The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-12-16
HELEN GOULD To
BE MARRIED TO
RAIL ROAD man
Engagement of Heiress to
Finley ]. Shepard Is An
nounced by Brothers
Family
DATE OF WEDDING
YET TO BE FIXED
No Woman in America Bet
ter Known for Her Bene-
factions

LAKEwOoD. N. J., Dec. 15.-An-
nouncement OF the engagement OF Miss
Helen Miller Gould OF New York to Fin
lay ]. Shepard a prominent railroad
man of st. Louis. was made this after
noon at the residence of Mr.. and Mrs.
George ]. Gould here. 1t was said that
the announcement of the time and place
of the wedding would be withheld for
the present
Gould made known his sisters en-
gagement ina formal statement, which
read:
Mr. and Mrs. George j. Gould an
nounce the engagement of their
sister. Miss Helen Miller Gould. to
Mr. Finley ]. Shepard of st. Louis.
FORTUNE TREBLED
Upon the. death of her father. Jay
Gould. in 1892, Helen Gould. then "a
years old. Inherited a fortune of about
$4,000 900. 1t has been estimated that
by investment she has trebled this for
tune and at the same time devoted fully
half OF her time to benefactions which
brought her into world prominence.
She began her benefactions during
the Spanish American war when she
gave time and several hundred thou.
sand dollars to the relief of sick and
wounded soldiers, for which she re-
ceived the thanks of congress. In 1899
| she led a womans movement for the
unseating of Brigham H. Roberts, con-
gressman from Utah, as a demonstra-
| ton against polygamy. Later she be-
came devoted to the interests of rail-
/ road employees. and toward the estab
llishment of the Railroad Young Mems
| Christian association she gave her per-
sonaI attention and upward OF a mill
lion dollars. Several Railroad Y M. c. A.
| buildings, others for naval men and
several for the Young Womens Chris
| tian association have been erected in
cities through her generosity
ENTERTAINs CITY WAITS
One of the unique forms of her char
| ity has been the personal receptions
| she has given to hundreds of city waits
and seIf-supporting women at her es-
tate near Tarrytown, N. Y. which in
| cludes a great playground especially
! fitted up for these parties. She never
has been attracted by society.
Only last July. Miss Gould figured in
a controversy with Rev. Elmer f.
Huffner of Grand Junction, Colo, when
| he. dealt severely with bachelor
maids in a sermon, declaring spinsters
should be isolated.
Miss Gould was quoted as replying
! that he did great injustice to the
bachelor maids, particularly to those
who were devoting themselves to
ideals for the advancement of civil
| ization AS to her oven case, she said:
IF T had found a suitable helpmate
might have spent my money in a
different way. and a way which might
not have done as much good as 1t has
Since the death of her parents Miss
Gould has been the intimate friend of
Mrs Russell Sage. who has been one
of her advisers in business and phil
anthfopy.
Ffance Minister'S Son
ST. LOUIS. Dec. 15.-Finley Shep-
ard met Miss Gould soon after enter
ing the operating department. of the
Missouri Pacific Iron Mountain lines in
June. 1911. He accompanied Miss
Gould and her party last March over
the Denver and Rio Grande when she
made tour of inspection of the rail-
roads Y. NJ. G. A. buildings. "A close
friendship sprang up from that trip.
Shepard is IS years old and the son
Of Connecticut minister who died
recently. He has been In railroad
work since 1889. Before entering the
service of the Gould lines he was with
the Northern Pacific and the Santa Fe.
When B. F. Bush, president of the
Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain lines,
was chosen president of the Denver
and Rio Grande in January, 1912,
shepard was selected as his assistant,
and recently his appointment as assist
ant to President Bush on the Missouri
Pacific Iron Mountain with jurisdiction
over all departments was announced
Since coming to st. Louis IS months
ago. Shepard has been active socially.
He is known as lover of books.
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