The San Francisco call., 1908-12-24
ASKS DIVORCE
FROM WALTON
FOR DES[RT|ON
Wife OF Inspector of Hulls at st.
Michael, Alaska, COM
plains of Neglect
Petition Filed Primarily to COm-
pei Captain to Support
His Children
Society Woman Says Husband
Announced Intention to For
sake Her Year Ago

Society circles on both sides OF the
bay received a surprise yesterday when
it became known that Captain Austin N
Walton, federal inspector of steamships,
had been sued for divorce by his wlfe
Marie L. Walton, on the ground OF de-
sertion. The suit was filed Tuesday, but
its existence was not known generally
until yesterday.
Captain and Mrs Walton are well
known in San Francisco and the trans
bay cities. Mrs. Walton is the daugh-
ter of the late Bernard McDermot,
San Francisco pioneer who made 1or-
tune in the early days, when he was as
sociated on the stock board with Flood,
O'Brien, Ralston and other well known
capitalists. For several years prior to
his death McDermot made his home In
Oakland, where his daughter was prom
inent socially She was member OF
the exclusive Ebell club, and during the
days of its greatest activity was
member of the executive board of the
Oakland Red Cross society Her we'd
ding to Captain Walton. who was then
in command of the United States trans
port Sherman. was a society event 10
years ago.
In 1902 and 1903, when Captain Wal
ton was stationed in Manila in charge
OF the army transport service, Mrs.
Walton was the leader in the social set
of the army and navy and frequent
guest of Mrs. William II. Taft. wife OF
the president elect. 1t is said by friends
of the Waltons that the captains es-
capades in Sampaloc. the red light dis
trict OF Manila, caused the first breach
between him and his clever young wife.
WIFE SECURED FAVOR
When Governor Taft was made secre-
tary of war his first official act was to
demand the resignation of Captain Wal
ton on account of fragrant misconduct.
Through his wife's influence Captain
Walton was reinstated in the service
and placed in command of the United
States army transport Burnside. He
laid q portion of the Seward-Valdez
cable in Alaska, but later resigned to
enter the inspection service and is now
United States inspector of hulls, sta
toned at ST. Michael Alaska, for four
months and at San Francisco for eight
months of each year.
The complaint alleges that year
ago Captain Walton informed his wife
that he intended to leave her for all
time. and that he did so. Despite the
fact that he draws salary of $500
a month, and an additional Sc day for
expenses in Alaska, it is alleged that
Captain Walton has contributed moth
ing to the support of his wife and their
three children for more than year.
Mrs. Walton, who lives at 1921
Clay street, refused last night to dis
cuss the divorce proceedings beyond
admitting that the action had been
filed, but it is understood that the
principal reason for beginning of the
suit was to compel Captain Walton to
contribute to the support OF his wife
and children. The children are boys,
the eldest of whom is years.
MANY DIVORCES IN FAMILY
A psychological incident in connec-
tion with the divorce is the fact that
there have been many divorces in Cap
tain Walton's family. His mother,
after being divorced from his father,
was married to and divorced from Ed
ward Swain. the architect who died
about seven years ago. His father,
Nelson c. Walton, who for years was
an official of the Occidental and Ori-
entail steamship company and is now
with the Pacific Mail steamship COM
pany, married again, was divorced a
second time. and the second wife is
now the wife of Captain John Ber-
mingham, supervising inspector of
steamships in San Francisco
Captain Walton's only sister, who is
now the wife of Fred Nicholas Mayer
Of this city, was first the wife of Grif-
fin Johnson of Los Angeles. son of
General Albert Sidney Johnston, and
then the wife of the son of Senator
Cole of Los Angeles.
The record of Mrs. Waltons family
is quite the reverse of that of her
husband Hers will be the first di-
vorce in the history of her family in
any of its connections. Mrs Walton
is a close personal friend of the fami-
lies of President elect Taft, Senator
Perkins and former Secretary of the
Navy Metcalf