The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-22
a SOCIETY AFFAIR.
Mrs. vanderbiIrs sister Sued for a
Divorce.

From the New York World.
Westfield, Mass, Aug. 19.-william Fear
ing Gill, whose wife. Edith o. Gill, is a
sister Of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, has
left his home here, taking his child with
him. His attorney has begun proceedings
for divorce, alleging gross and con-
firmed habits of intoxication by choral
, on the part of Mrs. Gill.
This fact came out to-day in the dis
trict court room, where Supt. Akers, OF
the Gill farm at West Granville, was
charged with drunkenness by Mrs. Gill.
She went on the witness stand and rela-
ted the facts in vicious manner, shrewd-
ly declining, however, tn answer some in
sinuating questions bearing upon her do
mestic troubles.
''Akers came back from a trip on which
had sent him to Westfield very much
intoxicated" she said. 81 had reason TO
believe that for some time he had been
tampering with my mail in the interest
Of certain parties, and the drunkenness
was the last straw, and / discharged
him" Her cook and coachman corrobora-
ted the story of the drunkenness, but
knew nothing about the letters nor in
whose interest they had been tempered
with.
The defendant said that Mrs Gill arous-
ed him at a. m, on Friday and made
him go to Westfeld to execute several
commissions, including the sending of an
important telegram to New York. which,
it is asserted, had reference to the divorce
case. He had to wait for a reply. Then he
returned to the house perfectly sober, took
an hours rest, and on his awaking was
dismissed. For long period things were
In such state in the house that he had
had no sleep, and little time even to eat
sfMr. (xfl left the house hafora davliohf
one day last week." said Akers taking
the child with him. After that event the
first real sleep had and the first square
meal I got were in the police station af-
ter my arrest" Justice Kellogg discharg-
ed the prisoner on the ground of INSULT
cient evidence.
The first act of the man was to place
an attachment upon the horse and car
riage of Mrs. Gill for wages which he
alleged to be due, and she and her chef
and coaehman had to return to the farm
in a one-horse carriage hired from a liv-
cry stable.
A local attorney, who knows about the
divorce proceedings. says that they will be
full of sensational features.
Mr.. GIN and Miss Edith Olive Gwynne
were married twice. In June. 1888, they
simply stood up and declared themselves
married in the presence of witnesses. In
ried with religious ceremony by Rev. w. s..
Rainsford.
Mrs Gill is the daughter of Abram E.
Cfwynne, of Cincinnati, and a sister of Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt. Her marriage to Mr..
Gill was opposed by her sister, Miss Celtic
G+wynne, and her uncle, William j. Flagg.
Mr.. Gill was forced to exercise some in
genuity to defeat this opposition. Plans
had been made by the sisters to move to
Narragansett pier, and Mr.. Gill, in order
to hurry matters, dispensed with clergy
man. After the unceremonious marriage
Mr.. and Mrs. Gill lived at No. So Madison
avenue. Miss Celtic Gwynne was married
few months later to William Edgar
Shepard at the home of Cornelius Wander
bilt. Mrs. Gill is now thirty-seven years of
age, and is a brunette.
Mr. Gill has had varied experiences. He
came to New York from Boston and or
Ganized a company which put yellow cabs
on the street. The Vanderbilts were inter-
ested in the enterprise. He was also known
as promoter of a scheme to build mem
orial to Edgar Allen Poe. He began a Sc
ries of theatrical performances for this
purpose. Afterwards he wrote plays, some
of which were successful. One of them was
1.-THE Rising Generation" in which the
Irish comedian, Billy Barry, has appeared
for several seasons. He wrote THAT Sis
ter of His" for Helen Dauvray in 1894
"A Fatted Calf farce comedy written
by Mr.. Gill, was produced in Newark last
April.
In 1890 small sensation was caused by
Mr.. GilPs arrest of a coachman for writing
annoying letters. The coachman had
threatened to expose some of Mr.. Gills
doings to Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt If he
did not receive money which he claimed
was due him. ..