The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-21
HOT ROW OVER AN ASTOR.
j. c. DRAYToN CHALLENGES HAL
LETT RORROWE TO FIGHT.

ragged Husband on the Ground That
Drsyton is Not a Gentleman-Both
on the Majestic Bound for New
York.
The following from the New York Press
| is a fuller account Of the Drayton-Borrowe
| affair than appeared in the MORNING News
yesterday, says the Press: A scandal
affecting the Oldest, and socially, the most
! exclusive family OF millionaires IN America.
which has been whispered about with
almost bated breath 10 society and club cir
cles for six months past, became public
property yesterday. IL made as big a SEN
sation as would the announcement that an
anarchist had wasted his time by blowing
up Ward McAllistsr with dynamite.
At every club in town the expression
heard every half hour of the day was:
''Great Cesar This is lively. What J.
Coleman Drayton wants TO fight duel
with Hallett BorroWe because he has been
paying too much attention TO Drayton's
wifel What nexti Well, l wonder what
the Astors will say now2 This is the first
time one OF the Astor girls has been publicly
accused. 1t must go hard with tn other
members of the family" At every Lenten
sewing circls where the demure maldens
and stately matrons of society asse mble for
social recreation and gossip during Lent the
discussion Of the brand new scandal kept
the minds and the tongues Of the sewers
busy.
WHERE THE SCANDAL CAME FROM.
The scandal came all the way across the
water from London and Paris, but it lost
none Of its freshness by its contact with the
salty atmosphere Of the Atlantic. It was
made public through a challenge to fight
duel sent by j. Coleman Drayton to Hallett
Alsop BOrrowe in Paris.
Mr.. Drayton's wife was Augusta Aston
the third daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. William
Astor. She is considered the beauty of the
Aston family, aud has been very popular as
a queen of fashionable society. Halett
Alsop Borrowe is the son Of Vice President
Samuel Borrowe of the Equitable Life AS
surance Society. He has all the money he
wants, is fond Of gay life and good time,
and for many months he has been a great
favorite with Mrs. Drayton. The Draytons
have two children.
Last September Mr.. Drayton went abroad
with his wife and children and since that
time they have spent their time in London
and on the continent. Borrowe went to
London in January. The Draytons were
then in the English capital Mr.. Drayton
had for some time been suspicious of his
wifes relations with Borrowe.
A short time after the arrival of the
young man in London he surprised his wife
and Borrowe while lunching together at the
Midland Grand hotel. Drayton had two
detectives with him.
"Ahi so I've caught you againi Well,
when are you two going to bolt~ was all
he said, and he turned on his heels and de-
parted. A few days later MIR. Drayton's
initiatory challenge to Borrowe was sent
He invited the man he accused of dishonor-
ing his wife TO go to Paris, saying he had
matters to settle with him in that city.
Borrowe accepted the invitation. When
he reached the French metropolis he re-
ceived a second communication from Dray-
ton informing him that his second would
call on him and make all arrangements for
the desired interview.
Mr.. Drayton's seconds appeared in the
persons Of Ferdinand BoisAcq and Francis
Cherboquet. Borrowe had enlisted the sarv-
Toes OF Edward Fox, known as "Modocn
Fox, from his career as a newspaper corre-
spondent during the Modoo Indian wars in
this country, and Harry Vane Milbank, a
young Englishman, who has himself had q
lively experience as a duelist.
BoRRoWE DECLINED A MEETING,
Borrowe declined to fight alleging an q
reason that Mr.. Drayton had agreed to
accept S5, 900 per year from the Astors 10
keep silent concerning the indiscreuions of
which he accused his wife, and by accepting
demand the satisfaction due a gentleman of
honor. 1t was also alleged by this settle-
ment the Astors were to pay Drayton S15,-
| 600 annually for the maintenance and edu-
cation of his children.
Borrowe's seconds proposed to leave the
question whether Mr.. Drayton was a suf-
ficiently honorable gentleman to make IL
worth their principals while to thrust a
sword through his neck to jury of honor.
Mr.. Drayton refused to submit the question
to such jury and Mr.. Borrowe declined
his invitation to hostile combat. Mr.. Bor-
rowe's seconds then consulted M. Auvelien
Scholl and the Due de Morny, two of the
leading authorities in Paris on the require
ments Of the code of honor.
These two eminent gentlemen told them
that they had pursued the proper course
and, backed up with these opinions, they
sent Mr.. Drayton q com nunicatIon inform
ing him he was not gentleman enough to be
shot or thrust through with rapier
nj. Schools opinion of the case was ex-
pressed as follows
"There is no longer any honor where
there has been traffic-when honor has been
conditionally sold. AS to the taunts and in,
suits OF man bathed in the hope of gair
they are null, non-existent, without right
and without i'm ort"
The Due de Morny said:
81 consider this person as having dishon.
| OT0Q himself Nv Ills own dcS having Dut
the question OF interest before that Of his
honor, there remains nothing further fol
this person but to content himself with the
contempt which his conduct has occasioned
Refused the satisfaction he demanded
Mr.. Drayton returned to London. He tool
his children and left them in the care OF
friends in Wales, and refusing to see his
wife sailed on the Majestic for New York
Borrowe heard of Drayton's departure.
Quitting London in hurry with his friend
Milbank, he FASTENED to Queenstown and
boarded the Majestic at that port. His
friends say he took this action because he
wanted to demonstrate that he was not
afraid of his adversary.
| The two men are now at sea on tht
Majestic. There may be another story to
relate when the steamer reaches quarantine
Mrs Drayton is still in London. Her father
and mother, MIR. and Mrs. William Aston
are in Paris
! NO ONE WILL TALK.
TIE news from London was bitter pil
to the members of the three families ia.
volved who are Ia this city. The Astors
refused to discuss it. Samuel Borrowe
father of the accused young man, kept him.
self confined to his house all day, aud did
not go to his office. He also refused to dis
cuss the affair. The relatives of Mr.. bray
tor also kept their own counsel.
Mrs. Dray toms lawyers are Lord, Day g.
Lord, who ore also counsel for William
Waldorf Aston. Mr.. Day said that he had
attended TO one Of Mrs. Drayton's legal af.
= II. Ill. IL.