The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-31
WHERE S|EGEL'S
FORTUNE WENT
Wife Was Too Eager to Reach
Top of Social Ladder
Which She
Did.
THREW MONEY AWAY
Now She is Attempting to 3ecure rs.
900 Per Year Out of
Hie Wrecked
Affairs.

the climax of his business troubles,
suit for divorce will be filed here to-
day against Henry Siegel, former
merchant prince, whose financial
collapse has involved not only thous-
ands of depositors in his bank, but
also threatens to cripple in none
tary way the social career of his
wife, Mrs. Vaughn Wilde Siegel. 1t
ia to protect her claim to a $25, 900
a year settlement, that Mrs. Siegel's
divorce papers will be formally filed
this afternoon by her lawyers, Rock
wood and Haldane. Today they de-
clared that further insight into the
life Of the Siegel family would be
given this afternoon when the papers
are filed in court
Misconduct by Siegel with two
women, a Miss Smith, Of New York,
and Mrs. Eddy, Of Dorchester, Mass,
Is charged in statements on the pend
Ing divorce given out by Mrs. Sieg-
els lawyers. Neither of the two
correspondents is further identified.
Siegel, in his apartments at the
Hotel Majestic today, refused to be
seen In connection with the case. 1t
IS believed that amid the scramble Of
creditors for the remains OF his
estate. Mrs. Siegel will have little
chance to collect the s25,0OO a year
he pledged her when they agreed to
separate, but 1t is evidently with the
end Of getting portion of the amount
II possible that the divorce suit is
fled
Mrs. Siegel, who married Siegel
York paper, is at the Hotel St. Regis
here, waiting to see the result Of her
effort to share further in her hus-
bands vanishing estate.
Where some of the Siegel millions
went before the Henry Siegel flnan-
cial crash, was revealed today by
review Of the career Of his wife,
Mrs. Vaughn Wilde Siegel, who is
suing for divorce. In late years she
was perhaps Americas most lavish
social climber Following is q tab
loid story Of her remarkable career:
Marie Vaughn. born in Virginia,
first married George NJ. Wilde, broth
er Of Rear Admiral Wilde. U. S. N.
Mrs. Wilde, widow. came to New
York with two children, Georgire and
Dorothy, In 1896 and became a re
porter
Met Henry Siegel while on a story.
Married siegel in 1898 and started to
break into New York society.
siegel bought a costly home at
Eighty-second street and Park avenue
in the aristocratic section, later
bought a show place called Drift
wood" in an exclusive suburb at
Mamaroneck. N. Y, and later still
town house in Park Lane, London
In 1903 Mrs. Siegel made her first
big social coup when she was a guest
OF Sir Thomas Upton on his yacht,
the Erin, and later on a trip to Chi
cago. Next she entertained at Drift
wood, Lady Swettenham. wife OF the
British governor of Jamaica. Thus
she "arrived.'
In 1904 Mrs. S:egel went to London
where she was sponsored by Mrs.
Arthur Paget She entertained the
duchess Of Sutherland and later was
entertained by the duchess when
Joseph Chamberlain was also a guest
At Victoria hospital bazaar Mrs.
Siegel obtained the autograph of
Queen Alexander a unique social
feat.
In 1906 Mrs. Siegel married her
step-daughter. Miss Julie Siegel, to
Tyrell William Cavendish. relative
of the duke of Devonshire. Soon
afterward her own daughter, Miss
Georgine Wilde. became the Countess
Carlo Dentice De Frasso.
In 1908 Mrs. Siegel returned to New
York where Miss Dorothy Wilde made
her debut at one Of the most costly
functions New York ever saw
The next two years were spent in
London and Paris.
But 1912 was the year OF Mrs.
Siegel's crowning triumphs in a So
cial way and money flowed like water
when at her elaborate apartments in
the Avenue Malakoff. Paris. she en-
! tertained one after another, the In
fanta Eulalia Of Spain, the Countess
,