New-York tribune., 1905-04-11
MRS.
WILMERDING OUT.
Escapes from SanatOrium and Seeks
DiUorce Case LazCyerS.

Mrs. Marie Fatima Wilmerding escaped yes
terday from the private sanatorum OF George
w. Hill, at No 81 West 136th-st.. and went to
her lawyers She left the sanatorium some time
Sunday night, and yesterday afternoon appeared
at the office of Mark Alter. once her counsel.
No IL West 10th-st
Mrs. Wmerdng sued her husband, John c.
Wilmerding, jr., better known Jack" VIII
merding. about year ago for separation and
for support Her lawyers finally dropped the
case when they found her condition was not
such as to justify them in continuing the suit
She was then placed in the sanatorium.
Yesterday she sought to have the case re-
opened. When she called Mr. Alter she had
only 20 cents He sent her to the offices of
Turner. Roston & Horan. at No % Wfliam-st..
who. he thought. controlled some portion of her
fathers estate She went there. but stayed only
a few moments. Edward H. Blanc. a member
Of the firm who handled Mrs. Wimerdings af-
fairs, said last night
The firm had charge Of her fathers estate, but
was concerned solely in a trust fund left for
her father. Vanderbilt Allen. by her grand
mother, Ethel Linda Vanderbilt Allen, The
Farmers Loan and Trust Company was the trus-
tee. The company is one of our clients and we
were interested in the fund to that extent only.
Mrs. Wilmerding came here several months
ago to inquire about this fund. We explained
to her then that the affairs of the fund had
been settled soon after her fathers death About
500 left of this is now on deposit In the name
of the executor. At that time Mrs. Wilmerding
went away apparently satisfied we could do
We were her counsel when she came of age
in proceedings for an accounting Of her estate
by her father Her mother died when she was
small and left about $4,000. Her father was
not able TO account for certain portions of this,
and settled by turning to her some $4,000 or
$1,000. Since then she has not been client of
George W. Hill. who conducts the sanatorium
in which Mrs. Wilmerding has been staying,
denied that Mrs Wilmerding had been in
mate there. He would not deny that woman
had escaped. From other sources it was learned
that Mrs. Wilmerding rolled up a bundle Of
clothes and thrust them in her bed so that when
the nurse passed the door she thought Mrs.
Wilmerding was asleep. Mrs. Wimerding then
hid in a closet until everything quiet. when
she was able to make her escape through
window. Where she spent the night is not
known.
Mrs. Wilmerding is a grandniece of Commo-
dore Vanderbilt. She was the daughter of Mr..
and Mrs Vanderbilt Allen. and was born in
Egypt. near Alexandria Mrs Aliens maiden
name was Helen Mount She died in Tivoli
when Mrs Wilmerding about five years
old. She then went to Philadelphia. where.
when she was about eight years old. her father
married Edith de Silva, from whom he
later divorced. About ten years ago she married
Jack Wilmerding Their married life was
exciting. and, after separating from her hus-
band Mrs. Wilmerding was placed in Bloom
ingdale.
When she sought to be released in 1898 she
told the commission appointed to examine into
her sanity how her husband had struck her in
the face al a ball before they were married, and
how after the marriage he had beaten her nearly
every day.
She said she was told she had compromised
herself with him and had been forced 20 marry
him under threats. She admitted she had been
in the habit of drinking quart of whskey and
cT1l0E fOTfV OT a Sha
was finally released in December 1898. an
order signed by Justice KeOgh. After her
lease she went on the stage for short While,
playing minor parts
This is not the first time she has been in the
sanatorium where she has spent the last year.
When she had been there about a month she
managed to escape. She went to Philadelphia.
but returned to this city where she obtained
employment in department stores, working about
a week i'm each. She found the work too hard
and returned to the sanatorum of her
accord