The Washington herald., 1920-11-10
DUCHESS WINS
DIVORCE SUIT
Testimony in Marlborough
Case Disappointing to
Spectators.
MISS SPICY DETAILS
Detective Tells of Trailing
MISS SPICY DETAILS.
Detective Tells of Trailing
Duke and Woman to
Paris Hotel.
by CHARLES M. MCCAIN.

LONDON, Nov. 9.-Large crowds
thronged a gloomy courtroom here
today in the hope of hearing spicy
testimony in the divorce suit or
the Duchess of Marlborough, for
merly Corsuelo Vanderbilt She
was awarded a decree, which pc
comes absolute in six months time
The evidence. however. was not as
Interesting as the intensely expect
ant spectators had. anticipated
The hearing lasted barely half an
hour. The duchess was not present
Evidence was confined to testimony
of misconduct on the part of the
duke and an unnamed woman in a
Paris hotel. and the reading of q
note from the duke to the duchess
saying he believed they had drift
ed too far apart ever to live to-
gethsr again in happiness.
This note and the detectives tes-
timony were the high lights OF the
proceedings. 1t was while the note
was being read and the detective
was testifying that the crowd lean
ed forward most eagerly, many
stylishly gowned women with dain-
tily gloyed hands cupped behind
ears so that not a syllable might
escape them
A solicitors clerk testified that he
had served the duke with a court
order six months ago. calling for
restoration Of the duchess conjugal
rights The duke ignored the or
der
The duke did not personally COM
bat the charges brought against
him by the American heiress. His
counsel merely stated that his client
denied all allegations OF miscon-
duct
Sir Edward Carson. noted Ulster
Irish leader. appeared as lawyer for
the duchess He stated that dif-
fsrences between her and the duke
had caused the separation and that
subsequent efforts at reconciliation
were unavailing- Carson produced
the letter written to the duchess by
the duke and signifed his intention
Of reading it There was an i'm
mediate Tightening Of the tension
In the courtroom at this prospect
of hharing the intimate affairs of
the MaT1boroughS publicly aired
The letter as quoted by Carson
was zs follows
Dear Consuelo- We have tried
our best 10 mend the past and start
life afresh i fear that after our
separation now upwards of ten
years We havS grown too far apart
to live happily together again
The signature on this was Sonny
and this il was explained was the
dnchesE pet name for her husband
The detHr1iTe told OF following
the tnks ID P1riE- and said he had
seen him drive IN a hotel which
hs nHIne1d AZ The C1zridge. with a
wurnAn Who appeared ID be about
"a ysaIB ID age The couple. he
said registered under The drks's
family uarDe Is Monsieur and Ma
dame SPENCE
TbeT TeD1 Ii n rpSm in The hotel
Ths dsdar15re xzid- and remained in
II an night
T'hs deikt1Ive watched the room
hour 1ftkr hUur. he stated and he
said he sax the duke emerge al
$50 O'clock next morning The
wUuz-n. however. did MOI make her
appearance untn 1e=3S Il m ac-
UurdfnE 10 the deter1fTe-
Questioned fuT1he=- the detective
said he made The "Trip to The Chan
mel boat en- ruu1e IL France on thr
same train win The duke The
cuuEsyanre in wh1ch the duke and
the woman rode TO the hptel WAS
a limousine. he said
Carson exhibited i physicians
certificate showing that The duchess
was nU1 wen and that she was IN
able 10 attend the hearing