The San Francisco call., 1906-09-22
She Declares That Hus-
band Is Continually
Intoxicated.

OAKLAND. Sept. 21.-Alleging that
within less than a month after their
wedding his wife deserted him, George
Hiniman Gurnee. a wealthy real estate
owner, filed suit for divorce yesterday
against Mrs. Lillian Keller Gurnee in
the Superior Court of Contra Costa
County. Mrs. Gurnee has retained At
torney Asa " Mendenhall and is max
ing preparations to contest the action
instituted by her husband.
In reply to the charges of her hus-
band that she refused to live with him,
Mrs. Gurnee, who is a grand daughter
Of the late DR.. E. D. Standiford who
was president of the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad. and whose father,
Murray Keller, was also prominent. in
the management of the same road, de-
clares that within few days after
them marriage, while they were on
their way to California, Gurnee became
helplessly drunk on the train, and that
after his arrival here he continued to
make her life unbearable by his in
dulgence in liquor. The young bride
also declares that her husband deceived
her regarding his home in Siege, hav-
ing painted it in colors not borne out
by facts.
-NOA A11A AAA-SSE<D
Gurnee and his wife were married on
August 27 at the home of the brides
parents on West Seventy ninth street,
in New York City, and a few hours af-
terward were on their way to Cali
fornia. 1t was on the train that Mrs.
Gurnee first learned of her husband S
fondness for liquor, which, she says,
has been largely responsible for their
separation On arriving in this city
the couple secured apartments at the
Hotel Touraine, where they remained
for several days. Gurnee then took his
bride TO the cottage he had built at
Siege. but on seeing the cheerless as
pect of the hamlet on the bay shore Of
Contra Costa County. Mrs. Gurnee de-
clined to remain in Stege, and demand
ed that her husband return to Oakland.
Returning to the Hotel Touraine they
remained several days, removing to the
Hotel Athens on September s. Mrs
Gurnee said today that during their
stay at the Touraine her husband took
her to supper at the Forum one even
ing, and, becoming intoxicated, hurled
a champagne glass across the dining
room, because of which he was for
hidden to enter the restaurant again.
Last Friday afternoon Mrs. Gurnee on
returning to the hotel, was met at the
door of her apartment by her husband
who handed her letter, informing her
that he intended to at once institute
suit for divorce. He then left the hotel,
leaving his wife alone and without
friends, and she has not seen him since
that time.
SUMMONS AS BIRTHDAY GIFT.
Yesterday was the birthday of the
deserted bride, and as a birthday gift
Mrs Gurnee received a summons in
the divorce action instituted by her
husband, who is represented by Attor-
ney George W. Haight of Berkeley. She
at once sought Attorney Mendenhall
and is now prepared to begin a legal
battle against her husband
Gurnee is a member of the family of
the late Walter S. Gurnee, formerly a
well-known Wall street banker of New
York. He has an income of $4,000 a
year from property in New York and is
also the owner of the Bay View Tract
at Siege, Contra Costa County. He first
met his wife four years ago in New
York City, shortly after the removal
of the parents of Mrs. Gurnee from
Nashville, which was the birthplace Of
the bride. Two years ago the engage
ment of Lillian Keller and Gurnee was
announced, and their wedding followed
last month.
Mrs. Gurnee refused today to discuss
the case further than to deny the
charges made by her husband in the
divorce complaint, in which he charges
her with extreme cruelty. She declared
that almost since the day of her mar
riage to Gurnee the latter had been
continuously under the influence of
liquor and had In other ways been gull
ty Of the cruelty with which he charges
his wife.