Evening star., 1936-03-16
SERGE MD|VAN|
KILLED BY PONY
Bride Watches Polo Game
! CoIEsion-KiCk in Head
: Causes Hemorrhage.
sy the Associated Press.

Sy the Associated FLeSSs
PALM BEACH, Fla, March 16.-
Death in q polo game gave final
dramatic touch today to the colorful
life story Of 33-year-old Prince Serge
Mdivani. one of the widely-known
marrying Mdivani" brothers.
While his bride Of less than six
weeks, the former Louise Astor Van
Allen of Newport, r. l., collapsed at his
side from the shock of grief, Prince
Serge died late yesterday few min
utes after he was kicked on the head
by his horse, from which he had fallen.
The tragedy, recalling the death of
his brother, Prince Alexis, in an. auto
mobile accident in Spain few months
ago. occurred at the Delray Beach
polo field, about 20 miles south OF
here.
Prince Serge's socially prominent
bride was the divorced wife Of Prince
Alexis.
Cut Across Line Of Play.
Prince Serge's wife was watching
the match between his Georgians and
the Texans led by Cecil Smith, when
Serge attempted a daring maneuver.
He cut his pony across the line OF
play for a difficult reach. His mount
collided with Smiths.
Down went pony and rider. Prince
Serge struggled to his feet, was kicked
In the head and fell again. Ten min
utes later he was dead from a cerebral
hemorrhage.
Although informed at first that her
husbands injury was slight, the prin-
cess rushed to his side. Soon it be-
came apparent that his condition was
serious. and the inhalator was brought.
AS physicians continued to work over
the prince it started raining, but the
princess, drenched to the skin, stayed
on the field until all hope was gone.
Mdivanis body was taken to Palm
Beach to await funeral arrange
mentS.
Championship Game.
Larry Waterbury, member Of the
original big four of polo" who was
present, said the tragedy was purely
accidental The game was the final
and deciding one in the Southeastern
polo championship. Smiths Texans
were leading, 4 to 2, in the fourth
chukker.
Prince Serge's first wife was Pola
Negri. They were married in 1927
and divorced in 1881. His second
wife was Mary Mccormick, opera
singer, who was married to him in
1881 and divorced in 1888.
The singer wept without restraint
last night in Buffalo. N. Y, on learn
ing Prince Serge had been killed.
Later she slipped away and boarded
a train for Chicago.
Prince Alexis was the former hus-
band TO Countess Barbara Hutton
Haugwitz-Reventlow. Prince David,
the surviving brother, was married
to Mae Murray, motion picture actress.
in 1926 and divorced in 1888. He
resides in California.
Father Was Aide to Gar.
Prince Serge was born at Batoun. of
Georgia in Russia, in 1902. His
father. Gen. Zakhari Mdivani, was
aide e-de-camp to the Gar during the
World War and later was secretary
of war in the Georgian national gov
ernment. The family's oil properties
in Georgia we're taken over by Com
munists.
Serge and Alexis came to America
and studied at Massachusetts Insti-
tute Of Technology. Later they went
TO California. When he married
Princess Louise. Serge gave his occu-
patton as president of the American
Naphtha Oil Corp.
The affairs of Prince Serge and his
brothers have made news for more
than a decade in this country and
abroad. He was in the California
courts in 1888 on charges he and
another brother mismanaged their oil
enterprises. A receiver was appointed
and Serge was ouSted as a director. !
A jury failed to reach a verdict as
to his guilt. Later he was indicted
and freed on a charge of falsifying
corporation records.
Prince Serge's 25-year-old widow is |
the great-granddaughter of Mrs. Will
liam Astor, who once ruled New York |
and Newport society. The engage
ment Of Serge and his former sister,
in-law was announced late in jan |
uary after being rumored for several |
months.
Mrs. James LaurenS Van Allen, |
mother OF Princess Louise, was one |
Of those who saw the fatal accident. |