Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-09
a WsCkEO w0uaN,S CAREER.
Why . Washington Merchant VIII Ask
Tor a Dtx ssrCe.

A chicago dispatch 10 the New York Herald to-
day says that suit for divorce VIII soon be begun
In ashington by Mr.. A. Scott Mitherbee. a we'll
known business man, against his wife. formerly
MISS Nettie Dunlap. The Herald dispatch con-
tinues: "Mr Mitherbee WAS married To Miss Dun
lap In February, lSs,. having become acquainted
with her while She was visiting the capital Miss
Dunlap. Just previous TO going 10 Washington. was
the guest 4 -le cashier of a prominent New York
panS, and wRne there met a widow lady of WASH
ington, with whom She returned home. While In
Washington Miss DuBlaps beauty and musical
accomplishments were the tank OF society. It WAS
said she Was the adopted daughter Of an Illinois
millionaire. and 20 much attached Was ne To the
girl that he had settled upon her 80 she said,
though many do not believe H. a. 600 a year The
Western mllionane attended the wedding and
gave tie Young couple several costly gifts
The dispatch says that a few months alter mar
riage the wife Induced her husband u allow her %
visit friends IN the MeSf. couple weeks later
Mr. Miolerocc ircti,ei J,l"t.n mum biahor
In Chicago asking what a." vile was doing In
that city. MI. AitlIerDce went To chicago. where.
at the hotel Richecu, IL T. alleged, lie found Mrs
MitherOee h,ing with "A wealthy NeN Yorker
his wile. Mt. MItherDee returned 10 Washington.
where he was visited by a MoiDAn who called AcT-
SELF Mrs. Buttrneld, aud iilrd 10 be his mother
in-law. lie denied the relationship, a hls VILE
had always spoken of her partnts as dead. But
The woman persisted that she WAS telling tIe
truth She told her story, and ncr recital Mas -
convincing that at tiS "ohs4usi"h alie man could o
longer doubt that he had been made tine sictIm of
a dabolical conspiracy.
found his vile there. lie told her oI her mOthei 5
VISIT and at the neililJn Of nUr name iil, Aife
denounced her fearfully. accusing her of having
made her what she was. The husband told her
that after what had happened tn'g cOIld never
live together as man and wiie. She n'niied that
had Tried TO De respectable aLd iad lOaHd tlat
that was Impossible. and that she had married bin
more for an experiment than anything else The
next day she left washington. guing, is said, 70
whom she had employed when the trouble With
her husband began. NettIe was pleniifully sup
piled with money. which At Is alleged, she ooalned
IRON her weaIhy admirers In her prosperity
she had not forgotten her foster parents, poor
people who resided at Elgin, IN, for WHOM size
pudiated by her husband, after spending some
time In Chicago, sAe went 10 E-sin
finally inducing the Dunlaps to deed The
70 Elgin by MacEey, her lawyer. NeiIiels money
soon vanished and she returned 10 Chicago where,
II Is said, she nearly died from malpractice. Later
she and Mackey went 10 Texas There NetJie
tried 10 get a divorce from her husband, but The
detectives he had employed got word OF IL, ana
were about 10 have the two arrested for perjury.
When they heard OF this they disappeared Lately
Mackey has been located IN Dakota. at BISMARCK.
Where Netue Is, no one knows. The claim upon
which Mr. witherbee will base his suit Is deser-
ton. and not the more serious charge that mi ht
be proven. The latter would compromise too
many prominent men who have fallen victims 70
Netties destinations
The Heraid's dispatch continues: The brother
OF the husband Is a business man In this city, and
when asked regarding n was 10th 10 talk. He
said, however: "Mhen I wired about the klcnelleu
affair my brother replied that the man she
was with was particular friend of Ne;iie. VINO
had sent her a costly present on tie occasion OF
her marriage. Well. some detective work was
done after tnat, my brother decidng TO sue for
divorce n the necessary evidence could he obtained.
| Ii soon became evident, bowever, that the de-
tecIives who were employed on the case were work.
ing IN the interest OF the other partics This was
no surprise, the woman commanded unllnited
means from her wealthy admirers"
"Did Mrs witherote try 10 Obtain a divorces"
.'ehe went 10 Texas for that purpose. accom-
panied by MacAey and a lads Trlcnd- The latter
was taken along 10 act as witness, but she dl--
covered on their arrival there luaI She Mas cA-
pected 10 perlure herself and she broke up the
scheme by refusing 20 ACT her part."
Tie following history OF the woman's early lie
is given: About the tufe OF the Outbr~ak of the
war a young woman named Ilaje lived near Eigia,
ILL., not far IRON here. she was ruined by neigh-
boris son. Peter MCCARTHY. who rerus'd " marry
her. He went 10 the war and was killed child
was born, and the mother parents drove her iTom
their door. IL was winter, and the poor woman
with her infant wandered away. In her Journey
she came TO poor coDblers cottage ana knocked
When the door VAS opeHed she iel taiutlug across
the threshold The cobbier was GEO. DunIap and
he adopted the child. the mother gong away. She 10
now the MIS- Butterneld who introduced herself 70
Mr.. Witherbee AS his mOtheI-ln-law.
Cobber Dunlap gave the girl his name, and she
was called Nettie. She had beauty, ana it Was dis
covered that she had flne voice, Dut she WAS
Thus II was that she attracted the attention Of
an Elgin millionaire, banker and manufacturer.
He offered 70 educate her, gave her money and
nne clothes and sent her TO New YORK. She took
lessons from q noted instructress. Sue developed
rapidly, and became the leading soprano m the
late Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's church
Meanwhile there was trouble brewing In the
millionaire's home. His wife, it s,id, was
jealous OF the beautiful song bird. She sued for
divorce and obtained Il, the husband settling Q
handsome sum upon her. lie went 70 Europe, and
IL was said Nettie accompanied him.