Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-19
Manner in Which Separation Is
Granted in Paris Causes
Surprise.

PARIS, Feb. 1s.-Although the
Paris court delivered it's Judgment
granting a divorce between Clarence
Fl. Mackay and Catherine Duer
Mackay on February IL, the verdict
has not yet been docketed. Coudert
Bros, the attorneys of Mr.. Mackay.
while confirming the divorce, were
unwilling to give any details. The
French newspapers are forbidden by
law to publish reports of divorce
suits.
NEW YORK. Feb 19.-The an
nouncement today that Clarence H.
Mackay, fnsndier and president of
the Postal Telegraph Gable Com
pany, and Catherine Duer Mackay,
his wife, had been granted mutual
divorce by the French courts on Feb
ruary IL came as a surprise, not
because 1t was unexpected. but be-
cause of tho place and manner in
which the decree was granted. For
many months the couple had been
living apart, and society's only query
was whese a suit for divorce would
be filed. :
It was tholisht Portland. Me.
would be tf1e ptaee, As -Tffs- Mackas
leased house and established a
residence there. but early in the year
she lei't her Maine home for Paris,
and soon thereafter her husband ap-
peared in the French capital.
There were rumors of a reconciIia-
tion then. but these were denied by
Mr. Mackay. 1t now appears that
the trips of the two to Europe was
In accordance with plan agreed
upon when the separation suit of
Mrs. Joseph A. Blake against DIR.
Joseph A. Blake, the famous surgeon,
was decided IN the wife's favor with
out contest. and Mrs. Blake dropped
her suit for S1.000,00D against Mr..
Mackay for alternating DIR. Blake's
affections.
Mr.. Macksy Gets Children.
Counsel for both Mr.. and Mrs.
Mackay made announcement of the
mutual divorce last night. Both
statements were brief They recited
that both sides charged desertion,
Mrs. Mackay filing suit first Mr..
Mackay followed with a contest suit.
The decree, it was stated, gave the
custody of the couples three children
to Mr.. Mackay, with the right to
visit them accorded to Mrs. Mackay.
Mutual divorces. it was explained,
were permissa BILE under the French
law. 1t was also explained that the
French courts had jurisdiction, as
both parties to the suit had apart
ments in Paris for 4 considerabl
time In this connection a report
was published here that Mrs. Mackay
had renounced her American citizen
ship in order to bring the suit, but
this was not confirmed.
No mention was made in the law
yers' statements of any financial set
tlement. Monetary matters were
arranged, it is understood, year
ago, when Mrs. Mackay signed over
her title to the magnificent estate at
Roslyn, Long Island, TO her son. This
estate was given her by her father
in-Iaw, the late John W. Mackay. Of
Bonanza fame.
Mr.. Mackay. who is in town with
two of his children, the eldest being
at school in Connecticut, had nothing
to add to the story told by the at
torneys. Mrs. Mackay was still in
Paris.
Worth Many Millions.
Clarence H. Maclsy is forty years
of age. He inherited nearly sSe,000,-
600 from his father. Since he came
into his patrimony twelve years ago
the head of the vast Mackay proper
ties is said TO have almost doubled
their worth.
He married Catherine Duer in 1898.
She is the descendant of an old
Knickerbocker family, and the social
prominence she. gained through her
beauty and charm as the mistress of
the Mackay fortune was added to by
her ability as a writer and her in
terests in sociological and educational
problems. In 1894 she published a
novel called THE Stone of Destiny.
The Mackay children are Catherine,
fourteen; Ellin, ten, and John Will
lam, six.
For years after the marriage. it
was looked upon in society as an
ideal one, and the two took lead
ing part in the more serious actlvi-
ties that their positions opened TO
them. Mr.. Mackay did much for
grand opera in this country, and his
wife found time, among her other
interests. to support the woman suf-
frage movement, from which she re-
tired about the time the first re-
ports came out regarding breach
in their relations.
~ nj - Dill