Evening star., 1901-02-21
NOTED DIVORCE SUIT
Mai. Atherton Names Duke of West
minister Correspondent.
SCANDAL IN ENGLISH HIGH LIFE
Complainant an Officer in Prince
Of Wales Regiment.
HIS WIFE IN SMART SET

LONDON. February 21.-Major T. J. Ath-
erton, second in command of the 18th
prince of Wales RoyaD Lancers, now in
South Africa, has filed a suit for divorce
against his wife, Mabel Louisa Atherton
naming the Duke of Westminster as core
spondent.
With the announcement of the filing of
the suit of .'Atherton versus Athcrton and
Westminster the lons-anticipated divorce
proceedings of Major Atherton against
his wife, with the Duke of Westminster
figuring in the role of correspondent, have
at length materialiZed. Within the past
thrty-siX hours the lawyer who is looked
upon as a leader of the divorce court bar
has been retained in behalf of the petit
toner. The case cannot be aired in court
at any rate for some months, and possibly
not before the autumn. and the friends of
the just married duke may yet succeed in
compromising the matter and preventing a
trial But as Major Atherton is reported
to have already refused a check for f4O coo
as compensation for the injury he is said
10 have sustained, the task ahead of those
who are trying to arrange n settlement
among whom is said to be King Edward
himself, would seem TO be insuperable.
Crack Cavalry Officer
The petitioner in this sensational scandal
ments of the British army, the 18th Prince
of Wales RoyaD Lancers Major Atherton
ought to have succeeded to the command
of the regiment when its late colonel. the
Earl of Airlie, was killed in South Africa
IN June last, but he was passed over in
favor Of Col. Il. r. Mahon, who command
ed the British forces which relieved MAIZE
king.
The respondent Mabel Louisa Atherton.
Is sister of Sir Aubrey Paul. bart She
married the major IN 1892 They have one
son. born in 1899. Mrs. Atherton is a good
looking, stylish woman. about thirty-five
years of age. She belongs to London's
smart set. When Mrs. Atherton went to
South Africa her husbands regiment was
win Lord Methuen's command at the Mod
der river, and she proceeded there
MIS-. AthertOn was at the Modder river
camp with other women when Dr. Treves
denounced the plague of women at the
front in South Africa. The Duke of West
minister, then Lord Belgrave, and the
brother of well-known South African
millionaire, whose name has also been men
toned with that of Mrs. Atherton were at
the same camp For a 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.
Waited for Duke at Madeira.
Mrs. Atherton returned 10 England in Oc-
tober and stopped off at the Island of Ma
deira There she took passage on a steamer
which was taking the Duke of Westminster
home They arrived in London November
). Since the return OF Mrs. Atherton the
Grosvenor family Ghe dukes name is Hugh
Richard Arthur GrosvenoD has been en-
gagged in an attempt to prevent the case
getting into the courts. The Countess of
GrosVenor, the dukes mother, invited Mrs
Atherton to her house. This move slenced
the gossips for some time. Then came the
report of the service of citation on the
Duke of Westminster the day of his mar
riaSe, which was dsproved by the fact
that the suit was not then filed
The Duke of Westminster was married at
st. Pauis Church, knightbridge, London
February 16. to Miss Sheagh West daugt-
or Il li.aIr IN1aa.r.x L..