The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-03-04
SONS OF OLD ELI As WITNESSES
TIN TRUST PRESENT
ED NAMES 81 CORRESPOND
ENTS IN CASE.

court today, when fascinating jose
phine Celeste Birney Norton appeared
to defend the divorce action brought
by her youthful husband, that the
place might well have been mistaken
for a classroom. Her husband is Ed
win Kenneth Norton, son OF the MIL
lionaire expresident of the tin trust
who lives at No. IT'S Riverside Drive,
New York.
Rumors that the names of some Yale
men would be brought into the suit
were responsible for the large attend
ance. All Yale recalled the sensation
of a year ago when young Norton
freshman, aged 10, elOped with MISS
Birney. She was a cloak model ana
credited with being the prettiest girl
in New Haven. The couple went to
Bridgeport on the night of Jan. 10,
1906, and were married by justice OF
the peace It was later rumored that
Norton's haste perhaps was prompted
by knowledge that prominent Yale
athlete was also infatuated with the
charming cloak model.
Yale has been awaiting develop
lments of the romance ever since E. M.
Norton took his son out of college,
following the elopment, and sent MN
to Europe Detectives were engaged
to keep watch over the pretty BRIDE
who remained in New Haven, and there
were Yale men who cruelty opined that
lshe would not languish in the absence
of her husband.
Twenty seven Correspondents.
1t was a sensation on the campus,
however when it became known to-
day that 81 correspondents are named
in the writ served on Mrs. Norton. At
tended by three lawyers. she appeared
in court smartly gowned and her face
enshrouded in heavy veil. State At
torney Hadlai Hull is counsel for the
former freshman. The latter alleges
that he was intoxicated on the night
of the elopement.
Alfred E. Mills, well-known to Yale
men as a waiter in an eating and
drinking place patronized by students,
was the first witness called. He said
he knew the defendant, and that on
one occasion since her marriage he had
seen her in the cafe accompanied by
another woman and two men.
The court audience was obviously
disappointed when the judge instruct
ed the witness to whisper the names
of Mrs. Norton's companions to the
| stenogra pher. in order to avoid publ
city Describing the OCCASION Mills
said Mrs. Norton drank ginger ale
highballs before supper. and that two
quarts of champagne were disposed OF
during the meal. The party broke UP
at a late hour, and the quartet de-
parted in an automobile.
Mills said that Mrs. Norton was a
member of cOnvivial parties which re-
manned in the cafe as late as a. m.
He knew the hour of leaving. because
he usually called the carriage or au-
tos. The day of the Yale-Harvard
football game last fall was a memo
rable occasion, he said because Mrs.
Norton called at the cafe, twice with
a party of four. On the first visit,
Mrs. Norton had whiskey and lemon
ade Men, other than those who &C
companied her on the first visit. ap-
peared with her later and champagne
was the refreshment this time.
Mills was asked to qualify as an ex-
pert and pass on the amount of re-
freshment the pretty cloak model could
enjoy without showing extreme effects.
He said he had served her many drinks
but on one occasion only, was he called
upon to carry her to her carriage.
Norton and Miss Birney appeared
their marriage. but never afterward,
Mills said She had highballs and the
young man took his whiskey straight.
He never bought champagne for her.
Mills told with many sigh of a SIS
dinner for which he had paid out of
his own pocket because Mrs. Norton
refused to settle. Checks for drinks
purchased by Mrs. Norton and charged
to her attorneys, were produced in
court.
w. A. Kirk. a liveryman patronized
by students, testified to supplying Mrs
Norton with carriages on various oc-
casions, the calls being nearly always
at night.
c. H. Hull, a Yale law school student
and son of the plaintiffs counsel. fig
ured in the testimony as having at
tempted to do some detective work in
the case He followed Mrs. Norton in
a carriage one night, but she gave him
the slip.
There is much conjecture as to the
identity of other witnesses who have
been summoned to testify concerning
Mrs. Norton's activities since her hus-
bands departure from Yale.