The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-29
INVOLVES
CELEBRATED FAMILIES
Most Sensational Case Ever
Tried in Delaware Courts
Results in Defeat for
The Wife.
BY International News Service.

BY International News Service.
-ILMINGTON, Dcl March as
Degradation overwhelmed Mrs.
NM Madeleine Dupont Bancroft to-
w day The Newcastle superior
court unanimously granted her
husband. John Bancroft, Jr., a divorce
Chief Justice Bennewlll and Associate
Justices Wooley and Conrad were one in
determining that this unhappily mated
pair should be severed; that the woman
Is TO blame.
Never was more sensational case tried
in this state. The Duponts, OF ancient
HugueEot lineage: the Bancrofts. the
Saltsburys and two OF three other fam
lilies form social and political aris-
may be said,
For the sake Of the name or tho Du-
points this divorce suit was fought BIT
terly. Yet the result is. in the frigd
terms OF the courts decision:
John Bancroft. Jr.. is granted a divorce
from Madeleine Dupont Bancroft.
To the father is given the exclusive
custody OF the son, John Bancroft Ill,
whose paternity he acknowledges,
Decree Regarding Infant.
And deadliest of all. the court ordered
that q decree should be entered declaring 3
that the infant son OF Mrs Bancroft is
not the son OF her husband: that he IS
illegitlmste; that he is we'll named Max
FTeibler, Jr.: that he is the of the
student in Munich, Max Heibler. who,
Bancroft charged stole his wifes love
from him. This is the infant OF whom
Heiblcr wrote most fondly to Mrs Ban
croft, asking her:
''How is little Haus?"
To accentuate their decision the judges
took pains to say that they had arrived
at ii regardless of the letters or other
admissions OF Mrs. Bancroft or of Max
Heibler
The suit, so full OF surprises and con-
tradictions. is not yet ended. T. Bayard
GIelsel of counsel for Mrs. Bancroft,
noted an exception TO the decision TO
lay grounds for an appeal. Her cross
suit. making charges almost equally SEN
sational. has not vet come TO trial She
brought on n pretty girl from Munich
who blushinGly testified that Bancroft
had made much too violent love to her
I'm 81 cab in Munich,
Letters in Case.
Mr.. Bancroft in his suit made Max
Heibler. Jr.. the co-defendant with his
wife. When the boys birth was regis
tered, his mother. Mrs, Bancroft, called
him Max Hcibler, Such was the testi-
mony offered. There were also letters
written by Max Hciber about "his
sons" health and urging her to hasten
back TO Munich.
The judges said further today:
"In reaching this conclusion we have
not regarded the letters OF other ad-
missions OF the defendant (Mrs. Ban
croft or of Max ITebler, which we
received in evidence to he thereafter
considered or disrcgarded by the court
in arriving at their Judgment Bancroft
is granted decree mis-. for under the
Delaware law an absolute divorce cam
not be granted in one year
1t is said that Mrs. Bancroft viii go
abroad and that She reached deter
mination several months ago. The first
child John Bancroft III, born In Ger
many late In the spring OF 1908. five
months after their marriage, IS now with
the parents OF Bancroft In this city.
The wife has the alleged ilIeEitimatc
child with her.