The New York herald., 1873-12-05
A SUBURBAN SENSATION.
Extraordinary Suit for Litt. al White Plains,
Wtsichextef County.
A scanealous rarratve-Lsying Bare Domestic
Secrets Singular Career Of Divorced Hus-
band-An Episcopal Clergyman One Of
tho eendants-F Fiction outrivalled
ty faets- The Price Asksd for
"Privsfs" ccrre rondence.

ton 81 ths parties concerned. together with the
astounding clfcamFtaness surrounding H. make up
enc 81 m mosi decided a0mcstc sensations OF the
psftoa. rhis sait, On wnieh there arc ionr others
Icnalng. n bfoarht ~ Mr. Lncy A. hacMahon
against FRANCS ). Fitrsdge her divorced former
husband. anatne ntt. gobert toblem, an tplsco-
ps t'crx, man who has Gncl fcr nA1yy srs and siil
tods tsc position - rector - Trinuy scaooL New
iofK Its oaa.es thai have I'D 10 tho present
saiL aIouad walch al he others cluster, have
aurAg the pasi isw years been ne theme Of con-
ndeAtiai gossip amonE thc scandal mangsFs OF the
eonsig. hui mare especially ia the town Of Morris
aaia. whcfe the complainant. her husband and
enlldrcn rsside. en- ogtng that laxarotsness oi
living ~hlch only b. conpatlOie wiih ainuence.
he i better knowu ~ the sell.conerred title OF
lady NaeMahpn. whose paletisl abode has long
borne he romahtic name 81 Castle Edea" Mr.
Holden aiso uvcs Ia Mofnsabia. and sometime
orciates "a ~ Faui'r chErch, while the identity
" lhe other dcienaant N partially explained IN
what ioliow@ n may ~ mentioned that the
prsscn, husband 81 tbe complainant - lawyer of
somc note ana practlsen hss profession IN New
iork. NAM years aso, ~ appcars, aad While the
complainsni Wa ,et
~ rEa ssFSs
shc iormcd the acaaalntancs of kldridrc, who y
said 10 have been n young man Of cony,sia habits.
This acquaintance course Of time rpened into
an intimacy which eliminated ia the coaple heing
secretly married Although an acquaintance Was
directly brought about by TIE mother OF the CON.
plainant who 10 ~ alleged, followed a
rather obiecuonable ealing m Leonard
street. New YORK. ana whO took q very
lively interest IN young Eidrldge at the time.
yet she. it appears never designed bin Tor her
daughter. II A. asserted ON the part oi the con-
plainant that the rowiy married pair did not live
together man and wife at any time, but that
Immediately after the ceremony they senaratsc.
each going 10 his and her home. The husband,
having had a moderate legacy let him by rela-
tive. proceeded TO ~ Louis some time alter the
marriage. expecting 10 Increase MS capital. ana
take MS young vile away from what nc considered
UsDEsfRADLg ASSOCIATIONS
In New York. According 20 the defence he failed
In business, and returned 20 ma that change had
come over his BRIDE About this time the com
plalnant disclosed the fact OF her marriage
10 her mother who at applied herself 10 the
task Of ireeing her daughter from her matrimonial
letters. she called upon law nrm m New YORK. OF
which Dennis NacMahon was partner and through
that firm instituted q suit for divorce. The case
was successfully conducted by Mr.. MacMahon, who
shortly afterwards married the divorced bride.
Eleven children have been the result tnis union,
eight OF whom are lv,ng. After the decree OF
divorce had been granted Eldridpe. II IA SAID,
sailed Tor California, where he was lost sight OF Tor
MacManon accidentally saw 10 an evening paper
paragraph setting iorth that man named Francis
T.. Eldridge was lying IN q critical condirlon IN
bellevue Hospital, having attempted 20 commit
suicide by
on reaching home he Inadvertently. as is stated,
showed the news item TO his vile, which so aroused
her sympathies Tor the cas-on husband that she
| ultimately obtained her husbands consent 70 send
ing their eldest son TO visit Edrldge In the hos
plta At his request he was next visited by Mr.
and Mrs. MacMahon, to wnom he expressed a
strong desire To reform, apd promised them that
il they would assist him out OF his dIricuity
he would become an altered man. In
view OF this promise the complainant and her
husband agreed TO give HIM yearly stipend. and
shortly afterwards secured him comfortable
boarding place at Oncorsvile, Conn, where he re-
NAMED about a year. Mr.. Eldrldge next comes on
the scene as boarder in the house OF the Re..
Mr.. Holden, having been received into that gentle
mans family at the urgent request OF Mrs. mac
Mahon. who was -
OF Mrs. Holden and a communicate In ner church.
During his stay OF about two months AT the house
paid mis- board bills, and, although 1t seems that
Mrs. MacManon at first refused TO meet or see
Amos. M day to e' take n% oas 9uu aras Sa
with her children. He often visited
the house OF complainant, where ne was always
as an adjunct OF reconciliation, Edridge, with
many others, including several cergymen were
invited to an entertainment given by the CON-
plalnant. 1t Is said That on this occasion Mr..
Eldrldge was assigned
THE POST OF HONOR
at the table by the hostess. II next transpires
that Edridge goes back again to his old quarters
in Connecticut still receiving financial support
IRON the MacMahons. suddenly however the
supply is cut on and ar. Eidiidge notified that he
must expect no more aid from MS wniIom
patrons. He then returned to M0rrlsania,
door % BY Mr. Holden, Who informed hun hun
that, owing 10 Information received from Mr.. and
Mrs. MacMahon, he could not again Ieceive him
INTO his house. Mr.. Eldridge then unbosomed hirn-
nection when existed between himself and tue
MacMahon family, the result Of which was thai Mr..
Holden took
IN the man. and asked him to remain at his house.
promising in the meantime to bring ABOUT, IL pos
sihle, better understanding between the parties.
Letters were sent by Eldridge to The Mac Manons
which were returned unopened until at length. in
July, 1870, MIR. Holden called on the complainant
and handed her an unsealed letter from Ldridge,
in which the latter, as Is alleged, threatened 70
biographical sketch OF the life and character OF
Mrs. MacMahon, which should also contain por-
all or which was intended TO seriously affect her
reputation. The presentation OF this letter was
accompanied by verbal demand on the part Of
Mr. Holden, acting ior his friend as to
THE AMOUNT AND TERMS OF PAYMENT
necessary 70 prevent the publication OF the
That Mrs. MacMahon should pay to Mr.. Edridge
the sum OF 1850 casn. and also an annuity OF
continued to his heirs alter his death aud that she
should also present him with paid up life
insurance policy for $4,000, for the benefit or MIN
although the refusal did not prevent Its being re.
peated subsequently to the husband OF the COM
plalnant, at his oiice IN New York. by Mr. Holden,
VINO s now Jointly sued In the action with Mr..
Edridge. The defence VIII cnneavor TO prove tnat
the circumstances under which the letter was
sent fully justified. the action, Eldridgc,
they assert, had been deeply wronged at the
hands OF the complainant and her husband.
Among other acts OF alleged persecution,
tney charge the complainant with having
designedIy frustrated - desirable marriage which
MIR. Eldrldge WAS about contracting In Con-
necticut, and also that, to effect this object,
she aDstracted letter from his trunk, which he
has been unable to recover. The spryate corre-
spOndcnccD OF the complainant now In possession
OF Eldrdge Is exceedingly yoluminous, making, it
T. understood over 500 folios. Its nature. lore.
shadowcd by the defence, rs such as TO preclude
any idea oi It's reproduction in PRINT The case
viii be continued to-day.
A CHASTITY INVESTIGATION SOUGHT AFTER.
Coroners Jones and Whiehill sent In a com.