Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-04-07
"a Woman Scorned."
A STORY OF THE DOMESTIC LIFE
OF THE FATHER OF WILLIAM
PRESTON HILL.
OF Britton A. HIPS
Wife Suggested by His Sons Ef.
fort to be Divorced - The
Younger Hill Formerly Of
Rush Hill - The
Story.

readers informed with regard to the
movements of the sensation-breeding
DIR. William Preston Hill, who re-
sided for some time at Rush Hill
and later in st. Louis. The thrill
ling story told below was written by
one familiar with the history of the
family:
Hell hath no fury like woman
scorned."
If the saying is as true as trite, the
temperature of the Hill family has
been considerably above summer
heat for some time past.
The suit for divorce begun by DIR.
William Preston Hill from Winifred
Hill is but the continuation of a story
vying in interesting details with the
most exciting novels of Alexander
Dumas, fills, or Alphonse Daudet, of
which his father, the late Britton A.
Hill, was leading character. By
reason of the interest taken in the
sons contest before the bar of the
divorce court, a resume of the elders
career is apropos.
Back in the '40s, when the river
was the great artery of commerce,
Elihu Sheppard was looked upon as
one of the best and most prominent
citizens of st. Louis. To-day his
picture and biography san be found
in every authentic xrecord of the
city's past. A daughter was born,
who grew into q comely lass, the
tpride of the.father's heart and the
apple Of his eye.
f. HILLS FIRST VENTURE.
A shingle swinging in the river
breeze on Main street bore the name
lef Britton,A. Hill, attorney at law.
The individual who answered to that
name was young, brilliant and good
looking, but by no means model
church member. Miss Shepherd
and Mr.. Hill met at a concert, both
being musieally inclined. 1t was
the old story of love at first sight, a
short, passionate courtship and
| marriage. The mills of the gods be.
gun to grind before the parson re-
|ceived his fee. The unhappiness
continued to that end, covering 6
period of three years. A son te
them was christened Shepherd. He
is now known as Judge Shepherd
| Barclay, and one of the best mer
6a the Supreme bench Of Missouri
having later his mothers divorce
refused to'bear his fathers name
The Legislature. upon his petition
4 changed it to Barclay when hi
/ lmother married D. Robert Barclay
Some rather sensational testimon,
ylwas offered She was then courtet
;, land r6arried by D. Robert Barclay
e ahandsome man, cultured and re
J. fined. Several children resultet
= from this union, the eldest of whom
n5ls Dr.. Barclay, the well-knowl
n specialist.
1t HE TRIED IT AGAIN.
IS Britton H., Hill fell in love wit
L several women, but about 10 year
n after his divorce married woma
10 of st. Charles, Mo-, named Behrend
" a tall, stately blonde. As in tn
l first voyage upon the, matrimoni.
sea, a storm brewed at the settin
of sail, and the waters were un,
d sually rough. 1t was from tn
N union with Miss Behrend that Wn
f. Preston Hill saw the light of h
" fathers troublous world.
" The couple boarded at the Plal
re ters' House, and there occurred Il
first serious outbreak, an affa
= which was the talk of the da
among the members of the bar az
} society. He claimed that one mig
d she closed every aperture of th'
room, turned on the gas and Il
him to his fate. Unable to Ii
l. peaceably at home she went abroa
and at Geneva, Italy, she becor
acquainted with a jeweler.
7. She was a woman to attract {
h tention anywhere and while und
p the protection of the jeweler S
q q succeeded in fascinating and attac
40 ing to her train no less a pers
n. than the monarch, Victor Emanu
:. :. This liaison became public prop
ty, but was looked upon comp
Sa Sa Gently by the infatuated. jewell
an | News of her misconduct reached I
ears of Britton A. Hill and in o ra
he started after his unfaithful ma
/. was not so much love as rever
is. which prompted the journey. WI
'is Il he arrived at Geneva the pair b
e. flown. He secured detectives a
q q followed them all through the Ca
ls Q tails of Europe. Once they were
- Gated at a hotel in Paris. The pl,
was surrounded, but just as the
q fieers were about to pounce do
e4 upon the couple they mysteriou
= disappeared.
A LAKE SIDE MYSTERY.
For period Of several weeks
e. scent was lost, but found upon
e q banks Of q placid little lake in 1ts
- Her dress, shoes, stockings, hat,