New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-01
A SECRET MARRIAGE
Late Duchess of Marlborough Tzrics
Yielded to the Duke.

As"s- pF the brentwood Company
10 the rare cases OF secret marriages On the part
OF the dueal families OF Great Britain must be
adueo that OF Lillian. Duchess of MARLBOROUGH who.
aIleF wedding the eighth duke IN the City Hall Of
New York, went through a second and secret cere-
Li"hv OF marriage with him month later in Lon
oon' a fact which have not seen mentioned any
"here In her recent obituaries. Their marriage in
tne lily nan, New York, took place June q.
1881 and Immediately afterward they sailed for
England and on their arrival there they learned
That question had been raised as 10 the validity
81 'ne'r American union IN the eyes Of the Law Of
me state OF New York Although authoritative
evidence as to the ilegality OF the New York City
f1dh ceremony was furnished. still both the duke
and duchess considered il wise 10 adopt the pre-
caution of being married again fortnight later,
and, the necessary English formalities having been
observed, the second ceremony took place in Lon
don on July q. at the Registers Office. in the
parish OF St. George, Hanover Square, though not
in the church.
The dukes mother then the duchess dowager
was one of the witnesses. The brdegroom's name
was given in the Registers book George
Charles Spencer Churchill and the brides
lilly Warren Spencer Churchill. formerly Lily
Warren Harlersley, widow while under the head
Of condition. the contracting parties were not
described. respectively. divorced and as
widow but as having been previously married
at the City Hall of New York June IS last
The rank profession OF the Bridegroom was
given as Duke OF Marlborough, and Of the
bride Duchess of Marlborough" which de-
scription, If the previous marriage had really been
Invalid might have caused technical diff
Guilty. The bride down the daughter
Of Cicero Price, commodore, L. s. A. Navy" and
her age thirty" while that of the duke
recorded being ''forty-four."
The most profound secrecy was observed about
the proceedings, and insHiation Of this second
union came to the Of the public otherwise
attention would have been drawn the strange
coincidence that the very same week marked
equally secret marriage in London. namely, that
Of the wel-nEh octogenarian widow. Caroline,
Business of Moutrose. who used 10 race in the
Of Mr.. Manton' to Harry Miner. who was
nearly half d century her Junior
JOHN s sARGENT's NEW ORDER.
Prussiats Order of Merit which has just been be
slowed upon the American painter >and English
Royal AcademicIan John s Sargent. and upon the
Right Hon. James Bryce British Ambassador at
Washington. differs from mos; other orders OF
knighthood in that it constitutes not so much a
token OF monarchical favor mark OF admira-
ton on the part of small body of men who CON
stit1te the very cream Of the science, art and 10
e~ature Of Germany. These men, to the number of
thirty forming the chapter OF the civil or so-caied
peace division OF the order. elect both the native
and foreign knights their choice having to he rat-
fed by the Kaiser IN his capacity as King of
Prussia In one word the chapter az the civil d.
vision Of the Prussian order Pour lie Merite Is the
German counterpart of the French Academy and
distinction which the bestowal OF the order car
ries with Il quite much academic as knightiy
The foreign knights restricted 10 the NUMBER
Of TWENTY-FIVE and how highly the distinction is
priced abroad may he gathered from the fact that
although Thomas CARLYLE refused the Grand Cross
% tho Order of the Bath. and even a peerage AT
the hands OF Queen Victoria. for his services 70
literature he readily accepted. with appreca
ton his election to the Prfssian order Pour le
Nerite which was founded In it's present form by
that Frederick ne Great % whom he remains the
most popular biographer. There had been previous
" a Pr,sean military order. styled the order OF
generosity which came into existence IN 1859
Frederick the Grea. nized II in lf4o and re-
named IT in the French that he so much affected
as Pour le Merite. but he restricted it TO military
men. thirty number.
Frederick William ". acting under the advice of
Alexander Won Humboldt. added the civil division.
the statutes OF which differ from those Of The MILL
tarv portion the military order Is solely and
entirety in the gift Of the kings Of Prussia whereas
in the case the civil division the monarch merely
ratifes the choice Of the chapter. in which The mill
tary knights have voice Alexander Won Hum
bodt's idea in suggesting this civilian addition to
order based largely upon the principles OF
the Academy. Of France His views. however. did
not NEE: with the approval of the famous German
poet Ludwig INLAND. who, taking the ground that
there shot d ne question of hierarchy il the |
world of letters, the first to decline the order
His example IN this respect has been followed by |
several Others the most notable instances being |
Pasteu- and Herbert Spencer. While there are. |
therefore divisions of this Prussian order. there
is only one class.
sargen: is unless / am much mistaken. the third |
American to receive the order the citizens of
the United States thus honored having been the |
historian Bancroft and Professor Alexander Agassiz
Of Harvard The insignia consists of eight |
pointed blue enamel cross uned in gold. between
the branches Of which there are four Prussian !
eagles, spreadwise This cross is sJIrnnounted by
an IF" and 4 This is the military insignia |
That Of the civil division slightly different. the
cross being envroned with a blue enamelied, gold
bordered bano, which has the effect OF framing the
badge into sort Of medallion. In both instances |
the insignia is suspended from the neck by a
ribbon OF black MORE, with narrow edges of silver !
The membership Of the order carries With it no /
nobifiary rank. In fact the majority of the
members Of the civil division Of the order belong
the bourgeoisie