The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-01-15
W. W. ASTOR
IS TO WE'D
Bride to be Countess Of West.
moreIand When Divorced
RARE JEWELS AND AUTO
London Reports Engagement Of
Titled Woman to American
Millionaire.

LONDON. Jan. l5.-The reported In
tention of William Waldorf Aston. the
millionaire American OF English pro.
clivitics. who renowned his allegiance
To the United States and has dwelt In
London since 1899 10 marry the beau
tiful Countess OF Westmorcland rs
soon as she obtains divorce from
Lord Westmoreland Is reiterated In the
British capital
Although II Is understood that the
earl viii consent TO his wife becoming
the bride Of the expatrlated American.
still there Is no hint OF scandal. and II
ls asserted that the details OF the sep.
aratlon have already been arranged.
Should any obstacles arise In the
course Of the negotiations the unlimit.
eel wealth OF the descendant OF the
Asiors Il relied ON 10 remove the ob.
strucilons. II will be union OF July
aud December. the countess being thir-
ty-dve. while Mr.. Astor Is at the sixty
mark.
While the earl aud his wife had been
cstrangcd for several years. they had
kept MP AN appearance OF friendiincss
for the sake OF their two children.
lsut an Incident Of last summer com
plcicd the rupture aud hasiemed the
arrangements for her marriage 10 Mr..
Astor The countess appeared at u
fashionable event In London wearing
diamonds and other jewels that did
not cost n cent less than si.2JOOoO.
The earl was white with wrath. for
every one In society was well aware he
could not afford 10 buy such expensive
ornaments for his wife. and there were
immediate Inquiries and speculation ~
10 where the Jewels came from.
II was soon whispered that Mr. As
tor was the donor Of the gift and that
II was but the precursor Of formal
separation between the earl and the
countess and the marriage of Mr.. A.
tor aud the countess.
Another incident that set tongues Ia
wagglng was the receipt by the count
css az Christmas ~ magnificent an.
tomohlle. In which she now makes her
calls The furs she wears are NJ once
the envy aud the despair ~ an the
women in London. Lord Wcsiinorc.
land. who j. about ten years the senior
~ the countess keeps Ia retirement
and refuses 10 discuss the matter.
This l. not the fir-t time that Mr.
Astor who has bccn n widowcr Tor
several years. has been coupled Ia a
matrimonial report with the name ~ %
tilcd English woman. but this seems
o. be- the nr-t time that the report
has such an excellent foundation OF
truth
One result ~ his marriage 10 the
countess would make Mr.. Astor "a
hrothcrin-law Of Anna Robinson. Tor.
merry chorus girl on the Stage in
this city. who i the wife Of the Earl
II Rosslyn. brother Of the Countess
81 Wcstmoreland. who. under the name
" John Erskine. filled an engagement
n an actor la this city few years
ago
The Countess 81 Wcstmorcland. who
married the earl In is.'2. is'a sister 81
the Countess ~ Wlswick. the Duchess
II Sutherland and Lady Angela Forbes
She 8. brilliant. n splendid hor-ewoman
and rather advanced Ia her IDEAS.
Lord Wcstmorcland has notable
ancestry but he il without money. the
combined incomes of himself aud wife
amounting TO bat $1,000 a year. lie
was compelled Ia sell his ancestral
estate 10 get money Ia live ON.
william Waldorf Astor was boru IN
New York In 1878. lie Is the eldest
son Of John Jacob Astor III aud
great grandson Of the founder 81 the
Aston family on that side Of the AZ.