St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-18
This Fact Brought Out Nicely
in Several Foreign Di-
vOrce Cases.
The Very Wide Swath Cut by
a Certain Mrs. Capt.
Stanhope.
III Eight Short Months She
Runs Up a Little Bill Of
Nearly $4,000.
A Matrimonial News Editor
Runs Away From a $780,
900 Verdict.

: LONDON, Aug. 17.-For some days
london has been entertained with
another highly-spiced divorce case,
which has we'll illustrated the accepted
truth that where a pretty woman is in
question the majority of men are tools.
This particular case, just decided. which
has been aptly christened the story of
1.-The Lady and the Two Captains" be-
gan in that notorious trysting-place, the
Burlington Arcade. where a certain
Capt. Lyon, of the Life Guards, met
without introduction a fascinating lady
who called herself Mrs. Stanhope, who
turned out to be the particular friend
of another and weather. captain.
named Warner. Capt. Lyon, unaf-
fected by this little detail, offered
himself in marriage and was accepted.
But here, as it always does, came in
the financial question. The now Mrs.
Capt. Lyon, well pleased at having
thus received the stamp of respecta-
biiity. looked with less cOmplacency
upon giving up the comfortable $4,000
Or 95, 900 which Capt. Warner had al
lowed ner, so she set her wits to solving
the difficult problem of "having her
cake and eating it''-that is, of COM
bining the rich captains gold with the
poor captains matrimonial concessions.
This she succeeded in doing. but
whether with the knowledge of the
poor captain is a question which was
extensively ventilated in the proceed
ings.
What brought matters to crisis was
an action by a certain tradeSman named
Pickett, who, in the short space of
eight month. had catered to Mrs.
Lyons vanity to the extent of $1,000
paid on previous occasions by Capt.
Warner, and these particular dresses
were entered to his account, Pickett
not having heard of the marriage with
Capt. Lyon. He at first Brought suit
against Warner, but failed to recover
the money, and then sued Capt. Lyon.
Mrs. Stanhope, OF Warner. or Lyon,
tried to help the tradesman by asserting
that her husband knew of the bills
she was running up and had told her
to make Capt. Warner pay them.
This was conclusively shown to
be false from her own letters,
apart from the deDials of Capt. Lyon on
oath. A lie more or less would not
make much difference to lady of Mrs.
Stanhope'S character and turn of mind.
At any rate the jury as whole did not
believe this shameless story, although
one of the twelve seems to have taken
the usual view-that tradesman ought
to get his mOney-if not from the right
person, then from any one who came
first. On that theory he stood out, and
consequently there was disagreement.
but the judge yesterday evening ordered
verdict for the defendant, and there
can be no doubt that Capt. Lyon stands
exonerated from every charge but that
of having grievously mismanaged his
life. For that offense he has had, and
will still have to suffer bitterly.
Another divorce case is on the tapiS,
and the spicy details are already cur
rent gossip at the clubs. 1t concerns
member,Of the aristocracy. This time
to be dragged into the full glare of pub
lie scandal: and, it is said that nothing
more thrilling will have graced the di-
vorce courts this season. Sir William
was mixed up in the famous Belt-Laws
case, and subsequently in the exciting
trial of Belt.
One of the sensations of the week was
the flight to Paris yesterday of Leslie
Fraser Duncan, proprietor of the Matri-
monial News, who is anxious to avoid
the payment of 10000 verdict rem
dered against him in favor of Miss
Knowles. 1t is believed that he has sold
all his property, as we'll as the Matri-
monial News, and that the enterprising
young woman who followed him so
closely in a breach-of-promise action
will get little or nothing for all her
pans. The lawyers seem to think, how
ever, that any sale Duncan may have
made of his property can be set aside.
The damages are considered excessive,
but inasmuch as Duncan did not put in
any defense at the trial it is considered
doubtful whether his attorneys can Sc
cure any reduc ton. Miss Knowles is
tall girl with pretty face, soft gray
eyes and slim, neat figure. She 5 a
clever and bright talker, but her man.
per is somewhat cold and reserved. She
has a good voice.