AN AMERICAN DUCHESS.

Evening Star, Issue 12982, 19 June 1908, Page 8

AN AMERICAN DUCHESS.

A DISTRESSINGLY SUDDEN ENDING. The young Due de Chaulnes, scion of a very old French family, who some three months ago married a' daughter of Mr Theodore Shonts. a wealthy American, died suddenly in Paris (writes the 'Chronicle's' Paris correspondent). The duke, since his return from America, witli his bride, had resided with her at the Hotel Langham, in the Champs Elyseai quarter. The young couple within the last two months had entered very seriously into the social gaiety of Paris. The duke was a persona grata in some of the most exclusive salons in the city. He went into society a great deal, and'almost invariably the duchess went.with him. According to the official statements the young duke's death was due to a clot of blood carried to the brain. The duke, it appears, had gone out immediately after dinner, presumably to call upon some frienus, leaving his wife in the hotel. Shortly before midnight he was taken suddenly ill, a cab was procured, and he was conveyed to the Hotel Langham. When he arrived there he was already unconscious. He was taken to nis room, where he expired in a few minutes. ! The doctors have certified that death -»-us due to natural causes, and a certificate of burial has been given by the police authorities after the usual inquiry. The body was removed from the hptel to the ~esi"deuce of the Due d'Uzes, who is brother-in-law of the deceased. The dead duke was penniless when he married Miss Shonts. \7ith portion of her dowry he had intended buying back tho family chateau at Sable, in the department of the Sarthe. Negotiations for the repurchase had been carried on for some time, and the young duke, was hopeful that one day, thanks to the fortune of his American wife, he would be able to enter into the possession of the ancient domains of his forebears. His sudden death plunged his widow and the members of his family into terrible grief. The duchess is quite prostrated by the blow, and throughout the day remained shut up in her apartments at the hotel weeping over the body of her j husband. ■ Mr Shonts, father-in-law of the Due de Chaulnes, in an interview before he leftNew York for France to attend the funeral, said to a correspondent: " I got to like the > young fellow more and more. 1 had put ! the young couple all right, and straightened out their way for them to be happy. I had got him a nice job, easy and dignified. He was to be tho European representative of the Wells-Fargo Parcels Delivery Company, and also of the Erie Railroad. While we were fixing it up I got a cable from him saying how anxious he was at not hearing about it. And he would nave made good, I know lie would, and won a handsome salary in time. Those stories about the duke asking monev of us are all false." I