Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-21
FULL OF ROMANCE.
Caseof Dramatic Interest Heard
Before Justice Spear.
Beautiful Maine Girl and Husband
Came from France.
Former Husband Contested Legality
of Her Divorce from Him.

A case somewhat rare for the courts
of Maine, and of interest in it's facts,
was heard before Justice Spear in the
supreme court, yesterday.
Mabel Harris, a girl of marked ply
steal beauty and of superior mental en-
dowment, born in Boothbay, Maine,
where she resided until the age of u.s.
was married Nov. II, 1894, to DR.. Will
liam Conyers Herring of New York
They went TO London and then to Paris
where they made their home. While
there she pursued studies in drawing,
painting and sculpture, the last under
st. Gaudens. She attained great prof.
cheney and her work was exhibited in
the Paris salon. In May, 1899, because
of the conduct of her husband, she left
Paris and returned to Boothbay to her
home, she having bought the home
place prior to her marriage, with the
intention of there making her home for
the future. In October of that year,
she returned to Paris, at the request of
her husband, to remain for time I'M
til he could better establish his busi-
ness. 1t was with the understanding,
however, that to the world and for APP
pearance5' sake, she should live with
him but not in fact as his wife.
She remaining there until June, 1906,
when she again returned to her home
in Boothbay. Dr. Herring came to this
country and sought a reconciliation,
but without avail and he was told that
she would apply for divorce. In
December, 1900 while he was at Booth
bay, whittier he had come for a second
interview, divorce papers We're served
upon him in person. The case was
heard at the April term at Wiscasset
before Justice Fogler. No defence was
made. Her divorce was granted for cruel
and abusive treatment. Subsequently
her name was changed to her maiden
name as DR.. Herring had suggested. She
remained in Boothbay, until Dec. %.
1901, when she was married to Paul V.
Conkling of New York, himself an art
list and connected with an old and
wealthy family of that State. His
sister was the wife of a German baron
of large estate. at which place Nj. and
Mrs. Conkling spent a part of their
honeymoon.
In May, 1902, DR.. Herring petitioned
the supreme court of Lincoln county
for an annulment of the decree of di
vorce on the ground that she had not
resided in the State of Maine for one
year prior to the filing of the libel, and
that she had fraudulently deceived the
court as to its jurisdiction and the de-
cree was therefore void. The Conk-
lings were then living In France, in
Paris, and in their country home, but
no legal service was made upon them
They, however, learned of the pendency
of the petition and voluntarily returned
last month to Maine to contest it. By
agreement of counsel the case was
heard here. yesterday, by Justice Spear,
who presided at the October term at
Wiscasset, as IF that term. Mr. Her.
ring was represented by Hanscone &.
Swan of Portland, and Mrs Conkling
by Cornish & Bassett of this city and
William F. Garcelon of Boston.
At the conclusion of the hearing.
Justice Spear rendered his decision at
some length. He found as a matter of
fact that Mrs. Conkling had resided in
Maine in good faith for at least one
year prior to the commencement of the
divorce proceedings and that, there
fore, the court granting the decree had
jurisdiction. He also found that had
there not been a residence for one year
nevertheless Mrs. Conkling had acted
throughout in the utmost good faith,
both toward the court and the petition
er, who had had full knowledge of all
the proceedings and refrained from
taking any steps to question the decree
o,,,.io,
ling. He therefore, denied the petition
for annulment.
1t is understood that counsel for the
petitioner will appeal from this decision
to the law court.