Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-02-03
MRS. DRAYTON
Will Claim Confession Her Husband Has
Was Secured Under DureSS-The Cele-
brated Divorce Suit to Turn on Letter.
The AStOrS Confident

So confident are the Astors that Mrs.
j. Coleman Drsyton can not lose In the
suit tor divorce that Mrs. William Astor
has arranged TO delay her Paris visit in
order that she may be with her daugh-
ter. says the New York World.
1t is being freely circulated, and upon
excellent authority, that Mr.. DraytJn,
with other evidence OF Mrs. Drayton's
guilt, will present a letter In her own
hand writing, both BODY and signature,
in which she admits her guilt.
He thinks that this In Itself will be
sufficient TO decide the case in his favor.
1t is also said that Mrs. DrGyton will not
dispute the authenticity OF this letter.
At first glance it would seem that she
thus gives up her case. but 1t is said
that her defense Completely destroys
any effect such letter might have.
1t is said that she claims that the let
ter was written under duress, that she
did 1t entirely against her will, being
overpowered and driven TO it.
She will deny absolutely that there is
any truth in the letter.
No confirmation Of this story could be
had Monday night, as both sides are
very cloSe-mouthed, neither knowing to
what extent the other is going TO go In
order TO win the case.
This letter, so IL is said by Mr.. Dray-
toms friends, will be the most sensa-
tional feature OF the case. On the other
hand, Mrs. DraYton's friends say that
her defense against this letter will be
even more sensational.
While it was maniiestly impossible
for the Astor family TO let this suit 60
by default, still that would not explain
the strong confidence they have that
Mrs. Drayton Will not only beat her
husband, but will come out OF the trial
in such good coalition that society will
receive her with open arms. For society
to receive her thus means that Mr.
Drayton will be cast into outer darkness,
among the weepers and walters and
guashers Of teeth. Mr.. Drayton's
friends, on the other hand, are just as
confident that Mrs. Drayton will be
utterly beaten.
1t seems most probable that the fight
will center about this letter. II IL ex'
lists il will be as strong card as Mr.
Drayton could possibly play. To refute
it Mrs. Drayton must get upon the stand
and swear to some most potent coercion
in order TO get Judge and jury TO be-
lieve her. And this testimony OF hers
must be corroberated by many details
of the private life of these two which
will reflect most seriously upon Mr.
Drayton.
Both sides are playing for tremendous
stakes in this suit-abOut the biggest
stakes ever laid upon the table In
game of this kind.
Mr.. Drayton is playing for the
children, for his own charcter as man
OF honor, and for the ruin OF his vile
and for an indeliole stain upon the
escutcheon OF the Astors.
Mrs. Draytou plays Tor the children
as she is a mother, it is just and rea-
sopable to put these irst-for the ever
lasting ostracising of her husband, for
the rehabilitation Of her clouded char
acter ana for the fair name OF the wo-
men of the great Astor family.
II is a mighty game, with broken
lives and broken hearts as The inevIta-
BILE results OF the losing.
And it looks as If il were all to turn
about a letter, which Mr.. Drayton will
say his wife wrote of her own free will;
which Mrs. Drayton will say she wrote
under duress.