelled 10 bring legal proceedings
against lawyer Of the name Of Richard
Dunn. who. according 10 the terms Of the
Indictment. had for eight years prosecut-
I'd her with most unwelcome attentions.
with a view 10 matrimony. Dunn was
sent 10 prison for eighteen months all
though there is no doubt that while he
was sane in other matters. me was per
fectly crazy on the subject Of Miss Bur
dett-COutts as be was then. and particu-
larry on the subject Of her fortune. Now
adays ne would be sent TO a Iunauc asv-
lum. where in reality he belonged. 1t was
on that occasion that her case was pre-
scented in court by Henry Hawkins, now
the almost nOnagenarian Lord BramptOn,
and il proved the beginning OF a warm
friendship between them which has lasted
until her death, that is 10 say, for sixty
years.
While II may safely be assumed that
Lady Burdett-Coutts' husband will 5e
we'll provided for under the terms Of her
will. and viii receive a considerable
amount Of property in addition TO the
annuity settled upon him at the time of
his marriage. the bulk Of the enormous
fortune will go 10 her nephew. Francis
3. T. Money-Coutts. son Of her elder
sister, the late Mrs. Money-Coutts. who
died a few years ago at the age of ninety
four, the widow Of the Rev James D.
Money Francis Money-Coutts is a mem
Der of the bar. in the neighborhood Of
sixty years OF age. and the author OF
several volumes Of poems Of a rather re-
ligious and mystical bent. He did not
stand very high in the good graces Of the
baroness. This was owing 70 his mother.
The latter got on very well with her
younger sister until Lady BUrdett-COutts
married. I'm ISL. union which the elder
Of the two old women opposed in the most
flat-fOoted manner. subjecting the baron
ess to such exceedingly plain speaking
concerning the affair that all relations
between the two were broken of. In fact.
it is not on account of any affection
which the baroness entertained for her
nephew that he inheTits her immense
property and her predominant share in
CouttS' Bank. but by virtue Of the viii
of Harriet. Duchess Of St Adams, whose
first husband, Tom Coutts. had left every
thing that he owned to his widow.
The duchess bequeathed this fortune
to her granddaughter. Angela Bur
dett on the understanding that she should
assume the name of COuts in addition
TO her own, and that in the event Of
her death without issue it should 60 TO
AngeIa's elder sister. Clara Burdett. who
was likewise unmarried nj the time and
10 the latters eldest child. who is Francis
e. T. Money-COutts. IT Is probable that
on succeeding to his aUnt's property he
will now take steps to establish his claim
to the exceedingly ancient and long
mant baronies of Scales. Latimer. and
BaIdesmere. to which he is entitled
through his descent on the distaff side OF
the house from John Neville. Lord Of
Latimer and Scales. Both Mrs Money
Coutts and her sister. the late baroness.
were CONGRESSES of these baronies. and
some establishment was aroused at the
time Of the elevation OF the younger Of
the two sisters TO the peeTage III her own
right that she should not have assumed
the title or Baroness l4dtmer OF Lady
Scales But. of course. ~this would have
been strenuOusly opposed by her elder
sister and by the lstter's son. In cases
where peersges fall into allegiance. il is
usual to permit them TO remain dormant
until ali the coheiTeSses. save one have
died and then the peerage is only called
out Of allegiance I'm the event Of the other
deceased coheiresses having left no chill
dren. This happens to be now the case
with the baronies of Latimer and Scales.