The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-23
'DRAYI0N DIVORCE.
The Astor Princess Re-
leased From Her Hus-
band Cause De-
seTtion,
STAR CHAMBER HEARINGS
Decree Filed at Trenton Surprise.
chancellor Scores the
Lady, Too.


TRENTON, March %. lss6.-charlotte
Augusta, wife Of ]. Coleman Drayton.
received her decree of divorce from
Chancellor McGill this morning. The de-
cree was filed in the office of the Clerk
N chancery and states that it is al
lowed on the ground of desertion.
The opinion accompanying the decree
Is rather lengthy one. In it the Chan
ceiior says that it is impossible to es-
cape the conviction that Mr. Draytons 5
suspicious of mis- wife's infdelity were
not destitute of foundation in question
able circumstances. at least, but the
chancellor continues there is. no decision
hoiding that husband may with i'm.
punity be guilty of desertion of his wife
merely because of suspicion of her inf
deity. Desertion is never justified ex-
cept when it is shown by clear and sat
lsfactory proof that he has been so Of
Lenued ted against as TO warrant at his in
stance decree for divorce or judicial
separation
# the defendant, saws Chancellor
defaaa dleSIdl, would rely upon adultery as a
ne must prove it. There is no evidences
mat 1t was the intention of the defend
al ant at the time he left the petitioner,
ground Of her aduteV sdlI Tor dyoree s S,a on or the
commence commence such suit in June, 1894,
tlme SO remote from the Commence
Hlent me- OF the separation that more than
t1 sne period prescribed by law within
Wnlch desertfon must continue to con-
sttute cause for divorce had inter
Ha Seaeq ana thereby a cause for divorce
nau M become available to her. and even
allef the lapse of that time his slIit was
not prosecuted with diligence
II his suit had been brought promptly
ana IN good faith after the Separation the
time consumed by it during which fhe
law does not require him to cohabit with
ms Wlfe, would not be computed as part
9a5,.ts AZ Ime statutory period necessary to the
eeesertion which will authorize a decree
Tor divorce, but its mere institution after
sucn statutory period of desertion was
ton. - o9'ei
It was the husbands duty to act ex-
pealeiously,s SO that mis- wife should not
remain longer than necessity required, if
guilty, until convicted, and if innocent.
under the. shadow of a scandalous and
disgraceful charge
no proof OF collusion between Mr.. ana
Mrs Drayton to procure the divorce 1t
wish their matrimonial relations severed.
8 Ihe evidence in the case has not been
filed, but the Chancellor refers to il.
aallels anlas ,aiS,op ,sgp Borrowe's name does not
made of zone B., peighbor, named as
correspondent in Mr.. Draytons suit against
The Chancellor reviews the troubles of
the family. One evening in October, 1879,
he says, upon Mrs. Drayton's return
nome from New York, her husband ac-
cuSed her OF intimacy with one B., a
neighbor. The next morning Mrs Dray-
ton went to her fathers house at Rhine
be peck and there stayed a month, when.
tons, and their four children went to
England
In that country they lived nominally to-
I4r-0yr ton lr11 .f14fr III,
lief in his wife's infidelity and refusing
to share her room or to accompany her
When she went out and refusing to remain
IN her company when they would be alone
1t was in consequence of this state of
affairs that Mrs. Drayton decided upon a
separation.
The domestic troubles of the Draytons
have been recited from time to time ever
since they We're. first made. public four
international attentioni and created a
great stir in society owing to the promin-
ence of all those involved in the scandal
Mrs. Drayton is the third daughter OF
the late William Astor and sister of John
Jacob Astor. Mrs Orme Wilson and the
late Mrs. j. Roosevelt Roosevelt.
:, The most prominent feature of the case
Drayton published in London In that
letter the writer said that Hallett Alsop
Borrowe whom n! he he afterwards named as
had inflicted upon him (Ir Drayton) the
most grievous injury that one man in
-1ict upon another" He demanded salts
faction. and there We're at once rumors
circulated that Mr.. Drayton and Mr.
Borrowe would meet upon the field of
honor
So strong were these rumors that the
newspapers in both continents were full
of the gossip.
Mr.. Borrowe. held. off He did not ap-
pear to be anxious for duel
Mr.. Drayton again demanded satisfac-
tion- It was then that Mr. Rorrowe
sought the advice of Harry vane Milbank,
a noted duellist and an authority on af,
fairs of honor.