The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-07-21
Coming Marriage Of Young
Leeds to Princess Solves FL
nances Of Royal Family.
Great Fortune Built Up by One. Time
Indiana Florist, Then Tin plate
King and Railroad Pyramider
to Co to Greek Mobility.


fair way to get practically every pen
ny Of the "tin plate millions Of tn,
American Leeds family. Good old
America
The great fortune built up by the
late William II. Leeds, once Indiana
florist, humble railroad worker, then
manufacturer of tin plate, then rail-
road pyramider, is going for the bene-
fit of impoverished titles of Greece.
News came from Athens the other
day which. 1t is now disclosed here.
means. that royalty as represented by
Ming Constantine of Greece and his
relatives, have won the lone chance of
getting the Leeds fortune.
King Plays Trump Card.
And a seventeen-year-old girl was
the trump card" of the king Of
Greece in the game of royalty VS..
American millions. The girl is Prin-
cess Xenia Georgievna, second daugh-
ter of Grand Duchess Marie and niece
of King Constantine. She is to marry
William Il. Leeds, Jr., elghteen-year-
old son of the late w. b. Leeds and
Mrs. Leeds, who is now Princess
Anasta sia OF Greece.
Young Leeds is sole heir to the mil.
lions his father left from his exploits
In midwestern and Chicago finances.
Mrs. Leeds, now Princess Anastasia.
Of course. has the use Of the estate
variously estimated S30.0OO,OOO to $780,
100000 but on her death. under the
terms Of the Leeds will. the whole es-
tate goes to young Leeds or his heirs.
In other words. Greek royalty didn't
stand much chance Of keeping the
Leeds millions unless they got the son
of Mrs. Leeds princess Anastasia)
into the royal family some way or
othes
Princess Anastasia has been I'll Of
late, too. In fact, she has been so iii
In athens that young Leeds recently
rushed from New York to France,
then by airplane TO Athens, to be at
the bedside of his mother.
II is interesting TO note that Athens
press dispatches say that young
Leeds proposed 70 Princess Xenia the
day after he arrived In Athens TO see
his sick mother. He was promptly
accepted. And Xenia's acceptance
means the battered and unlucky roy.
Atty can struggle along a few GEN.
furfes more with the new riches, I'M |
ess politics or whims Of subjects |
'hange things from royalty to democ.
'acy.
Building the Fortune.
And now the details of how the
leeds fortune was started and built
lp are being recalled and uncovered.
Few persons OF great wealth had a
umbler start in life than William B.
.eeds Of Richmond. Ind. II Is a
TRANCE contrast to the life Of the
Ing. priDcesses and others of Greek
oyalty who now share Its benefits.
eeds started In Richmond as a for
It, and by his marriage In 1883 to q
'lative Of Harry Miller, then gen.
raj superintendent Of the Pennsyl-
ania railroad. he got work in the
'ilroad field. At length he was d..
sion superintendent OF the Richmond
vision of the Pennsylvania and his
life inherited large sum Of money.
Then with Daniel q. Reid as q
lrtner Leeds went into the making
tin plate. The tariff laws were
med at the development OF home In
lstries and a tariff on tin plate per-
lifted the growth Of. that business
'wn In Indiana.
Moore Brothers az Partnera
Acquiring the aid OF W. H. and J.
Moore Of Chicago, Leeds and Reid
On organized the business on a ma.
nal scale under the name of the
nerican Tin Plate company. In 1898
United States Steel corporation
ught the concern and the profits Of
big four" were estimated to have
en- close to $4O.OOO,OOO.
Mr.. Leeds and his associates in
'ted their profits In the Chicago.
ok Island 4 Pacific railroad. Those
re the good old days Of watered
cks and the Leeds-R eid- Moore
hoihe SUM huu INC itOCk lSidnu D
different institution than In the
m days OF r. II. Cables control.
eds was made president Of the road
1902, but after two years he quar-
ed with his partners and was GUST
from Office. However, he had
eaned up" and his fortune had
'wn apace.
Divorced From First wife.
feanwhile Leeds had been divorced
m the wife Of his earlier years
ose money was the nest egg Of hb
,e fortune. She received fiat sum
N,000,000. They had a son, Ru-
phi Gaar Leeds Of Richmond-who
the way received s1,OO0.O0O BY his
hers will.
frs Leeds No. 2. the present Prin-
5 Anastasia, was Miss Mamie
y Stewart, daughter Of a wealthy
10 banker She was regarded as
Of the prettiest girls In Cleveland
oh A. - IL