The Ordway new era., 1909-12-03


$4,000 painting. If money talks. Mr..
Leeds was certainy an ardent wooer
Women in Rivalry.
After the honeymoon. which was
passed quietly on Mr.. Leeds yacht. the
Getvan. the Mrs. Leeds that was again
appeared on the scene, and was re-
sponsible for bit OF comedy which
lasted over two years and made the
smart set sit up and take notice.
With her own private fortune and
the Sl.OO0.00O which Mr. Leeds had
handed over to her. the former sharer
OF the "tinplate kings" joys found life
rather easy. so she wandered forth in
search of amusement. 1t pleased her
TO follow In the wake Of the newly
welded pair from one end of the
country to the other. No matter where
Mrs. Leeds No. decided to stop. 1t
was certain that In n few hours Mrs
Leeds No. | would arrive. bag and bag
gage. At Palm Beach and other ia
vorite resorts of wealth and fashion
sp'i'ts "dS Sl'tH IL treat w mere oHt
woman appeared in public the other
one was to be iDund not far away.
Each We'd with the other in the
matter OF her artistic and expensive
gowns. and each wore every jewel
she owned. So keen and notorious
was this womanly duel that. at the
various hotels. the guests would line
up in rows to watch the contestants
as they entered or left the dining
room.
The pace was evidently too nerve.
raCking for the first wife. for. after
the second year, she gave up and left
her successor in peace.
Meanwhile the Leedses were getting
wealthier each day and enjoying life
to the full. Mr.. Leeds was a power in
the railroad and financial worlds. while
his wife was cutting n wide swath in
society in New York. Newport and
elsewhere.
Has Far.Famed Pearls.
Early in 1906, however. Mr.. Leeds
health began to fail. He was operated
on for appendicitis and was also
stricken with paralysis. He retired
from his position as president OF the
Rock Island railroad and, from that
time until his death. spent most of his
time abroad, in search of health.
During one of their visits to Paris
Mr.. Leeds bought his wife wonderful
pearl necklace, valued at 100000. and
referred to in trade papers as the only
one of its kind In the world. 1t con.
tanned so stones strung upon silken
cord IA inches long. They were OF the
oriental variety and ranged in size
from twenty-five to forty grains. the
average being thirty-two. Each was
hawless.
But when the customs officials on
this side saw the necklace there was
hot dispute over the duty payable on
IT, For a perfectly matched necklace
the duty was GO per cent. but for an
indiscriminate assortment 1t was only
II per cent. The question arose as TO
whether 1t was a necklace or not, ana
whether Mrs. Leeds should pay $780,
600 or simply 100000. Mrs. Leeds won
ont by carrying the dispute before Sec
retary of the Treasury Shaw for settle
ment. The dispute started a pearl
craze at Newport, and these stones
displpced all others in the fashionable
taste for the time being.
In 1908 Mr.. Leeds was suddenly
stricken again while In Paris. and died
In the Hotel Ritz on June 23.
The bulk of his fortune, about $ll.-
nm 5000. went to his widow. There
was some talk at the time that the
first wife would fight for her share. but
nothing ever came OF 1t.
Welcomed Everywhere.
During the last year Mrs. Leeds has
,,vod mostly In Europe. where her
beauty. wit and wealth have given her
tho entree into the most exclusive
o,rc,es Her entertainments are at.
.orded nv the elite society, and her
gowns and jewels are the wonder OF
all King Edward recently took occa-
sion to compliment her on the beauty
NJ n particular ornament, which ne
h,nself had admired and would prob
III, have bought had she not been be-
evidently, though, her association
,,,th ROYALTY has not turned her head.
WHEN the petty French princelet
turned up she turned MIN down "''n
real grace. ,,,,.,..a
80 name with aspiring Americans.
A1 ona Of them was De Wolf Cutting
r,s~ York. who has been attentive