The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-08-24

W iioNutc ~ Shs hiN NiAt ShN-"eN''
not consent 10 prosecution of Lord
johns She resumed her maiden name
and brought up her son as Francis Van
wyck
Twenty years later young man
stepped into solicitors Office IN Lon
don aud requested him to demand
of the Duke Of Averton l20,OO0. When
asked his naiiA and why he made such
a demand the stranger declined at pres
eht TO give either. Tho solicitor do
clined 70 take the ease, but when the
client said that the amount was de-
manded Tor the support Of woman
the duke had wronged many years be
fore he consented.
Ayerton WINGED at the demand, but
put on bold face He pronounced the
case one Of blackmall and declined to
consider It, When the matter was an
nounced I'M the newspapers he and his
family gave out that the duke, us Lord
John, had shown some attention 70 an
American girl lie had met In the Unit
ed States, After lapse OF years she
had concluded TO claim that he had
married her. There was nothing IN Il,
The case, notwithstanding this state
ment, excited a good deal Of attention
in London society. not because that so
ciety looked down with scOrn upon the
betrayal OF women by thelr aristoc-
racy-ror in those days the British peo-
pie regarded the peccadillos OF the no.
bility with far More lcniency than To
day-but because there was fear that
the family occupying the title aud the
property might be dispossessed through
some unfortunate marriage Of the duke
when he was sowing his wild oats.
When the case came 10 be tried quite
number Of the British arlstocracy
were present In court
we are prepared TO prove" said the
plaintiffs solicitor, that about twenty
two years ago, when the Duke OF Aver.
ton was In America, he married Edith
Van Wyck OF New York and lived with
her as her husband several months,
when he deserted her. The couple
were married by the Rev. Thomas Mac
Laren In St Marks church. ON street
called the Bowery. The officiating cler-
gyman is now dead, but we viii fur
nish certificate that he was rsetoT
of the church at the time OF the we'd
ding. We shall also furnish the GER
ttfcate OF marriage written by eaid
MaeLaren."
TIE attorney held up bit OF blank
paper The defendant, who was ri
court, looked at It with evident sole.
itous interest
Stepping 10 table, the lawyer placed
the paper under microscope aud said
to the judge:
your honor. | desire you TO exam
inc this paper and give a ruling ON f.
Is II or Is Il not a valid certificate ~
marrihgef3
Tho judge stepped down from the
bench ana critically examined the pa.
per by means Of the microscope. lie
saw indentations made with pen con
stituting certificate OF marriage be,
tween Lord John Turnbull and Edith
Van Wyck and signed by Thomas Mac
Laren. After the examination the
Judge returned 20 the bench. The law
yer continued;
we claim that when the marriage
certificate was mhde out the clergyman
was handed an ink horn and pen by
the groom, who stated that marriage
certificates had for hundreds Of years
been written 10 ink from the said lux
horn. The clergyman therefore made
out the certificate with Ink taken from
said Ink horn. We claim that the plain
till had filed the ink horn with ink
that after short period became In
visible
Il have also q certificate from
prominent london scientist that iodine
combined with starch, called iodide Of
starch, viii produce nm Ink that VIII
In a short time entirely fade away.
We charge the Duke Of Averton at that
time with procuring the writing Of the
certificate with iodide OF starch, which
will fade and cannot be reproduced.
therefore ask your honor TO accept
these pen indentations as certificate
OF marriage between the defendant
and the plaintiff
While this address was being spoken
Averton turned CHASTITY pale
The Judge took time for considera-
ton, then ruled that the certificate
was valid document
Each member Of the jury was given
an opportunity TO examine the paper
through a microscope. The. foreman
read aloud certificate given by the
officiating clergyman that he had mar,
ried Edith Van Wyck and John Turn
bull in the city OF New York on GER
tain date. The reading was effected
by the pen indentatlons ON the paper
After all had seen 1t the Judge instruct
ed the jury to accept 1t as valid testi.
mony.
That settled the case in favor Of
Edith Van Wyek. Duchess OF Aver
ton. she was adJudged such by the
court, which made the duke bigamlst
and his London family illegtimate.
The young man who prosecuted the
case was the son Of the defendant
As soon as he had won verdict In his
mothers favor he entered upon nego
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