The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-25
Millionaire Merchant Accuses Mrs.
Whitehead of Preferring the
Company of a Younger Man.

New York, Jan. 25.--Mrs Elizabeth
=. Whitehead. the wife OF Lydell White
head, millionaire. IS charged by her
husband with having transferred her af-
fcctions 10 John Frederick Thomas, Jr.,
some years younger than herself and his
divorce suit is now pending.
Mr.. Whitehead separated from his wife
last summer, after they had spent some
time in Saratoga, and sued her I'm Sara
toga county for an absolute divorce.
Last December she succeeded i'm having
The case transferred 10 New York county.
An application was made yesterday 10
Judge Truax, I'm. the supreme court I'm her
behalf for $3.50 a week alimony and coun-
sci fee of $500 to enable her To
protect her interests I'm the case.
MIR. Whitehead is about forty-four years
old. He is president OF the Whitehead
Brothers company, I'm the molding sand
business, with capital OF 81. .000, ,O0. Ills
salary as president is 5000 year. He is
the owner OF $50 600 of stock IN the COM
pany. the profits OF which are s20Oeo0 an
nually. Mr.. Whitehead is reputed to
have an income OF $3.50 O00 a year, and his
wife SAYS they have lived at an expense
OF $3.50 year. He was widower with
two children, a son and daughter. now
I'm their teens. when he married a sec
ond time. in 1896.
Mrs. Whitehead. who is about ten years
younger than her husband. fashionably
attired, was present during the argument
OF the motion, az was also Mr.. White
head. When insinuations were made
against her character by her husbands
counsel she several times protested, and
had To be called TO order.
WIFE MAKES COUNTER CHARGE.
Mrs Whitehead positively denies
the accusations against her. and says the
mere pittance OF S25 weekly that she has
been receiving from her husband is en-
tirely inadequate TO support her in the
style To which she has been accustomed.
She declares that after spending two
years of happiness with her husband he
began to show fondness for Mrs. Mar
guerite Austin. divorcee, formerly OF
Buffalo, upon whom, she asserts, he has
been lavishing a large portion OF his in
come I'm entertaining and giving her pres
ents.
She stood Il az long as possible, she
says and then demonstrated with her
husband. only to be told IL she did not
like IL she could leave. She saws he
brought this suit In the hope OF terrifying
her so she would consent to permit him
10 get n divorce In order that he could
live the unrestrained life of an unmar-
ried man.
Mr.. Whitehead f. the owner OF n num-
Der of valuable trotting horses and has
quite an extensive stable. During the
summer OF 1885, while at Saratoga, Mr.
Whitehead and his wife made the ac-
quaintance OF Mr.. and Mrs. William A.
Scott. Mrs. Morse, a sister OF Mrs. Scott.
and John Frederick Thomas. Jr., a
brother of the two women. The SCOTS
have a residence at Elmhurst. l.. l. The
entire party became intimate and often
went to- the theatre and other entertain
ments together.
HUSBANDS EYES ARE OPENED.
NJ. III. Grossman and State Senator
Brackett counsel for Mr. Whitehead.
presented the millionaire's affidavit. in
which he stated that. although he fire.
uuently noticed his wife desired TO be I'm
the company OF Thomas, he never sus-
pccted that there was anything wrong
until one evening nc surprised his wife
and Thomas sitting together on a
sofa at the house OF Mr. Scott. whisper
ing Co each other. They were very much
embarrassed when he entered the room
It was no unusual thing Tor him the
affidavit declared. 10 see his wife i'm the
company OF Thomas. His daughter
Louise noticed Il. and Mr. and Mrs Scott
and Mrs Morse also observed and COM
mented upon r. He called his wife 10
account one day last summer while they
were stopping at hotel IN Saratoga, and
discussed the subject with her in their
apartments, where no had concealed
Thomas J. Lynch. who overheard every
thing that was said. and later wrote ~
out. Mrs Whitehead. ne says. then ad-
mitted often meeting Thomas clandcs-
timely. and expressed sorrow for what
she had done.
Mr.. Scott. In an affidavit stated that be
often observed the growing familiarity
between his br0ther-in-lsw and Mrs
whitehead. ana watched them. One night.
the entire party went ~ the Waldorf
Astoria after the theatre. and Mrs
whitehead and Thomas quietly Slipped
away.
MIR. scat sa~ them sitting on a sofa