The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-06
VANDERBILTS ARE DIVORCED
The Much-Talkcd-Of Separation Le-
qally Affected at Last.
WHO is NELLIE NEUSTRETTER ?
A Woman with q Reputation Reaching
Over Two Continents Is Mentioned in
Connection with the Casc-Rcport
of Referee Scaled.

New York. March 5.-Judge Barrett,
Of the supreme court, this afternoon
granted decree of absolute divorce in
favor of Mrs. Alva Il. Vanderbilt from
her husband, William X Vanderbilt the
well known millionaire. AS all of the
testimony and the report of the referee
have been sealed, no facts can be as
certained as to the parties who are
implicated with Mr.. Vanderbilt. AL
though a liberal allowance has been
| granted Mrs. Vanderbilt there Is no
record of the sum which her husband
has agreed to give her The only paper
the public can examine Is the decree
of divorce. Mrs. Vanderbilt is to have
the care and custody of her three chill
| dren.
The decree is granted upon the re-
| port of Edmund Kelly, who was ap-
| pointed to hear and determine all the
issue involved.
The referee found all the allegations
in the complaint to be true; that Mrs.
Vanderbilt was entitled to her decree
of divorce and that she would also have
| the custody of the three children.
| Mr.. Vanderbilt raised the issue as TO
the allegations of the divorce in his
answer by denying the charges made
in the complaint. Under the decree
Mrs. Vanderbilt can re-marry, but Mr..
Vanderbilt is forbidden to do so.
1t is said that Mrs. Vanderbilt has ar
ranged to sail for Europe tomorrow
for a long visit. She will be accom-
panied by her three children. The story
of the trouble in the Vanderbilt family
first came to the knowledge of the pub
lie last August, when a cable dispatch
from Paris stated that formal negotia-
tions were then in progress for ju-
dicial separation between William X.
| Vanderbilt and his wife.
Woman in the Case.
The name of Nellie Neustretter, q
very well known woman living in Paris
was mentioned in connection with
these proceedings. She had recently eS-
tablished herself in expensive apart
ments in Paris and at Deanvlle, with
an elaborate encourage of servants.
The domestic difficulties between Mr..
and Mrs. Vanderbilt reached almost u
climax last spring when the party on
the splendid yacht Valiant broke up in
the Mediterranean under circumstances
which at once widely separated all its
members. William X. Vanderbilt, who
is known to his intimates as "Willie,"
is the second son of the late William
II. Vanderbilt. When William II. Van
derbilt died he willed $l0,0O0,OOO outright
to each of his children. The residue of
the estate, estimated at 800, 100000, was
equally divided between his two oldest
sons, Cornelius and William X. Since
then it is believed to have increased
largely.
William X. Vanderbilt was 26 years
old when he first met the woman who
afterwards became his wife. She was
Miss Alva Smith, a young southern
woman, and one of the three sisters
noted for their beauty. Miss Smiths
family was not wealthy. They were
residents of Mobile and came, of eX-
celient stock. After his marriage Will
lam X built splendid grey stone house
at the corner of Fifty-second street and
Fifth avenue at cost of about $S,000,-
0O0 A few years later he built a sump-
tuous marble house at Newport, which
cost 81 O0o, 900 and which he gave to his
wife.
Were Prominent in Soc cicty.
Much OF the 1afnlly = time mas Deen
spent abroad. The family entertained
a great deal, and Mr.. and Mrs. Wander
bilt figured prominently in society, both
lin this country and abroad.
Although Mr.. Vanderbilt has always
been lover of pleasure, he has worked,
too. At the age of &c he was made sec
ond ice-president of the New York
Central railroad, which place he held
for six years, when he became president
of the Nickel Plate road. Mrs. Wander
bilt Is now about "a years old. She has
a pretty face and handsome figure.
She has always been conspicuous for
her costumes and diamonds, and has in
the past few years entertained largely.
Nellie Neustretter, the young woman
who is said to be the cause Of the fami-
ly troubles, is well known in San Fran
cisco. She Is a native Of Eureka, New,
resided for a number of years in San
Francisco, and has frequently figured
in escapades that have won her noto-
riety, both in the new and old worlds.
She is about 20 years old.
About month ago Nine. Neustretter
gave birth to male child at her home
in Paris.
-