New-York tribune., 1913-11-14

Hazen Hyde, once Of the Equitable
Life Assurance Society, but for many
wears a resident of Paris. The date of
the wedding has not yet been fixed
but II will take place within a few
weeks. Ambassador Herrick will be
Mr.. Hyde's best man.
The Countess de Gontaut- Biron was
Miss Martha Leishman. the daughter OF
John G. 4. Leishman, recently American
Ambassador to Germany. Her sister
Miss Nancy Lcishman, was married last
month to the Duke of Croy.
When Miss Leishman was married TO the
Count Louis de Gontaut-Biron, IN l9V4' he'
father was Minister TO Turkey. the mar
ried life of the count and countess was
not a happy one, and suit for divorce
brought by the countess was pendihg
when the count died in Paris, on Deceh-
her TO- 1897. The death of the count now
ever. did not end all of the notorlety that
the marriage had entailed, for SUIT was
brought against John G. a. Leishman py
O. e. Bodington, Paris lawyer VINO
sought TO recover 5000 which, he de-
clared. was due him for bringing ABOUT
the arrangements for the marriage.
At the time of her marriage Miss belsh-
man received many handsome presents
among them the Grand Gordon OF the
Nichau Chefakat order. sent by Abd-ul
Hamid. then Sultan of Turkey. After the
wedding the presents which were valued
at nearly $4,000. were stored in London
where they were destroyed by fire The
countess brought suit against the storage
company and recovered Sl2,c0.
A decade ago James Hazen Hyde was
perhaps the most conspicuous hgure III
the world Of life insurance Unu. 1910
Mr. Hyde was a familiar figure, TOO III
the social life of New York. Ills lather
was Henry B. Hyde. founder OF the Equl-
table Life Assurance Society. James
Hazen HYDE was born in this city in 1910
and was graduated from Harvard IN loSs'
That year he was elected second vice.
president of the Equitable, and not long
afterward he became first Vice-preslueh''
James Hazen Hyde and James W. Al
exander were trustees of the estate OF
Henry b. Hyde, who owned controiihe
interest in the Equitable Life Assurance
Society. Soon after the death OF the eider
HYDE, in 1899. it was proposed that the
control OF the Equitable be turned over
TO the policyholders of the company. MT
HYDE declared that this move was noth-
ing but conspiracy against him person
ally. and brought suit for the removal OF
Mr. Alexander as co-trustee of the Henry
y. HYDE estate. The trial of this action
the
ures made concerning the management oil
the Equitable were such that the entire
country was intensely interested. The
New York Legislature ordered an inVesl-
cation Of the entire insurance business,
and Charles E. Hughes, who conducted
the investigation, did his work so thor
oughly that he was swept into once as
Governor when he became candidate.
Mr.. HYDE retired voluntarily from the
Equitable soon afterward and disposed o.
his interests TO Thomas f. Ryan, very
much 10 the discontinue of the late II. II.
Hartman. Mr.. Hyde sold out many o.
his effects here. and went TO Paris 10 i've
At one time Mr. Hyde was director IN
many companies in this country very
little has been heard of him on TINS SIDE
of the Atlantic since he went abroad u
live. It was reported at one time that ne
was about to marry Mile. Robine, OF the
Coincide Francaise. and at another time
II was said that he would marry MISS
Gladys Deacon of Boston. In 1913 Mr..
HYDE was sentenced to pay fine OF Sol
francs and serve month in jail 1or run
ming his automobile into a public ta%lcaU
in which a passenger was injured
He is interested in French literature
and has been president OF the Cercle
Francais. A $4,000 fund for the purpose
OF bringing over each year distinguished
French lecturer was established by nm
few years ago. and as result he was
made a Chevalier of the Legion OF Honor