New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-05
DUKE Of LEEDS HERE
cngIand'S Greatest Gin Disti||er.
Who Owes All to a Cat.

The Duke Of Leeds who will arrive here
to-day on the Oceanic, to visit America for
the first time in his life OF already some
fifty years length. is perhaps one Of the
most interesting men belonging to Eng
lands best arstoCracy. To begin with his
dukcdom is an old one, which is rarely the
case I'm Great Britain. and as to his family
nhc Osbornes). they belonged to the Brit
r,h knighthood as far back as 1850
George Godolphin Osborne. tenth Duke Of
Leeds and Marquis of though
not prince Of the Holy Roman Empire. as
many Thinks a very charming as well as
a very talented "seigneur" and celebrated
yarhtsman. being vice commodore of the
ROYAL Yacht Squadron. the premier yacht
ing club Of the world. He is slim. rather
sad faced and looks much younger than
hi, age. and. odd as it may seem, he is
1870 the greatest gin dstiller in Great
Britain
lJio estates arc mostly rather unproduc-
Nv lands. Juniper bushes being proverbial-
T. fond 81 Just such ground ii was found
practical as well useful to let the fra
grant little treelets have their own prickly
wav. with the result that to-day his grace
~ Leeds is the chief owner, and manager
~ well. If Holland X cos huge gin distil-
lerv at D"ptford.
FUNNY. also. is il that he should he still
known to his intimate friends by the nick
name uf Dolly Carmarthen." which was
given go him while nc was still Lord Car
-arthcn. wears ago.
Soraly against his own desire he has al
uays filled large space in the public eve.
for rc is Of quiet. retiring disposition. cN-
ceptinc when i'm the hunting field or else
cruising rsstime hiCh he and his wife
consider more I'm the serious way real sail
or- do than a. q mere amusement. In
deed ~ Is said Of him and with great
truth. TOO. that he has thrown back TO
~. ancestor. the second duke. who was a
captain IN tho royal navy. and thoroughly
deserved tho compliment paid him TO the
effect that "hc knew and understood all
parts Of sailor. and OF sailors work
v.-U" Ho also contrivcd to invent ship
called tho ROYAL Transport. which under
'rs command Of on" captain Billion gained
q, irs -anovu for herself. her inventor ana
hrr gon1mardor 'u 80"
Whatever WAY ono may glance it g cor
tan thst the present Duke Of Leeds has
done n great deal Of varied work, and al
vaye With that quiet cfiCiency which
mean, =" much IN these days Of haste and
turmoil Ho is a first class gun, splendid
rider and has distinguished himself in Par
lament as we'll as i'm amy other duty he
over aseGmed.
Tho duchess. horn Lady catherine
Frances Lambton. 4 sister Of the Earl Of
Durham is VOL known as a writer Of
rrottv novelcttcs and dainty. II a trihe mys-
teal verses This trait is particularly re-
Slra IA If
r,aphuc Also. she has Veritab bic gift
fo~ rhe description of scenery. She is oN-
t-cmc)v fond OF Italy. and. being somewhat
dcucat. spends a few months Of every
year there. or else on the French Riviera
whore she has a beautiful place, and where.
~ she herself says her cloud dreams al
WAYS take the prettiest shapes.
Iu the great hall Of the 'Clothworkers
Company. in MnCing Lane. i TO be seen
tass-rclief representing Edward Osborne
an ancestor i'm the male line of tn duke.
re,cuinC from the swift Thames tide his en-
ployer's infant daughter. This took place at
the time when great and powerful mer-
chants had their houses on old London
Bridge. Playing at the lattice window. the
little girl escaped from her nurses arms
and in one bound fell clean into the fierce
eurrent below. Youfg Osborne only newly
arrived from the shircs, and, as was some
times the case then for younger sons, APP
rrcuticed TO William Hewitt. the very i'm
rortant and wealthy father OF the child.
.eeing the accident from another window,
lespsd into the water and caught her just
as she was about to be thrown against the
eide Of q great barge.
Later on Edward Osborne married Mis-
'ress Anne Hewitt. who had grown into
lovely girl. end whose hand was greatly
sought after. He. himself. was made Lord
Mayor Of London. and knighted. after
which he bought an ancient manor house
aud sent his two boys TO live there with
their mother, awaiting the time when he
could ioin them.
NOW. one stormy morning, when the lads
we're called by their tutor 10 begin their
lessons in a turret that fanked the build
ing the elder boy dutifully obeyed. But
tho younger. lettering q bit, happened to
lrh, upon a cat. with which he always de-
lighted To play. and crep, after her to
catch her under a heavy table, the table
hcins covered with a carpet hanging down
to The floor.
The next minute" so the story contin-
ues "a terrible rush of wind overthrow the
turret IN which the elder boy and the tutor
sat at work, crushing them to death. Sup
posing that both her sons were there, Lady
Osborne thereupon fell into commissions.
Happily, one Of the maids. subsequently,
running in a distracted manner from room
10 room in an almost unused portion OF
the mansion. caught sight of a small boy
peeping from under the table With a cat In
mis- arms Snatching him up. she carried
him off TO his mother. the little fellow
calling desperately all the while: i pray
thee do not whip me-" " So the cat was
the preserver Of the ducal line OF Leeds.
Hornby Castle the North Riding Of York
shire residence Of the Duke and Duchess OF
Leeds, makes, with it's towers and castel-
lated walls, a wonderful picture OF ancient
and solid magnihcence. The gardens and
grounds sloping toward the river. are ex-
ouisitely beautiful, as well as exquisitely
kept. and the inside Of the great building
is worthy Of its outside. for 1t contains
marvellous pictures and antiques.
MARQUISE DE FONTENOY.