DUKE'S DAUGHTER DROWNED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 6918, 29 January 1901, Page 4

DUKE'S DAUGHTER DROWNED.

LADY KATHARINE MANNEES FOUND DROWNED.

Lady Katharine Manners, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Rutland, after having been missing all Friday night (December 14), was found drowned in Knipton fish pond in the park of Belvoir Castle on the nest Saturday morning. The circumstances of Lady Katharine Manners's death are particularly sad. As the eldest daughter of the duke by Ms second marriage she should have become the chatelaine of Belvoir Castle after the; death of hermother eighteen months ago. Unfortunately, her indifferent' health did not permit of this, and theduties of hostess were performed by her younger sister, the Lady Victoria. Lady Katharine had for years suffered from hysteria, and siLce ier mother's death her health had caused the duke much anxiety. On Friday morning she said to the maid who was dressing her, " Put me on some warm clothes, as I am going for a long walk. Lady Katharine was in the habit of taking lon<* walks by herself, and her request" in no way surprised the niaia. Lunch time came and Lady Katharine had not returned. This occasioned some comment, but no alarm was raised because a number of guests, including Sir Hu»h and Lady Cholmeley and Sir Coleridge Grove, were staying at the castle. When tea-time came, however, and she had not returned, the household was considerably disturbed, and several of the men servants went out to scour the park m search of her. No trace of Lady Katharine could be found, and the only news that could be heard of her was that one of the watchmen upon the cistle terrace had seen her at about one o'clock in the afternoon. There are always watchmen round the castle by night and day, and at night they call the hour and the state of the weather, as did the watchmen of 100 years ago. The duke now became anxious for his daughter's safety, and every available man in the place started with the Marquis of Granby, the duke's eldest son to look for the missing lady. The task was a difficult one, for the park, which is thickly wooded in parts, cannot be less that nve miles square. Through the long winter's night the search was carried on. Morning came, and then it was that one of the policemen who had been summoned to assist in the search found a parasol hidden in a bush near the banks of the Knipton pond. The worst was then feared. The water of the pond though shallow, is too deep fov wading, so it was decided to drag it lhis was done and it was not long before the body of the poor lady was discovered.

The grief of the aged duke was terrible, tor Lady Katharine was his favourite daughter, and his most dearly loved. S l/'" ? he joined the Eoman Catholic Church, a year ago, no cloud had arisen between them, though the cfukeisthe staunchest of staunch Churchmen. From the moment of L a a v Katharine's disappearance the duke's distress was painful. Once before his daughter wandered away, and was only round in London after many days It is a sad ending to a sad life. 'Lady Catharine, who would have reached the the age of thirty-five next birthday, suffered a great blow and lost her happiness when quite a girl. The Vale of ■Helyior ls full of mourning. Hers was a gentle and a blameless life. On all her rambles she rarely spoke to any one, but her tall and stately figure and her althroughout the country side.