Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-05-01

SOuSlOcI ~. w ucu TIC AudLLer was an.
nounced in the newspapers he and his
family gave out that the duke, as Lord
John, had shown some attention to an
American girl he 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 it.
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 their aristoc-
racy-for in those days the British peo-
pie regarded the peccadillos of the no.
bility with far more leniency than to-
day-but because there was fear that
the family occupying the title and the
property might be dispossessed through
some unfortunate marriage Of the duke
when he was sowing his wild OATS
When the case came to be tried quite
a number Of the British aristocracy
were present in court.
I'VE 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 q street
called the Bowery. The officiating cler-
gyman is now dead, but we will fur
nish certificate that he was rector
of the church at the time Of the we'd
ding. We shall also furnish the GER
tificate of marriage written by said
NacLaren."
The attorney held up bit of blank
paper. The defendant, who was in
court, looked at it with evident solic-
itous interest.
Stepping to a table, the lawyer placed
the paper under a microscope and said
to the Judge:
your honor, desire you to exam
inc this paper and give a ruling on it.
Is it or is it not valid certificate Of
marriage?''
The Judge stepped down from the
bench and critically examined the pa
per by means Of the microscope He
saw indentations made with a pen con-
| stituting a certificate Of marriage be-
tween Lord John Turnbull and Edith
Van Wyck and signed by Thomas Mac
| Laren. After the examination the
judge returned to the bench. The law
yer continued:
1--WE claim that when the marriage
certificate was made 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 in ink from the said ink
| horn. The clergyman therefore made
out the certificate with ink taken from
said ink horn. We claim that the plain
tiff had filed the ink horn with ink
that after. a short period became in
visible.
Il have also certificate from a
prominent London scientist that iodine
combined with starch, called iodide Of
starch, will produce an ink that will
In 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 a certificate
Of marriage between the defendant
and the plaintiff"
| While this address was being spoken
Averton turned CHASTITY pale.
| Tho in6po fOO1> %ino fo,. oopci1oro
ton, then ruled that the certificate
was valid document.
| Each member OF the jury was given
an opportunity to examine the paper
through 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 a GER
tain date. The reading was effected
by the pen indentations on the paper.
After all had seen it the judge instruct.
ed the jury to accept it as valid testi-
mony.
That settled the case in favor of
Edith Van Wyck, Duchess of Aver
ton. She was adjudged such by the
court, which made the duke bigamist
and his London family illegitimate.
The young man who prosecuted the
case was the son of the defendant.
AS soon as he had won q verdict in his
mothers favor he entered upon nego-
tiations for the payment by the duke of
an annuity to his mother, and the case
was thus settled. The Duke of Aver
ton was never brought to trial for big
amy owing to his influence with the
British cabinet.
His son returned to America, where
he continued to live under the name OF
Van Wyck and became an eminent jur.
ist In New York. His mother after
her vindication returned to her social
position and became leader. She died
during the war days of 1863.
Since then there has been q notable
change In the depredations of the
young bloods upon the weaker sex.
Mock marriages are no longer perpe-
trated.
! Their Tendency.
"Pawnbrokers are the most temper.
ate Of men,"
"How can you prove it?"
because everybody knows they take
! the pledge to a man and generally keeI