The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-02
SUES FOR
 ABSOLUTE
 DIVORCE Mrs. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Files Papers Just Before Husband Sails for
 Europe.
 --------------------------- MARRIED BUT SEVEN YEARS Defendant Head of the Vanderbilt Family and Inherited S60,000,000 on the Death of His
 Father
MARRIED BUT SEVEN YEARS

New York, April 1.--Within an hour after he had sailed for Europe to-day Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt was made. the defendant in suit filed with the supreme court by his wife, Ellen French Vanderbilt The nature of the action was not immediately dis closed, and counsel for the plaintiff refused tonight to state whether Mrs, Vanderbilt sought divorce or legal separation from her husband Jus tice O'Gorman, before whom the pro- ceedings were instituted, appointed David Mcclure, an attorney of this city as referee to hear testimony and report findings and recommendations to the court.
 The papers were plated in a safe and will be formally presented to- morrow morning.
 It was learned late tonight from an official in the county courthouse who saw the papers in the case, that Mrs. Nanderbilts action is one for ab- solute divorce.
 Chandler P. Anderson, Mir, Wander bilt's personal counsel, who was seen tonight in regard to the suit, said: You see, am in no position to talk on the affairs of my client"
 When MT Anderson was informed that 1t had been learned that the ac- ton was one for absolute divorce he said: 1T cannot talRS'
 Mrs. Vanderbilt was Ellen French. daughter of the late Francis Ormond t,,t tla,,t .xf lao, NIa,t t1a,t . 14, Trust company and director of many railroads. Her mother has been abroad for several years but is returning for the nuptials of her grand daughter, Miss Pauline Leroy French and sam ucl Wagstaff, which will be solemnIzed at Newport on May 5. Ellen, or as she was more generally known, Elsie, French, married Alfred Gwynne Van derhit on January II. 1901. A year later their only child, William Henry, was born
 Mir Vanderbilt as the second son of the late Cornelius Vanderbilt inherited something like s6O,o0o,000 He has been regarded as the head of the family since the estrangement following the marriage of Cornelius. the eldest son, to Miss Grace Wilson. During the past year or go Mir. Vanderbilt has spent much of his time abroad. But recently he returned from London where he plans to drive the coach Venture as a public coach this spring between Lon don and Brighton Later he Is to be ont of the judges at the International horse show in London, where his horses vol many trophies last year. Mir, Wander bllt sailed at 3:l5 o'clock this afternoon on the Cunard liner Mauretania. upol which vessel his cousin, the Duchess O Marlborough. also was a passenger The Duchess had been the guest recent ly of her mother, Mrs. Q. H. P. Bel mont Seen just before tho Mauretanli left her pier Mir. Vanderbilt declined L discuss the report that n separation from hs wife was imminent. A hal hour later Mrs. Vanderbilt's attorney appeared before Justice O'Gorman.
 The domestic affairs of Mir and Mrs Vanderbilt have engaged public at tention since March 24 when Mrs Van derblt accompanied by their son an her maids, left oakland Farm, nea Newport R. l., and went to the hom of her brother, Amos Tuck French, q Tuxedo Park, this state. Much of th furnishings at the Newport home hay been shipped 10 Tuxedo, The Frenc cottage at Tuxedo which Is known a "Tuck's Eden" has been put in shapc it Is said for continued occupancy. M, Vanderbilt while here recently has Ina apartments at the Plaza hotel Nethc Mir. Vanderbilt nor his wife would dis cuse the reports that gained circualtio after her removal from Newport. At Tuxedo tonight 1t was said ths Mrs. Vanderbilt had left for New Tor |. and it was thought possible that sl would go on to Newport. Ii was rf ported that she had spent some tin with her attorneys here to-day, bl whether she remained in the city f' the night is not known. At the Pla2 ,y hotel 1t wac said that communication sent to the Vanderbilt apartments r mained unanswered