Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-02-22
WESTMINSTER A CORRESPOND
Emf

ENT.
The Duke OF Westminster, who was
on Saturday married to Miss shelaeh
CornwsllIs-West, and who ia the rich
est peer in England. Is named as CO.
respondent In suit for divorce filed by
Msior I. J. AthertoD, second In COM
mand of the Twelfth prince of Wsles's
RoyaD Lancers. The Major charges
his wife, Mrs. Mabel Louisa Aiherton,
with undue intimacy With the Duke,
and has retained q lawyer who is look
ed upon as the leader of the divorce
court bar.
The case cannot be aired 10 court for
some months, aud possibly not before
the autumn, and the friends OF the re-
Gently married Duke may yet succeed
10 compromising the matter and pre-
venting trial. But, ss Major Anterior
Is reported to have already refused q
check for 5000, 900 ss compensation for
the injury he Is said to have sustained,
the task ahead OF those who arc trying
to arrange settlement, among whom
lie said to be King Edward himself,
would seem to be insuperable.
The Msjor ought to have succeeded
to the command OF the crack regiment
to which he belongs when its late
! colonel. the Earl Of Airlie. was killed
in South Africa 10 June last, but he was
passed over 10 favor OF B. 7. Mshon,
who commanded the British forces
which relieved Matching.
The respondent, Mabel Louisa Ather-
ton, is sister Of Sir Aubrey Paul, Bart.
She married the Mejor in 1892. They
have one SOD, born 10 1899. Mrs. Atber-
ton Is a good-lookiDg, stylish woman,
about thirty-fve years of age. She be-
longs to London's smart Get. When
Mrs. Anterior went to South Africa
her husbands regiment was with Lord
Methuen's command at the Modder
river and she proceeded there. Mrs.
Atherton was at the Modder river
camp with other women when DR..
Treves denounced the "plsgue OF wo-
men" at the front in South Africa.
The Duke OF Westminster, then Lord
Belgrave, and the brother OF q well
known South African milliopsire, whose
name has also been mentioned with
that of Mrs. Anterior, were at the
same camp. For long time Major
Atherton remained in ignorance OF The
camp gossip, but finally some of his
brother officers notified him of the facts
in the case.
Mrs. Atherton returned to England
in October and stopped of at the Is
and OF Madeira. There she took pes.
sage on q steamer which was taking
the Duke OF Westminster home. They
arrived Ia London November 3. Since
the return of Mrs. Atherton the Grosve.
nor family Uhe Dukes name 10 Hugh
Richard Arthur Grosvenor) has been
engaged in an attempt to prevent the
case getting into the courts. The
Countess of Grosvenor, the Dukes
mother, invited Mrs. Anterior 10 her
house. This move silenced the gossips
for some time. Then came the report
OF the service of citation of the Duke
OF Westminster the day of his marriage,
which was disapproved by the fact that
the suit was not then filed.
@. F. Hatfield. the Duke of West.
minister's lawyer, when interviewed
yesterday, said be knew nothing st
present regarding the suit, aud that the
citation had not yet been served. Fol-
lowing tbs usual procedure, this ia the
next step Major Anterior would take.
"Yes." Mr.. Hatfield said, "if your in
formation is correct, which | suppose 10
Is. you may be sure we will take very
active oouatcr mossuresn
Hatfield expressed his surprise upon
hearing that Mrs. AthertoLis at Rome.
He refused either to confirm or deny the
rumor that the Duke OF Westminster
family had already paid any money to
hush up the scandal. He drew attention
TO the fact that it did not follow be-
cause suit had been commenced that
it would ever come to hearing.
The Duke OF Westminster is still at
Eaton Hall with his bride. 1t ia known |
that a citation for the Duke has already |
been issued. but, the court records be-
iug unavailable to public inspection,
the details OF the allegations cannot yet |
be learned. No Eoglish paper has go
far printed line regarding the suit,
which, according to a society rumor.
will be settled out OF court.
Previous to the Duke OF Westmins-
'er's marriage currtn mt report credited
King Edward with having had good
deal to do toward making the Duke
marry Miss West. Even Sir Alfred
Miner has bsen dragged into this sem
'ational affair. He Is credited with
preventing the Dnks of Westminster
rom sailing from South Africa on the
,ame boat with Mrs. Anterior.