Evening star., 1923-03-09
BY THE MARauIsE DE FoNTENoY
Maurice de Forest. popularity known

Maurice de Forest. popularity known
in London by the nickname of
"Tootie." who has just arrived in
America from England on board the
Ryndham, has been wrongly de-
scribed as baron" For he surren-
dered in 1920 this Austrian title.
which had been bestowed upon him
by Emperor Francis Joseph in 1893.
He Is the grandson and principal
heir of tho one-tirne celebrated Baron
Hirsch, railroad builder. racing man,
financisr and philanthropist. who,
when one Of the snartest clubs In
Paris hlackballed him. promptly made
use of his millions to purchase
the superb premises occupied by the
club, and to institute measures with
a view to canceling its lease. He Is
chiefly remembered, however, as the
man who built and financed the Ori-
entail railroads. traversing Austria,
Hungary and the Balkan states to
Constantinople. and as the philan-
thropist who enabled many thousands
of his co-religionists in Russia to
emigrate and to settle In South
America. Old Baron Hirsch had an
only son, to whom he was devoted,
namely, Lucien, and whom the latter
died prematurely he adopted not only
his natural daughter. but also his two
boys. When old Baron Hirsch died
he left the bulk OF his colossal for
tune to his widow, who was sister
Of the Belgian banker Bischoffsheim.
She became very fond Of these grand
children OF hers, and when she in turn
passed away'it was found that she
had left most of the property be-
oueathed to her by her husband, as
we'll as her own wealth. to the two boys
the elder, Maurice, receiving among
other possessions the huge estate Of
Etchorn, in Bohemia, while the young.
er, Raymond, received the other
Baron Hirsch property Of st. Johann.
in Hungary. Both boys were In 1899
created barons OF the Austrian en-
pire. with. the name Of De Forrest
Bischofrhetn, in recognition of the
Iate Baron and Baroness Hirsch to
Austro- Hungarian charities.
Maurice married as his first wife
tho daughter and heiress OF Eugene
LetelIier, founder and owner of the
great Parisian newspaper LIE Jour-
nal, and widow Of Albert Menier, the
we'll known French chocolate manu-
facturer. The marriage did not turn
out happily, was annulled alike by
the courts andsby the church, and
thereupon Maurice de Forest took up
his residence in England. where he
had received his education at Eton
and Christ Church, oxford. After
securing letters OF naturalization and
q commission in the militia, he even.
tually succeeded in winning the hand
Of the Hon. Ethel Gerard, only sis
ter of the present. Lord Gerard. 1t
cannot be said that this second mar
rage OF Maurice de Forest turned
out very well. 1t seems that the for.
mer Miss Gerard and her relatives
took exception to what they described
as his foreign ways and to his alleged
inability to accustom himself to
English ethics. traditions and preju-
dices. in spite of his Eton and Oxford
training.
Finally, in a moment Of alteration.
due to her i'll health following the
birth Of her youngest son, she fed to
the continent, followed by one Of her
most devoted admirers. the late
Frank Ashton. q subaltern Of the
Second Life Guards Regiment. The
A6air received no end of publlclty.
ewing to q coS1ple OF senSa&ional 1aw-