The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-04-02
FINAL BREACH IN
FAMILY TROUBLES
Mrs. Alfred Gwynne Wander
bilt Sues Fer Divorce
DEFENDANT OFF TO EUROPE
Wife of Head of Vanderbilt Family
Files Papers Through Her Law
yers in the Supreme Court of
State of New York.
DEFENDANT OFF TO EUROPE

New York. April 1.-Within an hour
after he had sailed for Europe today,
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt was made the
defendant in a suit filed with the supreme
court by his wife, Ellen French Wander
bllt. The nature Of the action was not
Immediately disclosed and counsel for
tie plaintiff refused tonight to say wheth-
CT Mrs. Vanderbilt seeks a divorce or
Legal separation from her husband. JUS
tee O'Gorman. before whom the proceed
i1gs were instituted appointed David Nc
Glure, local attorney, as referee to hear
testimony and to report findings and
recommendations to the court.
The offices of the county clerk are
closed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Only
few moments before that hour the clerk
eceived the papers. By the time he was
through with the papers 1t was too late
fer the papers to be officially recorded
They We're placed in safe and will be
formally entered tomorrow.
Mrs. Vanderbilt's attorneys are Carter,
Ledyard and Milburn.
Mrs Vanderbilt was Ellen French,
daughter of the late Francis Ormond
company and director OF several railroads.
Her mother has been abroad for several
wears, but is returning for the wedding
of her granddaughter, Miss Pauline Lee
roy French, and Samuel Wagstaff to
take place at Newport ON May 5. Ellen.
or as she was more generally known,
Elsie French, was married 10 Alfred Van
derbilt January II, 1901.
A year later their only child. William
Henry, was born.
Mr.. Vanderbilt as the second son Of
the late Cornelius Vanderbilt, inherited
something like s6O0o0,O00 He has been
regarded as the head of the family since
the estrangement which followed the
marriage of Cornelius. the eldest son, to
Miss Grace Wilson. During the past year
or so Mr.. Vanderbilt has spent much
of his time abroad But recently he re-
turned from London, where he plans to
drive the coach Venture as a public
coach, this spring between London and
Brighton. Later he is to be one of the
judges at the international horse show at
London where his horses won many
trophies last year. Mr.. Vanderbilt sailed
today on the Cunard liner Mauretania
upon which his cousin, the Duchess Of
Marlborough. was also a passenger. The
duchess has been the guest lately of her
mother, Mrs. o. H. p. Belmont. Just
before the Mauretania left her pier. Mr..
Vanderbilt declined to discuss the report
that a separation from his wife was inn
minent.
The domestic affairs of Mr. and Mrs.
Vanderbilt have engaged public attention
since March "A, when Mrs. Vanderbilt,
accompanied by their son and maids, left
Oakland farm, near Newport, R. l., and
went to the home of her brother, Amos
Tuck French, at Tuxedo Park, this state.
Much of the furnishings at the Newport
home have been shipped to Tuxedo.
The French cottage at Tuxedo. which
is known as "Tuck's Eden" has been
put into shape, it is said, for continued
occupancy. Mr.. Vanderbilt while here
has had apartments at the Plaza hotel.
At Tuxedo tonight 1t was said that
Mrs. Vanderbilt had left New York and
that she might go on to Newport.
1t was learned late tonight from an
official in the county court house, who
Vanderbilts action is one for absolute di-
Yorce.
Chandler P. Anderson, Mr.. Vanderbilt's
personal counsel, who was seen tonight
in regard to the suit, said:
You see lam in no position 10 talk
on the affairs of my client
When Mr.. Anderson was informed that
it had been learned that the action was
one for absolute divorce, he said;
II cannot talk