The Detroit times., 1908-05-14
BOTH THE NJ KEGS
ARE GRAN TED
DIVORCE
FRENCH -eetRF-FfAAttf- DIS.
POSES OF uNsAvoBY CASE IN
PlTrs6uRo HIGH LIFE THAT
SHOCKED TWO CONTINENTS.

PARIS. May 1.-THE p ench court
today formally granted a decree OF di'
vorce 10 both Mr.. and Mrs. ~ Hare
Mckee. upon recommendation OF the
attorney-general.
The verdict was not unexpected. be
cause in his summing up subsequent
I To the presentation OF arguments. the
attorney general said that he thought
IA divorce ought 10 be granted both 10
the husband and wife.
! The divorce decree today comes as
Z the climax 10 one OF the most no
torious international scandals in
which an Americans name has been
/ linked
I Mrs. Mckee. before her marriage.
was Mrs. Hugh Tevis. the widow OF
the wealthy California turfman. Her
maiden name was Cornelia Baxter, the
daughter OF Col. G. VI. Baxter, OF
Knoxville, Tenn. She was famous as
beauty and is rich in her own right.
Mckee has been married once before.
He is the son OF II. Seiiers Mckee, a
Pittsburg millionaire who is now a
resident OF New York and Paris Mr..
McKees first wife was Lydia Sutton,
or Pittsburg, who divorced him five
years ago.
Moved Among Titled Families.
The Mckee divorce case for up
wards OF year has absorbed the at
tention OF the American colony in
Paris. Both were young, prominent
and wealthy and their social position
was fixed. They entertained lavishly
and have quite an extensive friend
ship among the titled families OF the
French and Italian capitals.
The long series OF hearings brought
ont a consecutive account OF scandals
and the documentary evidence was OF
such a salacious character as TO call
down from the court warning upon
the heads OF the barristers.
Early in March the attorneys began
presenting their evidence Maitre
Barbour, for Mrs. Mckee. presented
his side OF the case first. The allega-
tons accused Mckee OF undue friend
ship with the female servants; OF par
simony towards his wife: of threats
made against Mrs McKee's child and
OF efforts 10 stir up an evil scandal
which would besmirch the good names
OF innocent persons. In this respect NJ.
Barbour related that Mckee wrote
series OF society letters for promin-
ent New York publication which Gre
ated a sensation at the time OF their
publication. These letters were sign
ed Fiji"
Accused Wife Of immortality.
On the other hand counsel for Nc
Kee. Maitre Labori. replied in scath-
ing terms when he arraigned the wife.
He accused Mrs. Mckee OF writing i'm
moral letters: of immodest conduct
with an English nobleman; OF con-
tracing great gambling debts and OF
deserving her husband. In addition to
this recitation he refuted all the
charges which the wife had made
against her husband.
Immediately upon the divorce case
beginning Mckee sued Col. Baxter,
his father-in-law, for libel. He de-
clared Col. Baxter had made defama
tory statements against him. The
complainant asked for one franc dam
ages and that a retraction OF the
stories published in five hundred
newspapers in France, England and
America be made.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Mckee are still
residing In Paris. Just what dis
position will be made of their son
remains 10 be seen. Both are de-
sirous OF retaining the child. McKee's
parents are in America.