SAFE AND SOUND

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1933, Page 8

SAFE AND SOUND

ALARM HELD FOR DUKE’S SON

UNFOUNDED KIDNAPPING REPORT. LONDON, October 3. Alarmist reports concerning Lord Edward Montagu, second son of the Duke of Manchester, have been discredited by the news that he is safe and sound at his home in Victoria, British Columbia. Lord. Edward was stated to have appeared" front Los Angeles, and tne mystery gave rise to the dear that he had been kidnapped or murdered. Mr Frederick ivingerley,. a friend ot Lord Edward at Los Angeles, stated re-, cently' that the young nobleman intended to join the Jbrench. Foreign Legion, and was on the high sea s bound tor Morocco. When Lord Edward was located at Victoria he declared, “i have no intention of joining the For-, eign Legion pr embarking on any other adventure.”.

due mysteiy appears to have arisen when Viscount Muiideville and Lady Millicent Montagu, the Duke of Manchester’s daughter and Older son, "dropped in” at Los Angeles' and called at a local hotel to look'for their brother. When it became known' that they had not found him the Los Angeles pome telegraphed news or the supposed disappearance to the New fork police. The Duke of Manchester got- in touch with Lord Edward s wife at Edmonton when the story of his son’s "disappearance” reached him. He afterwards stated that the reports of murder and kidnapping were "absurd.” He added:

"Lacly Edward Montagu cannot understand these.' reports about her' husband’s disappearance. She -tells me that her husband has gone to their heme in British Columbia. He was staying in Los Angeles, but left there to attend to some business. Three days ago she had a letter from him from Victoria saying that he was quite well. She is to join her husband shortly.” Lord Edward Eugene Fernando Montagu, although only 27, has had an adventurous life. His wife was formerly Miss Norah Potter, of Edmonton, Canada. Last year lie was a passenger in the yacht Karma, whose owner, Captain Walter Wanderwell, was murdered by being shot in- the hack while the boat was lying at Long Beach, California. He was on board when the shooting occurred, and, with other members of the crew, was questioned by the police.

"I have an unholy zest for adventure,” Lord Edward said in the course of«'the investigation. “1 wish to write, and have been travelling now for about four years, absorbing colour for a romance. This is the first time I have, met with anything serious.” A young Welsh sailor was put on trial for the murder of Captain Wanderwell, but he \va| acquitted, and the crime has remained unsolved since.

Last December Ford Edward’ was ar-

rested at Long Beach on an allegation that he had overstayed his . visitor’s permit to the United States. He wrs able to prove the Federal authorities wrong.

Lord Edward was educated at Harrow; and went to Canada to learn farming at thg model ranch of Lord and Lady Rodney, near Edmonton. Among his fellow-pupils on the farm were the Hon. ,’John Stanley, nephew of Lord Derby, and Prince Charles Philippe d’Orleans, descendant of the kings of France.

But Ford Edward did not mind farming as congenial as he had hoped. In hi? own words, it was “all work and no play.” He led; for England, but on reaching Winnipeg received from hi? mother a cable which sent him back to Alberta.

Tt was on returning to Edmonton where lie secured a business post, that lie met Miss Nprali Potte,r, his future wife. Mis® Potter’s father was the manager of the company by whom Lord. Edward wa.s employed. The couple were married iri the First Presbyterian Church, Edmonton, in 1929. and a son was horn to them in I lie following year, The child’s name is Bcferiek Edward iDferogo Montagu.