Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1879 — MATCH-MAKING BY A QUEEN [ARTICLE]

MATCH-MAKING BY A QUEEN

A Story in Which a New Orleans Banker Fell a Victim to Queei^Christma. New Orleans Democrat. Queen Christina, the mother of Isabella, the fat ex-Queen of Spaiu, whose throne is now occupied by her son Alfonso, upon condition that his mother and grand mother should stay away from Spain, died some months ago. Her will has lately been brought into Court, ami its dispositions have been under consideration. Her principal legacies are of large sums to pay for prayers for her own and her husband’s souls. Which husband is not stated. There were several who were assigned at different periods of her rather festive and eccentric life to the very serious responsibilities of her conubial partner. We presume tl at the will indicates which Of them is meant.

Christina was a hard case. Her whole career was one tufnult of revolution and intrigue. Her soul needs very hard praying to cleanse it of sins with which it was stained. We do not intend to inflict upon our readers a recital of her long array of vices, pecadilloes and the disasters she brought in Hpain and on all persons who were affliciedjwith her patronage and cursed bj association with her. There was, however, one of her victims whose History will interest not a few of our readera, aud will convey a useful and impressi tre moral. The story relates to a former distinguished citizen, and, for a long time, a very wealthy banker and gentleman of great enterprise. He now lives somewhere in Ohio in reduced circumstances, and with greatl> embittered reflections upon a series of misfortunes aud afflictions such as have rarely gathered around a man who had acted so creditably and meritoriously a part in. bis better days, and had justly earned the favor of fortune aud the respect and friendship of a large circle of friends More thau twenty years ago this gentleman was very wealthy, and was the leader in all great enterprises. He was the author and founder of our principal railroads, the largest owner of stock in the old gas company, and established the gaswork in Havana. His bank ranked among the most substantial in the city. He was prominent in the Legislature and in the City Council, and was a most liberal patron of the line arts, ami was foremost in all great schemes to advance the prosperity of our city.

In obtaining from the Spanish Government the grant or charter of his company the gentleman found it necessary to cultivate intimate relations! with Munoz, Queen Christina’s husband, and eventually to admit him as a large stockholder aud partner in the Havana Gas Company. The stock of this company became very valuable, and added largely to the wealth of Christina. She, in gratitude and recognition of this service, tendered to our banker au invitation to visit her at Madrid on the occasion of a tour he was making of Europe with a daughter, a young lady of much ambition and personal charms. Tbe bankerand his daughter were greatly flattered by the attention lavished' upon them when they visited the court of Christina at Madrid. Pluin republicans in New Orleans, they foere bewildered by the splendor.-pomp, flatteries and attentions of the mo9t pretentious court of Europe. The cunning and moneyloving queen-mother greatly overestimated the wealth of our banker, and set to work to negotiate a marriage between the young lady and oue of her favorite aids and courtiers, who ranked as a grundee so far as title was concerned, but was far from possessing the fortune aud iucome suited to his grandee position at court. The father encouraged tiie proposition and promised to promote it in every way. The young lady however, was not favorable. A lawyer of Ibis city, a haudsome and young man, had made the only impression ever made on her heart. Bite repelled at first the overtures of th£ Queen mother and her grandee suitor, but when her father united his influence with theirs, she at last yielded. There was a brilliant marrige in Madrid of the rich American banker’s daugbtei to the elegant Gen. Don St . which was honored by the presence of the Queen mother aud her daughter Isabella. The banker hurried homeward, receiving unfavorable news of the condition of bis finances, aud to complete an elegant palace to which he ‘‘desired to welcome his daughter and her grandee husband. He had invested a large sum in pictures, furniture and other articles of vertu. He had duplicated the order of Queen Christina for wines to fill his cellar.

On reaching the citv our banker found that the unfavorable intelligence of the condition of affairs had not been exaggerated, that he had suffered enormous losses, depreciation of stocks and had become seriously embarrassed. The grand plan of his costly residence was abridged of several stories of its intended elvation, and the orders for its ornamentation and equipment were countermanded. It became necessary for.him to hull in and trim his sails, to economize and husband his resources, and to give up his great energies and enterprise, and resume his labor as a banker aud operator. Thus even with his greatly reduced capital, he would in a few years restore his fortunes and resume his position in tbe financial world.

But, alas! he had, in the confidence of a father, informed his daughter of the change in his condition, and suggested a postponement of her visit to her old home. , The young lady did not act upon the hint, but hastened to the city, where she surprised her father in the midst of manly contest with financial troubles. The daughter reminded him of what great need she had of large sums to maintain the high state into which she bad married. As an heir to her mother her claim was a large one. The withdrawal of so large a sum would cripple him and prevent the recuperation of his fortune, and necessitate the sale of his elegant residence and his large domain. The daughter, however, was inexorable in her demands. It was through the father’s influence she bad married the Spanish grandee. He had instigated her visit and required her to exact from her father and payment of the sum due her. She became his most importunate and unrelenting creditor; placed her claim in the hands of a lawyer; compelled her father to tnake large sacrifices of securties, and finally sell his elegant establishment on Wash-

ngton avenue, with all its valuable pictures, precious articles of vertue and art, and its unequalled cellar of the best wines ever imported. Thus out- banker exhausted himself to satisfy the demands of his daughter, who returned" to Madrid laden with the remnants of a once splendid fortune, which she confided to her hidalgo husband. He quickly squandered the same on his own pleasures, and then, growing cold and neglectful to his wife, she abandoned him, and, returning to the United States, has ever since lived in gloomy retirement and straightened circumstances. Thus one of the most liberal and entd prising of our merchants and bankers was driven from our city. He fixed his residence at the North, engaged again in business, and in a measure regained a high position in the financial world. Whatrhave been the vicissitudes and incidents- of his career for the last fifteen years we axe not informed, nor are curious to k'now, since learning of his desolate and secluded retirement from the active, world, and his reduced circumstances. i

His elegant residence on Washington avenue, with all its costly pictures and highly improved grounds, is now occupied by the wealthiest citizen, a great planter and merchant and bachelor, who, having no relatives in the world and no creditors, is little disturbed with anxieties respecting the disposition of his magnificent estates after his death.