Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-06
A DUEL AMI A DIVORCE.
The Unhappy Domestic Relations Of
General GalIatin La%wrenoe---A
Mother-in-Law's Suit for
$4,000.
R. Id Letter % New York Sun.


The suit of General Gallatin Law
renee for a decree of divorce from his
wife is dOcketed for trial at the term
of the Supreme Court which begins
next week. General Lawrence has
already fought a duel with the person
who is named in the afhdavits which
will be submitted at the trial as part
of the proof of his charges of the inf
deity of his wife. This duel took
place in Belgium last summer, and was
a mere formality. At once upon his
return to the United States, General
Lawrence brought his petition for
the divorce. AS an incident of the
separation from his wife and the legal
proceedings now pending, his mother
in-law, Mrs. Taylor, it is reported, is
about to bring suit against him for
$4,000, borrowed Of her at a time
when his married life was happy.
General Lawrence was married
while serving as major general Of vol
unteers to the widow of Captain
Kingsbury, a gallant officer of his staff
who was killed at Autietam. She had
been the wife of Captain Kingsbury
less than two years, her marriage to
that gentleman just before he entered
the army being regarded as an ospe-
cially happyunion. Captain Kingsbury
was the son of Major Kingsbury, who
was at one time one of the wealthiest
residents of Chicago. Perhaps Mr..
Ogden owned more real estate in the
heart of the city han did Major
KingSbury, but the difference in the
estates Of these two men was not
great. Captain Kingsbury was, there
therefore, prospective heir with a bro
Their and sister to great wealth. The
sister was married to General Simon
Bolivar Buckner, of Kentucky, and
when General Buckner went South to
command a Confederate brigade he
transferred his large property in the
North, most of which come to him
through his wife, to Captain Kings
bury, to prevent c~onfiscati0n.
The young lady whom Captain
Kingsbury married, and from whom
General Lawrence now sues for a d.
vorce, is the daughter of Joseph Tay-
lOr, of Baltimore, the brother Of Pres
dent Taylor, and was a woman whose
personal charms aud accomplishments
were sufficiently great to make her
specially conspicuous in the social
circle that made Baltimore famous at
that time. The father of General
Lawrence is VIM. Beach Lawrence.
of Newport, at one time governor of
Rhode Island, and well known as a
writer upon international law. Gen.
Lawrence had passed his university
course with honor, and was just begin
ming a practice at the bar, with pros
poets that were regarded very bright.
when he left the law for the army
early in the war. Here his own quail
tiles, as well as the influence of his
family, led to rapid promotion. and in
the second year of the war he was a
major general, and one of the youngest
of that rank on the roll.
1t was said by General L~awrence's
friends that the gossip that was abroad
in the army about his attention to the
wife Of his staff officer, CAPTAIN
Kingsbury, was wholly unjust. He
paid her only the courtesy and consid-
GRAFTON that he might to any lady, and
it was not until nearly three years
after Captain K~ingsbury's death that
he married her. He had. after her
husbands death, shown that he was a
brave man, and his charge at Fort
Fisher, under General Ames, was an
incident of the war. He was the
first TO leap upon the parapot of the
fort, and he fell, while cheering his
men, with three bullets in his body.
One in his neck was thought to be
fatal, and one in the left arm made
amputation necessary. After his re-
cOvery he offered himself in marriage.
MANNED as he was, to Mrs. K%ingsbury
and they were married. Soon after he
was appointed minister to Nicaragua.
but just before sailing he fought a
duel with a member Of the
legation at Washington. The
difficulties that led to this meeting
never been known, excepting to
those directly concerned but it has p,
been said hat Mrs. Lawrence 5
was in no way involved. The duel. .
however, cost him his commission as !
minister to Nicaragua, Secretary Sew
ard reyoking the 9pgeint4egs.
80 far as known, General Lawrence ,
happily with his wife for some
years. The care of her estate and
that of her son by Captain Kingsbury.
born two mouths after Captain Kings,
burys death, occupied much OF his
time. Washington was thoif winter
and the summer months were
spent at Newport. They lived in Eu-
rope also for a year or more, and it is
believed that it was in Europe that
Mrs. LaYgegce Ant mot the German
diplomat who is changed With having
alicnated her affections. At all events
she subsequently met him in Wash
ingtog, N4ele he had como as gcorc.
tary Of the GERMAN legation This
gentleman, the Hon. Amedee Vanden
Nest, is described as a bluc-eyed. light.
haired young man. 1t is alleged that
General Lawrence, while the ac-
ggqigt3Tce With Yanden Nest with
Mrs LawteRce Vas sAI he&, disS6gli
cred a tendency on the bart OF the
German to be too intimate, which he
at oace e%gRRFesapd, and flF which he
received a written apology From the
attache. subsequently, Mrs. Law.
renee went with her son, then a lad of
twelve. 70 Paris, General Lawrence
reli9lVlg ~ this eg4puY aud It was
while MIS-. Lawrence was abroad thai
the acquaintance with Yandon Nest
was renewed. Last summer aumor
spread in diplomatic circles. which
was subsequently confirmed, that Gen.
erai EggFeBoe had sailed 20 Europe to