The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-12-19
REFUSES CROWNS,
TAKES AMERICAN
HELEN GOULD. PHILANTHROPIST
WILL MARRY SELF-MADE
RAILROAD MAN OF ST.
LOUIS.

New York City.-Announcement
has been made OF the engagement OF
Miss Helen Miller Gould, daughter OF
Jay Could, a woman whose philan-
thropies have reached around the
world, to Finley j. Shepard. a typical
American railroad man of ST. LOUIS.
The betrothal was made public by
Mr.. and Mrs. George j. Gould at il
dinner at Georgian court. Mr.. Gould's
country estate at Lakewood, ana
came as a complete surprise to nearly
all of Miss Gould's acquaintances
and close friends. No date was sci
for the wedding. but it is believed it
viii be some time toward the close
OF January.
Crowns Offered to Her.
Immensely wealthy in her W
right. Miss Could probably has re-
ceived more proposals of marriage
than any other woman in the world
from suitors who offered crowns and
suitors who had none. She had eVad-
ed the sole impeachment so persist
entity and so decidedly that none of
her friends suspected when she went
West on a tour Of inspection OF the
Railroad Young Mems Christian AS
ISOLATION. Il philanthropy chiefly hef
own, that she was starting on IL trip
that eventually would lead her TO the
altar. She had contributed largely to
the establish OF these lnstltu-
tions throughout the country, and
particularly to those along the lines
OF the Could railroads in which she
is heavily interested as one OF the
four trustees of the Jay Gould es-
tate.
L.; March Miss Could, with many
oAic.u.s of the Gould roads and their
wives left ST. Louis on a o IL OF the
association branches. In the party
was Mr.. Shepard. He is assistant to
the president" b. +. Bush. OF the
Missouri Pacific, Iron Mountain and
1.-THE Denver & Rio Grande railroads.
Interested in Project.
During the trip Mr.. Shepard and
Miss Gould were in each others COM
pany much OF the time and he seemed
to take a keen interest in the project
which Miss Could was %furthering.
When the trip ended the friendship
had grown to the stronger sentiment
and after Miss Gould's return to
New York constant communications
and visits resulted in the betrothal
announcement.
Mr.. Shepard entered railroad SER
vice in the general offices OF the Nor
thern Pacific at st. Paul in 1899. Az
ter he had advanced to assistant gen.
eral manager of that road he left in
1907 to go to the Atchison, Topeka
and Sante Fe at Chicago. The follow
ing year he was advanced to general
superintendent in charge OF the coast
lines of the Santa Fe with headquart-
ers at Los Angeles. where he remain
ed three years, leaving to engage in
private business with railroad con-
nections. He went to the operating
department. of the Missouri Pacifi
and Iron Mountain in June 1911.
When Mr.. Bush, president OF the
system, was chosen also to head the
Denver and Rio Grande, in January
If this year, Mr.. Shepard was select
ID as his assistant. Recently he was
appointed assistant to Mr.. Bush on
the Missouri Pacific and Iron Noun
tain road.
Is .All-Around Athlete.
Mr.. Shepard is we'll up in musical
matters and has IL natural fondness
for books. He is an athlete and has
been a good football player. "A base
ball pitcher, Il good oar man and Il
100-yard sprinter.
When Mr.. Gould was asked il he
has anything to say concerning the
engagement of his sister. he laughed
and remarked:
There will be nothing more. eX-
cept that this engagement is most
pleasing to Mrs. Gould and myself
There are few American women of
the day more widely known here and
abroad than Miss Gould. Her gifts
10 educational, religious and civic in
situations have placed her among the
great philanthropists of the present
time.
Miss Gould is n of the six child
rem Of the late Jay Gould, who left an
estate of about $50, 00O, 900 to be di-
vided along them. George j. Gould
received $4,000 200. The remainde.
was divided equally among the six
children. each receiving about $1O,-
900 900.
Miss Could was born in June, 1868
She was introduced to society at a
large reception given by her mother
in December, 1891, but since then has
rarely taken part in the entertain
ment of the fashionable world. being
satisfied with having her friends
about her at informal afternoon re-
ceptons.
Miss Gould's best-known gifts have
been $780, 900 to Vassar College, an
equal sum to the United States gov.
eminent at the opening Of the wan
with Spain, $4,000 to the Universit,
of the City of New York, 500, OO0
: to establish the Hall of Fame at the
university, $50, 900 to endow the navy
branch of the Y. NJ. c. A. in Sands
street. Brooklyn; $4,000 to improve
tn, army and navy Y. NJ. C. A. at
Old Point Comfort, $1,000 to the
Y. NJ. G. A. at Richmond, Va: the
site for the National Y. NJ. c. A.
building in this CITY and $40 OOO tc