The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-21
Sensational C h arg e S
Made by Attorneys
in Tenney Case.
HUSBAND CALLED
BITTE R N Nm e S
Attorney Royal Says He Is I'm
worthy Of Belief-Evidence
Presented to Incrirninate
Both Parties-Name of
Prominent Georgian
Is Involved.


vorcet proceedings began yesterday
morning before Judge Daniel Grinnan
IN tho Chancery Court, continuing
throughout the day The entire morn
Ing was consumed by william r.
Royall. counsel for Mrs. Emma s.
Ienney. who filcd the first action foi
Gepara ton with alirncny. Late in tn.
afternoon L. o. Wendenburg began an
argument for George O. Tcnney. presi.
dent OF the Atlantic B!tulithic Com
pany. who answered Ills wifc's suit
With an action for absolute divorce
.ir Wcndcnburg VIII continue, fs
argument this morning. and Mr.
Royal will close. The case will than
be submitted TO Judge Grinnan. and
as there are several volumes of type
written dispositions. 1t is anticipated
tina. a final decision may he DELAYED
for several weeks.
Sensational Charges.
There were many sensational cpl
eodes IN the argument and many cite
lions OF evidence In efforts to show
Improper relations OF the various par
ties. through period Of years past
IN Mr Royals argument he quoted q
letter from one Mary Horn TO Mr., Ten
ney OF q decidedly compromising ma
ture. In reply Mr.. Ncndenburr saio
the Horn letter was written many
years ago, aud that Mrs. Tcnncy con
tinucd 10 live With her husband for
some time after becoming acquainted
with It's contents both parties appar-
emily having made efforts TO keep the
family together for the sake Of a
daughter, MISC Alcda 1'enney. now Tile
VITO OF T!llman Bunch q nephew Of
Senator Tillman. Of south Carolina.
On the other hand. Mr. Wendenburg
quoted dispositions TO show improper
relations between Mrs Tenney and
Major Z. G. Gordon. al one time a Bap.
list minister, and IN recent years
capitalist and promoter II was stat.
I'D that he had known the Tenncys IN.
tiinately and had followed them from
place 10 place and visited at the homo
In the absence OF Mr.. Tenney and
hcros!tions from several cities were
quoted 10 show that relations between
Mrs. Tcnney and Major Gordon were
common talk.
Gordon Anken No Reply.
No deposition was secured from Ma
jor3 Gordon himself, Who has made no
reply 10 charges made Arst by Mr.
Tenney IN his bill Tor divorce Nh
ROYAL represented that Major Gordon
brother OF the late General John +,
Gordon. had great pride in his family.
and was SO much troubled at having
his name connected with SO scandal
GUS an affair, that his reason was un.
seated. Mr. Wendenburg charged that
on the occasion when Mrs. Tenney at.
tempted TO secure such deposition
Major Gordon was intoxicated and
that since he has been able to trans
act Ills business and project large
schemes, giving no evidence otherwise
Of being non compos incnts
Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Tenney was in
court, and they We're thus saved much
embarrassment, for the attorneys were
unsparing In their Pronunciation on
either side. Mr. Royal characterized
Mr.. -Tenney as liar and scoundrel"
With "no more regard for his oath than
a Sioux Indian has for the Ten Com.
mandments."
Family History Paradcd
Tho family history was paraded In
court from the day when Mr.. Tenney
& young civil engineer. married an OK
ceedingly handsome woman two years
older than himself, secured employ.
ment as an engineer for a develop.
ment company at Decatur, Alabama, Of
which Major Gordon was promoter and
President Mr.. Tenney later had gov
ernment contract at Chickamauga
Park, near Chattanooga. and was there
visited by Major Gordon.
He later lived In Spartanburg, S. c,
where his wife was absent much OF tho
time visiting Major Gordon's sister and
others.
Letters from Mr.. Tenney urging her
to return home for the sake of their
child were read. The daughter develop
ed tuberculosis, and after more or less
discussion was taken to Tucson. Ari-
zona. Mr. Tenney charges that his
wife got tired OF the lack OF society
In the tuberculosis colony. and that
the next thing he heard of them they
were down on the Pacific coast at q
society resort. 1t was brought out
that Mrs Tenney Is a sister OF the
Dowager Countess Won Krakow, and is
ambitious socially.
Says Client Is Victim Of Conspiracy.
Mr.. Royal charged that his
client was the victim of con-
Epiracy fomented by "Tenney the
perjurer." 4 great deal was made
of the finding by Mrs. Tenney, then liv-
Ing at the Jefferson Hotel, of part OF
woman's attire In her husbands
rooms at the Hotel Richmond. where
ale also found certain discriminating
letters. MT. Tenney said that the ar.
ttcle OF dress had been left IN the
bureau by drummer who had had the
room before him.
Tillman Bunch, now son In law of
Mr.. and Mrs. Tenney, was described by
Mr.. Royal IS 4, common drunkard and
gambler, "a man. worse than George Q.
Tenney," shouted Mr.. Royal as though
that were in his Judgment the last
iniquity--"a man fl for nothing but to
be hanged" 1t seems that Bunch fur
nished certain afI1davits or statements
4 70 Mr. Tenney which were offered as
evidence. The affidavits Mt. Royal
ridiculed as concerned with "rumors''
OF what occurred twenty years ago
and Mr.. Royal intlmated broadly that
Bunch had wormed certain Of the in
formation out Of Mrs. Tenney and
then sold 1t TO her husband.
reference was also made to alleged
illicit relations between Mrs. Tenney
). and Colonel Byrd, of Atlanta, which Mr..