The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-12-11
SEIZURES MAY
HIT U.S., WIVES
WED TO TITLES
Fortunes of American
Women of Alien Mobiles
Subject to War Law.
COUNTESS SZECHENYI ONE
Reports on All Enemy Owned
Property Must Re Filed
This Month.
COUNTESS szECHENYI ONE

Special Despatch 10 Tas st~
WASHINGTON. Dec. 10.--If Countess
Lazlo Szechen.i. former Gladys Wander
bilt. and Countess Anton Sigray former
Harriet DAILY. daughter OF the late
Marcus DAILY and sister OF Mrs. James
W. Gerard, and other American heir
esses who became aliens by marrying
Austrian noblemen fail to report to the
Government by December 20 any funds
or property they may have in the United
States for the benefit or Use Of persons
in Austria, action Of seizure will be
started by A. Mitchell Palmer. custodian
Of alien property. The fight will be
taken to the Supreme Court II necessary,
according TO Mr.. Palmer.
Resident Aliens Not Affected.
Properties Of all aliens living in
America will not be seized IL it Is shown
that II will not be used as aid to the
enemy. but under the regulations now in
force Austrians will have no opportu.
nifty to transfer funds or collateral from
this country to their native soil, it being
the duty OF the Federal custodian to
seize such property and impound Il
pending the outcome of the war.
Mr.. Palmer, it is thought. will make =
ruling within short time defining all
property rights Of aliens. A movement
has been begun to bring about changes
in the American law by which an Amer
lean woman dues not lose citizenship by
wedding an alien. Should this change
be effected the Vanderbilt holdings
would be without control Of the Govern
ment custodian unless tho courts hold
that the husband has a share in such
property. In which case his share would
be taken over. The action would bring
before the courts any pre-nuptial or
ante-nuptial agreements.
xeissres - ReGin sssw.
No ruling on any Of the points in.
volved has been asked Of the Attorney
General. the question being discbaesd
only by Mr.. Palmer and his associates
in formulating the work OF seizure,
which will begin shortly after December
20. One Official said to-day that II the
! cases are taken into court and AN effort
made to separate the various holdings
and properties which as 1egaclcs are
held Jointly by various members OF the
/ Vanderbilt family Ii would be doubtful
II a clear partition could be effected BY
the time the war ends.
Corporation securities and other prop
erty worth millions Of dollars, the in
come OF which has helped to maints IL
foreign establishments. are owned by
American born title holders, snd arr
3 - tra Hgi,
the enemy act.
Any person. of no matter what nation
ality. who resides in Germany or th'
territory Of any Of Germany's ellies i.
an "enemy" or an "ally Of enemy" Al
funds of ready money may be inve
in Liberty bonds or in any other form
that will, help the prosecution Of the war
There is nothing in the act requiring
repay nent BY the Government after tn
war The property shaI, be dealt Will
at that time as Congress may direct.
Holdings Estimated At aI2.BOO.OO'
Soon after her tvcnty-nrst birthds.
(Augu.t -. 1900. Miss Gladys Wander
bilt received her portion Of the estate o
her father. Cornelius Vanderbilt, an
also a $4,000. 900 trust fund created h.
her grandfather. william ". Wander
bilt The value OF her fortune was estl
mated at that time as $12,50o,ono. ]
was largely represented BY holdings /
the Vanderbilt railroad lines.
Following her marriage in laos I
Count i.aszio Szechenyi the VANDERBILT
r estate transferred to her s54O.oo0 O
, New York city bonds OF the 1902 Mt
: year 3i5 per cent issue. and anothe
, block. making the toIal tr~nsfer at tina
3 time between $i.500.o0o and s..ooo.oo'
he tnf
. was to be paid in Budapest through
: hank to he named BY the Counties
From Vienna on February Of that yea
n IL was reported that the Hungaria
d Bank OF Discount and Exchange had RI
e ceived a check for $5,000,n00 payab
to the Count and Countess Szecheny
n In 1909 the Countess was relieved b
the New York Tax Commissioners Of II
81 900, 900 assessment on her person;
- property. Her attorney said she was
I resident Of a foreign country and owne
l. no personal property In the Unite
States,
Miss Harriet Dalv. daughter OF II
i late Marcus DAILY. tn. Montana copp'
= man. was credited with a fortune I
It Sc. .Ooo, 900 when she married Coul
IS Anton Sisrsy OF Hungary in 1910.
large part Of It has remained In Amer
can Investments.
Among other American women wi
have married Austrian MOBILES and who
property. " they have any In this cou'
try. IL liable to seizure arc Nah
=. Wright. who married Count Rela Zieh,
Asnes Carroll ~ Virgins. who marie
count Anton Heussenstamm: Rlancl
dc Wolf OF Providence. who marie
It Baron Kisteleck de Ievay; Helene
N schmidt Of Philadelphia. who marie
4 Cant. Baron Carl Cxverny Won Ger
is hausen Mrs. Maud bryan. who marie
j. Count Kalman Cxaky. and Julia SEQ
= Of New York. who married Count Georl
,e Erdocdy.