Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-06
ABSOLUTE DIVORCE
Granted Mrs. w. K. Vanderbilt
from Her Husband.
Unusual Secrecy About the M4t:er,
But Details viii Out.
Willie's Wild Life With Nellie Neustrciter
Caused the Trouble.

| uecree OF absolute divorce IN favor OF
Mrs. Alva f. Vanderbilt from her husband,
VIM. X. Vanderbilt the well-known mil
lionaire As all the testimony and the
report of the referee is sealed, no facts can
be ascertained as to the parties who are
implicated with Mr.. Vanderbilt.
| Although a liberal allowance is granted
Mrs. Vanderbilt, there is no record of the
sum 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
children.
| The decree is granted upon the report
of Edmond Kelly, appointed to hear and
determine all the issues involved. The
cecree provides that it is lawful for Mrs.
Vanderbilt to marry again, but declares
| it will not be lawful for Mr. Vanderbilt
t. again wed.
| VIM. X. Vanderbilt is in England. 1t
is understood by friends of both parties
that he left behind him papers signed and
sealed, in which he directed Mrs Wander
bilt to receive an annual income of $3.50,
600 for the rest of her life and the use of
the 9Th Avenue and Newport houses dur
ing the minority of the children.
ton was brought on the ground of the de-
fendant's adultery; that the plaintiff and
defendant We're married in this city, April
%, 1875; that the defendant was guilty of
the acts of adultery charged in the com
plant; that there has been no Judgment
in any court of any state against the
plaintiff and in favor of the defendant for
divorce on the ground of adultery or other
%Int% LOT, to hn ,ar
person tc have the care and custody of
the children of the marriage; that the de-
PENDANT is a man of considerable means
and able to provide for his wife and
family; that the complainant is entitled
to a suitable provision for the support Of
herself and the education and maintenance
of the children.
The hearing adjourned until this day,
and the plaintiff presented an agreement
making due provision for the education
and maintenance of the children and the
support of the plaintiff, dated Jan. 10,
1895, and the plaintiff duly waived and
relinquished all right and claim to have
any such provision required to be made
by this court herein.
1t is decreed that the plaintiff, Alva e.
Vanderbilt, and the defendant, William
X. Vanderbilt, hereby are divorced. 1t
is also adjudged that the plaintiff be per-
mitted to marry again during the life of
william X. Vanderbilt. 1t is decreed
that William X. Vanderbilt be not per-
mitted to marry during the life of said
Alva +. Vanderbilt. 1t is ordered that
said William X Vanderbilt be permitted
to visit said children at all proper times.
1t is ordered that the children receive an
education in the United States upon the
consent of both parties through their
lawyers in court.
The three children are Consuelo, born
March 2, 1877; William X, Jr., born
Oct 6, 1878; Harold S., born July 6,
1884.
Justice Barrett said he had had the re-
port of the referee and the transcript of
the testimony since early in February.
Il was sick, he said "or / would have
signed the decree long ago. Today is the
first day have spent in court since my
illness. Mr.. Vanderbilt made ample pro
vision for his wife He formally agreed
to pay her lump sum. / am not at
liberty to mention the amount, but it is
considered entirely sufficient by Mrs.
Vanderbilt and her attorneys"
/. 1t is said that Mrs. Vanderbilt
has arranged to sail for Europe,
tomorrow, for long visit. She will be
accompanied by her three children.
The referee and counsel on both sides
We're interviewed, but declined to say any
thing about the case Domestic tronbles
between Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt first
became public gossip in social circles,
last August when cable dispatch from
,r;- thot MrS NanIorhi1t
was arranging to institute divorce pro-
ceedings against her husband. Later the
news came from Paris that the woman
would be named as the correspondent was
Nellie Neustretter.
The first indication that all was not as
it should be between Mr.. Vanderbilt and
his wife, was the breaking up of the
party on the yacht Valiant which had
been cruising in the Mediterranean.
After leaving the yacht Mrs. Vanderbilt
went to England, and it was announced
that Cornelius Vanderbilt tried to bring
about reconciliation between William
X Vanderbilt and his wife, but that
Mrs. Vanderbilt refused ever to again
live with her husband.
In August, Mrs Vanderbilt retained
William Jay to begin divorce proceedings.
Shortly after this it was stated that Mrs.
Vanderbilt had declined proposition for
compromise The proposition sub
mitted to her was, it is said, that she
should consent to separation and Mr.
Vanderbilt would give her 100000
the custody of her children, possession Of
the three houses at Newport Islip and
this city.
Then came the stories from Paris that
Mr.. Vanderbilt was leading very gay
life and was spending money in way
that made all Paris wonder and talk.
These stories were denied by Mr.. Wander
bilr's friends, who denounced the state
ments as false that he had established
Nellie Neustretter as his mistress.
September 2s Mrs. Vanderbilt. with
her three children, arrived in this city.
and went at once to Newport. where
family council was held 1t Is said Il at
another effort was made to induce Mrs.
Vanderbilt to keep out of the divorce
court, but she would not do as her family
Continued on page 81