The sun., 1918-12-02
CAPT. J. R. DE LAMAR
OF MINE FAME DIES
New York Copper and Silver
. Capitalist Was Once a Deep
Sea Diver.
WAS BORN IN HOLLAND
Married Beautiful New York
Girl From Whom He Got
Divorce in France.
WAS BORN IN HOLLAND


he was best known in American and
Partisan business and social circles,
died of pneumonia In Roosevelt Hos
pital yesterday. He was q native OF
Holland and came to America as plain
Joseph Delamar, all but penniless His
title OF captain was acquired from ex-
pericnce before the mast and as a deep
sca diver. He had the reputation Of
being one of Americas wealthiest men
and was regarded as a keen and re-
sourceful business man.
Capt. DE Lamar. whose ancestry
was a mixture OF Dutch. Spanish and
Hebrew. was born in Amsterdam In
lS43 anG ran away 10 sea when he was
s years old. lie followed that career
for a number of years, in the course
OF which he travelled pretty much
over the world. He became a daring
deep sea diver and on one occasion at
New Bedford II In claimed that he was
under water thirty-six hours. firing
or the sea he went to Africa, where
he amused himself by trading in a
small way and with organizing ex-
ploration parties. Meantime he man
aged to educate himself and was a
profound reader on a variety OF topics.
America beckoned and while still n
young man De Lamar became identi-
fled with copper and silver mining in
terests in Colorado and Nevada, be-
coming the controlling factor in one
OF the largest mines In Nevada. His
fortune grew by leaps and bounds and
at the time OF his marriage in, 1898 his
III
from ss5,ooo,ooo 70 s5o.ooO,oco.
A KIND OF Monte Cri.to.
In 1901 De Lamars mines III
Nevada. Colorado and Idaho were pro-
ducing gold, silver and copper in
enormous quantities and he was one Of
the biggest figures in the mining In
dustry in the world He was looked
upon as n sort Of modern Monte Cristo.
1t was about this time that De Lamar
openly defed the so-called "smelter
trust" which he thought WAS en-
deavoring 10 curtail his output. and
announced his intention OF erecting a
smelter OF his own at CartePet. y. J.
He bought a tract Of land with 900
foot water frontage on the Xiii van
Kul and announced that ne would
permit no further restriction OF out
put. but would invest 100000 II
necessary. to erect a plant OF his own
The enterprising and picturesque
miner achieved most notoriety in his
search for and acquisition OF a wife
and his subsequent divorce action
Early in 1898 De Lamar came east a
mult!-millionaire and with the avowed
intention OF selecting for his wife one
Of the handsomest women IN America.
He did not know then where he was
10 find her. but was frequently quoted
as saying that his wealth entitled him
TO O woman OF the utmost charm to
grace his household. lie met her In
the surf at NarraRansett Pier. She
was Nellie Virginia Sands. daughter
OF New York druggist OF moderate
means. She possessed youth and OK
IRENE beauty.
De Lamar stood stool; stlll and
gazed at the bathing beauty. In his
mining cabin in Colorado Capt. De
Lamar kept a copy OF Bouguereau's
Aurora" slipping the dawn out OF a
cup OF a morning glory. Miss Sands
with a wealth Of Titan hair and a
superb complexion. reminded him OF
Bouguereau's Aurora"
Impetuons Courtship.
The courtship was swift and impet-
uous. They were married in New York
May 10, 1898. He was so, she was II.
When Capt. De Lamar got through
showerins Jewelry and settling a for
tune OF six figures uron his bride they
made a trip 10 his mining properties
and then to Paris.
Paris went wild over the handsome
Mrs. De Lamar. and one OF the first
things De Lamar did was TO purchase
the original Bcusuoreau Aurora
Partisan society feted the couple in a
way TO arouse the envy of every aspir-
ing social climber. De Lamar engaged
tho best artists TO paint portraits OF
his wife and after his daughter Alice
was born caused a marble group OF
Psyche apd Cupid 10 he made with
Mrs. De Lamar as Psyche and the
child as Cupid. The De LamarS. visited
Cairo. where Mrs. De Lamar expressed
wish TO have n castle in the Egyptian
city. You shall have one" said her
husband. and he Immediately went ont
and purchased the property on which
TO erect the castle.
Then the demon jealousy entered
Capt. De Lamar was called hurriedly
TO Paris on important business. leaving
his wife and child in Cairo. He went
TO the gorgeous home in Paris, and
there came upon letters addressed 20
his wife and postmarked New York
They. were from man he had be-
friended and entertained and were OF
such a nature as to arouse De Lamar
jealousy.
His Suit for Divorce.
De Lamar Immediately placed the
letters in the hands af an attorney
instituted suit for divorce and went 10
Nice TO meet his wife and her mother
At Nice lie took possession of the child
and informed his wife that he would
make suitable and abundant provision
for her. He obtained his divorce with
the custody OF tho child from the Paris
Tribunal Of the Seine five years after
the wedding in New York. For time
there were rumors that the couple
might remarry, but these were denied
by both Captain and Mrs, De Lamar
Mrs De Lamar subsequently was mar
ried 20 James II. IIatmaker, who was
for many years private secretary IL
the late Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Capt. De Lamar was identified W tn
number OF business enterprises be-
sides his mining interests. lie was a