Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-20
Away from the Second All They
Had Hoped to Gain by Marriage

nERHAPs the most extraordinary par
allel that has ever occurred in the
social history of New York is found
in the deaths OF Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
and Colonel John Jacob Astor.
Each man belonged to a small group OF
the worlds richest men. Each persisted in
a surprising. shocking ana colossal ocean
tragedy. Each left a divorced wife with
an only son. Each left a recently welded
widow who had secured her position as
head OF a great multi-millionaire's house
hold after some rather surprising social
adventures.
And here comes the most surprising
parallel Of all. In each case the divorced
wife, who had been thrown into more or
less obscurity by the divorce regained her
original position through the tragic death
OF her former husband and became once
more practically the head OF one OF the
worlds colossal fortunes
There are evidently some striking moral
lessons to be drawn from these events,
which II would not be polite TO dehne too
closely.
The divorced wife who gains so much by
Alfred Vanderbilt's death is known as Mrs
French-Vanderbilt. She was formerly Miss
Elsie French, a member OF a family long
socially prominent In New York and New.
ity Is Mrs. Margaret Emerson Vanderbilt,
daughter of Captain Isaac Emerson, Of
Baltimore, and for time the wife OF DR..
Smith Hollins McKim.
The divorced wife who became a great
social figure by Colonel John Jacob Astor's
death is Mrs. John Aston, formerly Ava
Willing, OF Philadelphia, and celebrated on
two continents as queenly representative
OF American beauty. The widow who by
the same tragedy passes into relative OBJ
security is Mrs. Madeleine Force Aston. a
very handsome young woman. who before
her marriage TO the late millionaire was
not a prominent social figure in New York.
Young Mrs. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
had been planning an extensive social
campaign In London and New York, when
German submarine sank the Lusitanin
on May I, plunged her into mourning and
ended all her plans and hopes, Young
Mrs. Madeleine Force Aston similarly was
thinking, three years ago. how, after a
brief period Of travel and rest, she would
embark on a great campaign for the con-
quest OF New York society with her hus
bands millions. But an iceberg, not less
ruthless than the German submarine, came
IN the night and sank the mighty Titanic
on April IA, 1912, during her maiden voy-
age. drowned Colonel Astor and with Il
his wife's hopes,
BY her former husbands death Mrs.
French Vanderbilt was restored to the full
enjoyment of the highest position she
could have had while married to him. As
a divorced wife she was under no obliga-
ton to waste time In mourning and to re-
main in social retirement during that
period. She becomes the dominant per-
souage In the house of Vanderbilt OF the
younger generation.
In the same way Mrs. Ava Willing Aston
was made by death once more the dominant
figure in the Astor family. Her son, Win
ian Vincent Aston was left fully nine
tenths of the Aston fortune, with the
family country seat. Ills mother, 20
whom he was devoted became his prinei
pal guide and mentor. II was even re
marked by an acute social observer that
death gave Mrs. Aston back her own son
for before the tragedy he had been com
PEELED to spend a great deal OF his time
with his father.
When Alfred Vanderbilt's will was made
known, New York society was surprised q
find TO what extent his son by his hrst
wife had been made the head OF the family
Indeed the details are not yet fully known
to the public. He acted just as Johr
Jacob Aston did when he left the bulk o.
his property TO his son by his neglected
first wife, In spite OF the romance tha
filled the few months OF his life before
his death
Alfred Vanderbilt had known and LOVED
his little son. William II. Vanderbilt. WHIT
was a boy OF twelve at the time OF hi
estrangement from his first wife. Doubt
less the imperative promptings of his con
science and fatherly love told him that n,
had not a right to discriminate agains
his own son because he had luarrelle,
with one woman or fallen in love Will
another.
Therefore he left 10 his Oldest son IN,
family homestead. Oakland Farm. nea