The Washington times., 1912-03-28


hrst flight was a grave enough offense,
but this was followed by a somewhat
sensational temperance In this city of
both persons, and an attempt by Wylie
TO become reconciled with his wife.
Then came Wylle's settlement OF $780, 90
worth OF property upon his wife and
children and the redlsappearance' of the
After this Hichborn brought suit for
divorce, naming wylie. The suit was
MED In January of this year. and would
nave come to hearing in a few days
more No defense would have been
MADE, could have been made, even if
Mrs. H,caborn had been in this country
and had wished to make a legal flgnt.
Although death has intervened and
given Mrs. Hichborn her legal freedom,
Mrs. Wylie apparently still adheres to
her determination not to ask a divorce
on her part, and unless she tioes mar
rage In any country Is impossible for
Wyhe and the wife of the man whose
body now lies cold in death.
Auspicious Prospects.
No young couple ever began married
life in Washington with better seeming
assurance of happiness than did Philip
Hichborn and Elenore Hoyt Hichborn,
Both of them were we'll born, we'll ed
ucated and both possessed of some
means. liichborn was the son of the
late rear admiral. He hhpself had gone
into the law, but he possessed a talent
Tor writing and became known as the
author of number of tales and short
stories. Mrs. Hichborn was a young
woman of unusual charm, of great per-
sonal beauty and bright of mind. The
couple seemed ideal. Horace Wylie Is
a son Of the late Associate Justice wy
lie OF the Supreme Court
For three years the Hichborns lived
happily. Then few observant ones be-
gan to notice that wylie and Mrs.
Eiichborn were constantly together at
dances and OCCASIONALLY at luncheon
said that they had foretold @ it "ene ali along. long
During Christmastide in 1910, rumor
began to circulate that the couple had
eloped Both were known to be out of
the city, and finally the assertion was
ington together. 1t was denied most
positively. But little later the truth
came out. They had gone to Canada
and thence to Europe.
Startling Development.
So far the affair had not been much
different, save for the prominence of
the principals, of the ordinary case of
wife and husband desertion. A startling
development was to come.
The elopement had taken place De-
cember 16, 1910 April of the following
year Washington was startled to read
that the couple had returned from
abroad, and that Wylie was in Wash
ington seeking reconciliation with his
wife. Mrs. Hichborn. it was said. had
decided to put him to the test. He was
to go back to his wife and live happily
with her if he could. If he desired to
return to Mrs. Hichborn at the end OF
six months she would resume living
with him.
Leaves the City.
Intimate friends Of those concerned
have always secuted this story, which.
aI
events, Wylie sought a reconciliation.
but Mrs. Wylie would not condone his
offense. He settled 100000 worth of real
estate on her and their children. Then
he left the city.
Mrs. Hichborn herself had come hack
to Washington not long after Wyie
and had gone to the home of her
most strist seclusion.
Fires of gossip burned furiously at
this time, and story after story OF al
legged reconciliattons TO come were cir
know. The rumors never became any
thing but rumors.
September 10 of last year it became
known definitely that Wylie and Mrs.
Hichborn had again disappeared. They
had gone to Europe once more, and in
the follies and frivolities of Nice and
Monte Carlo sought to find distraction.
Fear of publicity, however soon LED
some smaller refuge in the Riviera. Ru-
NOR has them now living on small
island in the vicinity of Monte Carlo.
Hichborn Files Suit.
Mr.. Hichborn finally made up his
mind to seek a divorce, and papers
were filed in court here January s of
this year. Service by publication was
sought on February 10. and forty days
were to have elapsed from that time
until the suit was to have been heard
After news Of the shocking sequel of
Mr.. HiChbornS desertion had become
general, speculation turned toward the
man and woman whom society gossip
chide for MI HiChborn's death. The
effect on them of Mr.. Hichborn's grim
end is what many persons are now talk
ing about.
The return of Mrs. Hichborn to Wash
ington a year ago was the result of a
trip abroad made by her mother. Mrs.
Hoyt then declared: Mrs. Hoyt wishes
to state that she has been fully aware
all along that her daughter in her un-
considered action in leaving her home.
would turn to her, where she could
count on love, sympathy and under
standing. She did so, and Mrs. Hoyt
can now only deplore the unfriendly
and unfounded attacks upon her"
Opposed Mrs. Hichborn.
II Mrs. Hichborn. jr., sought at any
time a reconciliation with her husband,
she met the rigid opposition of members
of his family, who opposed Mr.. Hlch-
born slivng with his wife again. Mr..
HiChborn's determination to get di-
vOrCe decree was arrived at only after
the unfortunate man had given the
matter long and careful elaboration.
In the last few months Mr.. Hichborn
had been seen OCCASIONALLY In social
gatherings. He had no heart for them,
but his friends and relatives urged him
to take again the place in society to
which he had belonged by birth and
habit prior to his wife's first elopement.
Mr.. HiChbOrn took care not to appear
downcast when in public, but grief
always possessed him, his most intimate
friends say. Sorrow and distress were
constantly with him and his friends
firmly believe his troubles finally up
set his mind.
Mr.. HiChbOrn was a member of the
class of 1905 of the Harvard law school
and was known as a man of moods, in
Clined to take his cares seriously and to
brood over them to a degree. He led
the life Of the average Harvard student