Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-02-22
DIVORCE SCANDAL
IN ENGLISH SOCIETY
Prominent Army officer In
stitutes Proceedings.
CORRESPONDENT A DUKE

Plaintiff Refused a Big Bank Check
Offered Him to Assuage His Wound
ed HonOr-Sensation of the Hour
In England.
LONDON, Feb 21-Major j. Atherton,
second in command of the Twelfth
(The Prince of Wales RoyaD Lancers.
now in South Africa has filed suit for
divorce against his wife. Mabel Louise
Atherton, naming the Duke of West.
minister as correspondent.
With the announcement of the fling
OF the suit of "Atherton versus Atherton
and Westminster" the long anticipated
divorce proceedings of Major AUherton
against his wife, with the Duke of
Westminster figuring in the role of co.
respondent, hav ate length material
lied. Within the past 36 hours law.
yer who Is looked upon as the leader Of
the divorce court bar has been retained
IN behalf of the petitioner.
The case cannot be aired IN court for
some months, and possibly not before
the autumn, and the friends of the lust
married duke may yet succeed III COM
promising the matter and preventing
triHl. Tat as Major Atherton is re-
ported ) have already refused a check
Tor 44O,O as compensation for the in
jury he is said to have sustained, the
task ahead of those who are trying to
arrange a settlement, among whom is
said to be King Edward himself, would
seem to be lnsuperlative.
The Principals.
NTajo,, +barto,, o,,ul,t - I,.r.o -.
ceeded to the command of the regiment
when its late colonel, the Earl of Airlie.
was killed i'll South Africa, in June last,
but he was passed over in favor of Col.
onel B. Il. Mahon, who commanded the
British. 1t was his force that fought at
Mafeking.
Mabel Louise Atherton is a sister of
Sir Aubry Paul, baronet. She married
the major in 1892. They have one son,
horn i'll 1899 Mrs. Atherton is good.
looking. stylish woman, about 35 years
Of age. She belongs to London's 5 smart
set When Mrs Atherton went to South
Africa her husband s regiment was with
Lord Methuen's command at the Mod.
der river, and she proceeded there. Mrs
Atherton was at the Modder river camp
with other women when DIR. Treves de.
nounced the ''plague of women" at the
front in South Africa The Duke of
Westminster, then Lord Belgrave, and
the brother of well known South AT.
rican millionaire, whose name has also
been mentioned with that of Mrs Ather.
ton, were at the same camp
News Broken to Husband.
For long time Major Atherton re-
malned Ia ignorance Of the camp gossip,
but finally some of his brother officers
notified him of the facts in the case.
Mrs. Atherson returned to England in
October and stopped off at the island of
Madeira. There she took passage on a
steamer which was taking the Duke of
Westminster home. They arrived in
London Nov. 8. Since the return of
Mrs. Atherton the Grosvenor family
(the dukes name is Hugh Richard
Arthur GrOsvenor) has been engaged in
an attempt to prevent the case getting
into the courts. The Countess of Gros-
venor, the dukes mother, invited Mrs.
Atherton to her house This move
silenced the gossips for some time
Then came the report of the service of
a citation on the Duke of Westminster
the day of his marriage, which was dis
proved by the fact and was not then
filed.
The Duke of Westminster was mar
ried at st. Paul's church, Knights
Bridge, London, Feb. Is, to Miss Shelagh
West, daughter of Colonel William
Corvallis West.