Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-23
SISTER IS HER HEIR
Marquise de MerinviIle'S Will
Filed for Probate.
HUSBAND Is EXCLUDED
No Bequest Other Than as Provided
in Marriage Contract.
CHURCH IS NOT MENTIONED
Two Distant Cousins and a Nephew
of Former Miss Caldwell
Are Remembered.
CHURCH IS NOT MENTIONED

LOUISVILLE, Ky, November Is
Whatever interest the Marauise des Mon
stiers de Merinville who was Miss Mary
Gwendolin Byrd Caldwell of Louisville,
had in the Caldwell estate goes mostly,
under the will of the marquise, which
was filed yesterday for probate. to her
sister, the Baroness Caldwell Won Zed-
WITT.
Two requests of $4,000 each are made,
one to John Ridgley Carter of London.
England and one to Charles II. Carter Of
Baltimore. Md. another distant cousin.
Waldemar Conrad Won Zedwitz her
nephew, gets 100000.
Two other small requests are made
The residue interest goes to the sister.
Reference is made to the husband of
the marquise, only to provide that he
shall have nothing further out of her es-
tate than is provided for in the marriage
contract she had with him.
Until the marquise renounced the Cath
Ollie faith 1t had been expected that she
would leave much to the church. How
ever, under her will, the church is not
mentioned.
The Caldwell estate is one of the oldest
in Louisville. The will disposes of in
terests valued at 100000.
Largely as a matter of accommodation
to the executors the order probating the
will was allowed to be withdrawn. 1t
will be taken to New York and probated
Catholic University Not Expectant.
Here in Washington the news of the
Marquise de Merinville's disposition of
her property will not come as surprise.
Her attitude toward the Catholic Uni
versty of America put it out Of the ques-
ton that she would make any further
gifts to that institution. Her splendid
benefaction to the university, followed
some years later by a disavowal of all
interest in the institution and expressing
a desire to have the funds returned, have
not faded from the public mind.
The severance of the marquises rela
tions with the Catholic Church and the
university. in the foundation of which
she played d conspicuous part, followed
her marriage to the Marquis de Merlin
ville
The marriage was not happy. The mar
quise has given further proof of this. She
expressly stipulated in the will that he
shall have nothing further out of her
estate than is provided for in the mar
Renouncing the Catholic Church and
all it's works, she became bitter critic,
and was assisted in this propaganda by
her sister, the Baroness Caldwell Won
ZedwitZ.
The attitude Of the university officials
and of the heads of the Catholic Church
was Of liberation. The situation was met
by the kindest expressions recollective Of
the generosity of the marquise.
The marquise's father was William
ha resident
of Louisville, KY. who provided in his
will that out of the portion Of his estate
left to his daughter a large sum should
be donated to some educational or phi
lanthrOpic work. The donation to the
Catholic University is. said to have been
made in fulfillment Of this wish.
The Misses Caldwell. at the time of the
first publication of their intended gift to
the Catholic University, came to Wash
ington and established themselves in the
Myer mansion, at 18th and / streets.
They took an important place in the
social life of the capital, and their draw
ing rooms became veritable salon.
Marriage of Sisters.
With each succeeding entertainment by
them or appearance at important func-
tions came rumors of the impending mar
rage of the sisters. These stories were
current particularly at the time of the
opening of the Catholic University.
Finally Miss Lima Caldwell was married
to Baron Won Zedwitz. an attache of the
German embassy in this city. This we'd
ding took place in the chapel of the
Catholic University, which had been given
by the baroness in memory of her
parents.
Bishop Spalding of Peoria, who was the
guardian of the Caldwell sisters, perform
ed the marriage ceremony. This was fol-
lowed by large wedding breakfast at the
Arlington Hotel, to which came the rep
resentatives of wealth and fashion at the
capital.
The baron and baroness made their
home abroad. The former met his death
while on yacht, which ran afoul of the
yacht of the Emperor of Germany.
Mary Gwendolin Byrd Caldwell was en-
gagged to- Prince Murat. but broke off the
marriage just before the date of the cere-
mony, the misunderstanding being due. it
was said, to the refusal of the bride-elect
to meet his financial demands. The sub
sequent alliance with the Marquis de
Merinville was terminated shortly after
it's contamination.
Opening of Berliner Infirmary.