The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1912-10-19

conducting horse shows and driving
coaches. This has been his habit for
years and it is not to be expected
therefore that he will drop these di-
versions which he SO dearly loves, to
enter into business career for which
he has no taste.
OF late years, Mr. Vanderbilt has
spent most of his time abroad. He
favOrs Europe as a playground more
than he does his native country. His
passion for coaching found an outlet
few years ago when he established
the old coach line between London and
Brighton, and he soon became a very
familiar figure in the English metropo-
lis sitting on the box of his coach
speeding with his fashionable passen-
gers on the way to Brighton. AS Presi-
dent of the New York Horse Show, Mr.
Vanderbilt takes ranks as the fore
most society horseman of America,
and in the circle of those who go in
for such things, he enjoys great popu-
larity.
While his social position and wealth
gives him a place in the inner temple
of society, he has never shown a great
taste for the conventional functions
of Fifth avenue and Newport nor Lon
don's west end.
However, society has always watch
ed his movements with keen interest,
and it is not overstating the case to
say that he has given society many a
piquant theme for drawing-room dis
cussion.
Mr.. Vanderbilt has been married
twice. His present wife was the di-
vorced wife of DR.. Smith Hollins Nc
Kim, of Baltimore. She is the daugh-
ter of Captain Isaac e. Emerson, of
Baltimore, and Mrs. G. Hazeltine Bass
hor.
The present Mrs. Vanderbilt obtain
! ed divorce from DR.. McKim at Reno,
Nevada, in 1910, and was married to
Mr.. Vanderbilt in England the follow
ing year. The romance of Mr.. Wander
bilt and the beautiful Mrs. McKim is
said to date from 1908. During the
horse show of that year the young mil
lionaire first met the brilliant and
vivacious Baltimore belle, and at once
fell captive to her charms. At that
time he was married to Mrs. Elsie
French Vanderbilt, daughter of Mrs
Frances Osmonde French, of New
York. His first marriage took place
in 1901, and in 1908, his wife, who was
rich in her own right, obtained a di-
vorce in New York. In granting the
decree, the courts gave to Mrs. Van
derbilt the custody of her son, togeth-
er with the privilege of marrying
again.
This son, William Henry, has always
! been great favorite with his father.
Although he has remained with his
mother ever since his parents separat-
ed, he received from his father a set
tlement of $1,500,000 which is being
! held in trust for him by his mother
But aside from this princely sum, Mr..
Vanderbilt has always taken great de-
light in showering presents, large
checks, and other things upon "Wil-
lie as a mark of his love for his
young offspring.
Until recently this boy was his faith
SI SoIe nSil, Dul duOlllSl IVY UOl
to the second Mrs. Vanderbilt, in Eng
land, last September, has caused no
little speculation among the friends
concerned as to what share the older
boy will now receive.
willie" is sturdy little fellow, now
eleven years of age, and while he is
passionately devoted to his mother, has
always evinced like affection for his
father, and he has never been able to
understand why his parents do not
live together, and many are the per-
picking questions on that score that
his mother has had to answer with
what tact she could.
Mr.. Vanderbilt seems never to have
been lacking for women admirers.
Throughout his picturesque career. the
names of many women have been
coupled with his; women high in So