, 1873-12-14
THE LATEST NEW YORK sENsAT1ON


An extraordinary caso Of libol has just been
brought to o1oao III Now York. II was t1ied Ut
White p1ainp, Wcstchottcr County. Thu plaintiff
~au Mrs. Lucy Ann Mcs1aholi, nnd the dofoni1-
ants t'le RoY Rooort Holden nn1 Francis L.
Eldridgo. The circumstances wero complicated,
but The story tuy be thus stated: Iu 1915,
Eld.idgc. then 20 years Of age, Buddsnly became
posHcssed Of q fortune Of 550,00o, aud, like
many othors. proceeded to spend 1t in rioso,a
living. I1o became viuitor ut tho house uf n
woman who was nominully the wfo of ganl-
hler named Harrison. Among tho inmates Of
this nnd othor lilo housoa ILLS wcalLh bcca,ue
suown. Tho woman had Il daughter who was at
school In Canadn, and uuacQaaiutcd with her
mothers nods Of life. Tho woman Harrison
and her h11sbaud thought it would bc T. good way
to dispose Of tho daughter to u1arry hor to
Eldr!dgc, aud this was prohoaed to him. Tho
proposition was received so fayorably tlnt tho
girl Was brought home and Immediately mar
llcd to Eldridge, tho ceremony being private and
kept socrct. Eldrdgo introduced tho girl to liB
paronts as Hiss Harrison. After son1o tituc, lo
Visited st. Louis On business, lived there for
season, lost lis money, aud returned penuiloss
Ito thon disclosed Ills nlarriage, aud Liz parents
discarded him. He thou sunk into tho lowest
diespatlon aud left New York. After l.o Ind been
absent for aome limo, Ills wife sought divorce,
md employed as her counsel 31r, Daunis nTc-
Mnhon. The decree wus obtained IN thu spring
Of 1888, md In October of tho same year
McMahon married bis client. Tho McMahous
wero prosperous and wealthy, and hive had
large family Of Children. Since that time, uutl
within year or two, nothing was known or hoard
Of Elslridgc. One day McMahou read ut the
broakfast-tablo M account of IN attempted
suicide of avagrant and gambler tanned Eidridgo
and curiosity was expressed to know II he WIS
the former husband Of Alrs. AIcaIahon. Their
and subsequently Mr. mud Mrs. Mcalalon visited
linl, provided for his comfort, and on
hid recovery furnished him with n homo
mud an inoor,o ut Uucasvillo, in Connoc-
ticut. While llore, as it subsequently
turned out, he and Mrs. alcAEahon kept
up constant correspondence. Ellridgo. having
nothing o1so to do, airtod with and pnid masEod
attentions to two ladies'. Upon hearing Of this
Mrs. alcalahon suddenly stopped his allowance.
Willie at Uncasvillo he boarded at tho house Of
tho ney. Mr. uoldou, a,,l when tho allowance
was cut of Eldildgo sont Holden to her with
lotter, informing her that ho would publish
book, to be cutitled "hiy Former Wife: a
Warming to YontI,s Of Both Sexes" Tho letter
also informed her that tho book would givo
tho history Of her parents, and Of tho lives
they had lei, md would also contain all
lor correspondence with him, including US
many as 800 lettors, bosides all tho par
ticulars of her hfo. 3Ir. Holden was nu-
thorzca to toll her that this book would DO
suppressed if sho would pay him $2,75o cash,
31,2u0 annually. and paid.up Ifo-insurance
policy for 1000. TAis was refused. The offer
was thon made to Mca1ahou, aud yrs refused by
him. Suits wero then brought against Eldridge
mud Holden. In tile evidence taken, tho facts
We have given were related. Ellridgo testified
to liB loug correspondence with Al,s. A1oAIahou,
in which, ut her request, he gave detailed his
tory OF his life, his adventures, and especially
Lis loves. III return, she gave him the story Of
her life, aud unveiled tho Hccrots Of ller own
family. The original tic between tic parties
was disoussel aud, according to Eli,ilge,
with groat freedom by tho lady. In ono OF
these lct!era she sent him diagram OF
" Castle Edon." where sho rcsided, appointing d
day for him to como from Uncasville to yisit Acr,
directing him to como at certain hour Of q cor
tain day, and. If O. cortain signal was flying, ho
WIS to euter at a certain window. Ho made this
appointed visit, spending six or soyan hours III
the house, Tho letter appointing this into,view
and aome othera wero road III evidence, when Il
portion Of tho counsel Oh both atdos loft tho
courtroom together, tho caHo still gong Oh.
After an absonco Of half III hour, thoy returned,
stating that tho whole case bud boen alnicably
scttlod. They submitted to tho Court IL stato-
ment which the Court approved and placed ou
record. to the effect: That Mira. alcalaiou, when
she wrote tho scaudalous letters to El<lri.lgo,
was Of partInlly impaired lniul that thero
waB no ground for reproach upon lor personal
character that lilo Rev, Mr. Holden hhd
actcd as peucemaler only and that all the
papers. iotters, evidence Of lbol nntl blaos,nal,
1laAiug several bushels IN all, ahould he burned.
The Inter agreement waH ut onco enrrlctl into
execution in tho Court.House yard. Tho Pc
ouninry terina Of settlement woro not disclosed.
This ended rho extraordinary case.
Tho suggeRtion Of meutal alteration Oh tho
rart>of 8Irs. MoaIaho,l has somo considerable
foundation. She Is an educated woman. l,cr
husband Ia wealthy, and slso has somo intolloc-
tual ability. naspito her large fanily, se l,as al
waya hoau eccentric in many tliuga. Tho uoigl-
bors have styled hor Lady" MoMnhon. Some
years ago sho Imagined she had u dramatic turn,
and sllo made applications to several managers,
who declined to engage her. She was not to
be thus mt Oft, 80 sho hired thoasro
III Now York, company aud all, and gayo