Evening journal., 1892-12-23
MARRIED HIS DAUGHTER
Another Shocking Story Re-
vealed BY Divorce Proceedings.
A SCANDAL IN ENGLISH HIGH LIFE

Alfred A. Clark, British Social Light,
Plays the Role of Guardian to an uIegIt-
innate Daughter and Finally weds Her.
The Unhappy Girls Reason Nearly De-
throned by the Discovery.
NEW YORK. Dec 23.-The Suns cable
from London says Polite society is
just now discussing with bated breath
one Of the most shocking scandals of the
many that have sullied its history. The
scandal will soon occupy the attention of
the divorce court in the form of petit
tion for the notification of a marriage
which was presented on December 14th
by the Rev. Edward A. Chichester, vicar
of Dorking, Surrey, on behalf of a most
unhappy girl. The scandal had its
origin in 1874, when Aline Marian de
Hoghton, the unmarried daughter Of Sir
Henry de Hoghton, Baronet, head of an
ancient and noble family, was delivered,
in Milan, Italy, of female child, the
father of which was Alfred Aurelius
Clark, wealthy man who moves in the
highest society and whose name figures
in the Court Directory. Clark refused to
marry his victim. The birth of the
child was kept secret and the mother
returned to society, nobody being the
wiser as to her shame.
She married in January, 1875, an Irish
gentleman of good family named Fitz-
gerald. She spent the greater part of
her time until her DEATH a few years ago
on the Continent. Her betrayer, mean
while, had married There is reason to be-
lieve that the mother heavily lowered
her daughter born at Milan. II is not dis
puted at any rate, that Clark posed be
fore the world as the girls guardian.
Every care was taken with the girl s
education, which until five years ago was
received mainly in France and Italy.
Posed as Her Guardian.
In 1887 Clark brought his illegitimate
daughter from a French nunnery to
Little Hampton, where they lived at the
Beach Hotel as guardian aud ward. No
pains or expense were spared in perfect
ing the young girl of IA in various ac-
complishments. French and Italian she
spoke naturally and perfectly and
special teachers were engaged for music
and English, the supposed guardian
taking keen and apparently fatherly in
terest in her progress. This life, with
occasional trips TO neighboring places
aud a short school term at Clever, neal
Windsor continued until 1890, when the
guardians wife died Some mont his
afterward he proposed marriage to his
supposed ward and actual daughter and
was accepted
Married BY Her Father.
The marriage took place in London
and father and daughter thenceforwarC
1fvad 20 oVa xuffa IL
March, 1892, the girl, then only Is years
of age. gave birth to a baby boy, and il
July following the unhappy childmoth
er discovered that her guardian was no
only her husband, but also her owl
father and father of her infant. TIL,
awful discovery nearly deprived her o
reason. She was practically friendless
The fact of the marriage had been kept
secret. Clark's own two Legitimate
daughters, with whom he resided in
charming mansion in KeDsingtol
knew nothing Of it as he an
his daughter. wife had lived in an
other house.
Every effort was made by Clark t,
coerce the girl into remaining with him
but she resolutely refused, and fnall
obtained the shelter of a family, som
members of which had assisted in he
education These people, after grav
consideration, placed the matter befor
the Rev. Mr. Chichester a gentlema
well known for his benevolence and pre-
bity, and he took the girls cause int
his hands
It is believed that Clark relies upo
the difficulty that exists of proving tha
he was other than guardian of the girl
as the birth of the child in Milan in 1877
was, for obvious reasons, kept absolutel
secret, and adequate legal proof of tn
fact will in consequenc, b. very hard
obtain. Clark was in London to da,
although there were rumors that he ha
fed the country.