Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-10-15
NELLIE GRANTS WOE.

The newspaper gossip about an unpleas.
antness existing in the married relations OF
Mrs. Nellie Grant Sartoris and her husband
does not surprise those who were familiar
with their courtship. 1t is stated that she
will soon institute proceedings for divorce.
Those who were in Washington during the
months preceding her wedding in the White
House, May 81, 1874, are not surprised to
hear that Mr.. Sartoris proved neglectful
husband. They were frequently at the
same parties during the winter and spring
of 1874 and comment was constantly made
as to his being so negligent of her.
At the same time it was known that he
was paying marked attention to young
married lady in Washington whose husband
was then absent and that he sent that lady
bouquet and a note on the morning he
was married 1t was thought that he was
actuated by desire to marry the Presi-
dents daughter and that he had little ap.
probation for the simple, maidenly virtues
of Nellie Grant, who was never a snowy
girl in manner or appearance. Miss Nellie
was girl of sweet disposition and gentle
manners, while Sartoris was rough, coarse
grained and decidedly vulgar, low bred Eng
lishman. His conduct, in connection with the
fact that he had exhibited some of Miss Mel.
lies letters to him, accompanied with gross
remarks, to persons in a Wisconsin town,
where an accomplished young lady had re-
iected bis addresses, caused solicitude among
many of General Grants personal friends,
and some of them consulted as to the pro-
prety of informing him of Sartoris' conduct
with avew of regaining possession of Miss
Nellie's letters.
Algernon and his father came over to this
country in the steamer Russia for the pur
pose of looking after some lands the father
owned in Wisconsin, and the son was sub.
seauently left there to look after the lands.
1t was on the steamer Russia that he met
Miss Graut. 1t was after the courtship be-
gan on the steamer, where they saw moro
of each other than at any subsequent time
until their marriage, that Mr.. Sartoris
courted the young lady in Wisconsin, SO he
was in point Of fact courting two girls, one
OF them the daughter of the President of the
United States, at the same time.
President Grant was greatly depressed al
the time of his daughters marriage and
Mrs. Grant said within week before the
marriage that she regretted that Nellie had
chosen foreigner for husband, and added
that she had always hoped that Nellie would
marry some young army or navy officer.
Mr.. Sartoris' neglect Of his bride on the
Baltic, on which vessel they left New York
excited the greatest indignation among the
American travellers, and this Indignation
came near being made public then, especi-
ally when on their landing in England it
was found that he had made no arrange
ments to ensure her being made comfortable
on their arrival He was then about twenty
three years old, but seemed totally devoid
of any idea of how to take care of any one
hbut himself. His bride, who was seasick
all the time on the voyage to England, had a
very unhappy honeymoon.
Mr.. Sartoris' father, Mr.. Edward Sartoris,
has been from the first devoted to her and
has kept her with him as much as possible.
He lives on his own property in the country,
near Southampton, England. He was very
we'll off at the time of his sons marriage
and had previously been member of Parli-
ament. His wife, Adelaide Kemble, as a
singer, was favorably knownal over Europe