MILLIONAIRE WEDS IN AN ATTIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14906, 3 February 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

MILLIONAIRE WEDS IN AN ATTIC.

MR. ALFRED VANDERBILT'S MARRIAGE. STUDY IN CONTRASTS. When- in 1901 Mr. Alfred G. Vanderbilt, tho American multi-millionaire, who has becomo so well known in Europe by reason of his attempt to revive the glories of coaching on the Brighton Road and his connection with tho Olympic Horse Show, was married to Miss Elsie French, tho wedding was one of tho most gorgeous that even New York had seen. On Sunday, December 17, he was again married. This time there were only about half a dozen people present, and the ceremony took place in tho Reigate registry office, in a room which is little if anything better than an attic. His brido on this occasion was Mrs. Margaret Emerson McKim. Tho bridegroom is very popular in tho neighbourhood of Reigate. During tho entire summer of 1909 ho had passed through the. town daily with his Brighton coach team, and ho invariably pulled up at tho White Hart, where he obtained the services of a postillion and extra horses to assist the team up the steep Reigate Hill. The qualification for the wedding taking place at Reigato was Mrs. Kim's residence at tho Stream, Bctchworth, a village, between Reigate and Dorking, where she had lived for the past 12 months. No one excepting the immediate bridal party and tho impassive officials at Reigate.* knew anything of the affair until it was made known by Mr. Vanderbilt's desire on Sunday evening. Bride in Black. Both parties arrived by motor car. Mr. Vandcrbilt, who travelled from London, being tho first to appear at the registrar's office. The bride quickly followed. She wore a black silk dress with a black hat and feathers to match. Tho registrar's office is a, small, oldfashioned house of two storeys, divided into low-ceilinged rooms. The upper room, where the short official ceremony took place, might almost be described as a garret. After being received by the super-intendent-registrar in his office on the ground floor, the party proceeded along the gloomy passage and up the narrow, sharply-winding, and uncaipeted stairs to the top room. Here, in the gloomy apartment, with' its uncovered rafters, its almost bare, grey walls, and floor hidden only where a narrow strip of matting runs between two deal tables, the brido and bridegroom made and signed the necessary declarations, and were pronounced by the registrar to be man and wife. The ceremony was performed by Mr. F. C. Morrison, the superintendent registrar, assisted by Mr. J. R. Handstone, the registrar of marriages. Mr. Vanderbilt gave his address as Gloucester Houso, Park Lane, W., and was described as of independent means and the son of Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt, deceased, president of railways. There were four witnesses of the wedding, who signed as follows:— 0. McCormack, J. D. Langton, Walter Webb Ware, Roy C. Gasser. The bride's age was given as 27.

Boy Millionaire. When the newly-married pair emerged into the street rain was falling, not a soul was about, and the aspect was as miserable as well could be. The party returned to the Stream for the wedding breakfast, after which Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt left for London. Later they departed for the Continent for the honeymoon. The contrast of • the Sunday's simple ceremony with that of 1901 must nave struck Mr. Vanderbilt. Upon that occasion the cost of the social side of the ceremony alone was over £20,000, and the bridegroom settled three-quarters of a million on his bride, Miss Elsie French, who was herself an heiress. The presents were estimated to have cost £100,000. In the interior of the bride's cake were buried all manner of costly trinkets. It stood in the centre of the table on a silver trolly, which ran completely round the table on silver rails. It was drawn by the bride to her place with satin strings, and after the cake was cut it was wheeled to each guest, who took a piece, to find in the centre some gold or silver token by way of souvenir. Seven years later Mrs. Vanderbilt obtained a divorce. Mr. Vanderbilt has a little son aged nine to whom he presented 1,000,000 dollars (£200,000) on each of his first six birthdays. Mrs. McKim was formerly the wife of Dr. Smith Holline McKim, who divorced her husband in the United States.