Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-25
AMERICAN WOMAN'S
MILLIONS At STAKE
Congress Asked to Save Them
by Restoring Mrs. De Mumm
to Citizenship
HER HUSBAND A GERMAN
BIZ a star Correspondent

Bp n STAG Correspondent
Washington, Aug. 25.--The wheels
of fate grind slowly. and so does the
legislative mill of Congress, but upon
the speed of this ponderous machine
rests the fortunes of Mrs. Frances SEQ
vile de Mumm, a Kansas woman, in
race for millions at the close of an in =
ternational romance shattered by the
world war. Unless this beautiful Amer =
lean girl, who in 1913 married one OF
the scions of the De Mumm family, ia :
nous the world over for their French
wines, can be restored to citizenship
of her native land before the French
Government liquidates the property OF
her German husband, from whom she
is separated, she will lose her share OF
the estate.
Congress is asked by special reso =
luton introduced by Senator Arthur
Capper, of Kansas to readmit Mrs. de
Mumm to the character and privileges
of citizen of the United States, SO
that she may carry on her legal battle
for the estate as an American. The
French Government is swiftly levyine
upon the estates of German nationals
| to pay the heavy debt of reparation
and the last chapter of a romance OF
two continents resolves itself into q
race. depending upon the speed of &C
tion of the two governments.
Miss Frances Scoville, a daughter OF
c. c. X. Scoville, president of the
| Citizfns' State Bank of Seneca, Kan.
met W8Ither de Mumm, German wine
king, living in France at st. Moritz. a
Swiss winter resort. She was famed
for her beauty, being described as a
striking brunette, tall and stately,
Artists were eager to paint her picture
as the most perfect type of American
wcmanhood.
Walther de Mumm was noted not
only as millionaire wine merchant
but also ms a sportsman, aviator, bal
loonist and globe trotter.
Following a brief courtship and on
gagement, their marriage was solen:
nlzed in London, June 2, 1913. It wa,
one of the notable social events of tb,
season and attracted international at
tention. The interest in the match wa,
heightened by the dramatic incident
which occurred few months before il
Paris, when De Mumm was twic,
wounded by Mrs. Marie Van Rensime,
Barnes, an American woman.
But the marriage proved failure A,
the outbreak of the world war, the sym.
pathies of the couple clashed and the,
separated. Mrs. De Mumm took III
her residence in Switzerland. after he,
Dig country estate on the Marne ba,
been oVerrun and destroyed by tb,
German invaders. Her husband. tru,
to the traditions of his fatherland
Joined the staff of Field Marshal vo,
Hindenburg, to fight for his kaiser, Fo
acts OF bravery in action in Belgium
he was awarded the Iron Cross ITnde
the terms of the treaty of peaea. tb,
French Government will sell the vos
DE Mumm properties in France from
which Mrs. De Mumm has been re
ceiving large sums under the separa
ton agreement with her husband +,
pay the claims of French citizen
against Germany.
If she can regain her American citi
zenship, she can claim the property i,
France under her own right, but i
congress fails to act before the Frencl
Government disposes of the De Numr
property. she will lose all her right
to the vast vineyards.
Mrs. De Mumm returned to tb
United States two weeks ago. and /
living at Newport, r. l., awaiting tn
outcome of her race for millions.