Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-04
MRS. BROSSEAU WINS DIVORCE:
SILENT ON SETTLEMENT RUMOR
Former D. A. R. President
Says Husband Slapped
Her in Quarrel.
Couple, Well Known in Capt.
tai Society, Were Married
81 Years Ago.
~ the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn, october A.
No confirmation was forthcoming today
from attorneys for Mrs. Grace Hill
BroSseau of Greenwich, prominent in
society and former national president
of the Daughters of the American Revo-
luton, of reporS that a considerable
financial settlement was arranged in
connection with her divorce, granted
yesterday, from Alfred Joseph Brosseau,
president Of the Mack Motor Truck Co.
In her uncontested action Mrs
Brosseau charged cruelty and testified
her husband had struck her last May
when she refused to give him the keys
to the wine cellar in their home. She
had changed the cellar lock, she said,
while Brosseau was abroad.
Says He Slapped Her.
A quarrel arose from her refusal to
surrender the keys, she testified, and
Brosseau slapped her face and left the
house. The testimony was corroborated
by Mrs. Wilson Fielder, friend, who
witnessed the incident. Later, Mrs
Brosseau said. she went to fashion
able dinner party with the mark Of the
blow still visible on her cheek.
The BrosseauS were married Decem-
Der 20, 1899, and their life until two
years ago was happy, Mrs. BroSseau
said. T hen, she said, her husbands
affection seemed to cool and he seemed
happier when she was away from him.
Brosseau did not appear in court
when the divorce was granted. but was
represented by counsel who said reports
Of his clients fortune were exaggerated
and that he possessed not more than q
fifth Of the 100000 he was reputed
to have.
News of Mrs. BroSseau's divorce
caused no surprise in D. A. r. circles or
TO Washington society, where it has been
generally known that Mr.. and Mrs.
Brosseau had been estranged for the last
two years.
Well known in Capital.
Mr.. Brosseau, who is president Of the
Mack Truck Co., and vice president
of the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States, is well known figure in
Washington. Until their martial diff
culties arose, he was always an attend
ant at the Continental Congresses of
the D.. A. r., and was conspicuous in a
box during the early years of Mrs. Bros
Seau's administration as president gen.
eral
On numerous occasions he was a gen.
D. "A. r. for various purposes. Just be-
fore Mrs. BrosSeau'S retirement as
president general. in 1929, he presented
the .. A. r. with a beautiful and val
uables tablet of the Declaration of In
dependence wrought in silver. The in
scription on the tablet teStifles to the
fact that 1t was presented in honor of
his wife. 1t Is placed In the wall in the
entrance to Memorial Continental Hall
and is one Of the chief attractions of
the hall.
The marriage of Mr.. and Mrs. Bros
seau, on December 20, 1899, was the
elimination of an early romance. They
grew up together. Mr.. Brosseau at the
time of his marriage was a resident of
Kankakee, Ill.
President General Three Years.
For many years Mrs. BroSSeau has
been one of the most prominent lead
ers in the D. A. r. She served as presi-
dent general from 1926 to 1929 and
upon her retirement was made an
honorary president general. AS chair
man of the Finance Committee prior
to that time she took leading part
In the movement that sponsored the
erection of Constitution Hall.
The General Board of Management,
on her retirement from Office, installed
q $4,000 stained-glass window in her
honor in the library of Constitution
Hall.
Always prominent in national defense
work, Mrs. BroSSeau was member OF
delegation representing the Women's
Patriotic Conference, which called upon
former President Coolidge to urge that
he lend his aid to the passage Of the
cruiser bill in Congress. She was prom
inent in women's work outside as we'll
as inside the D. A. r. and was ire
quent attendant at patriotic sessions.
Mrs Brosseau, while head of the D..
A. r. in 1928, was one Of a small group
of American women presented at the
Court of st. James. During her term
as president general she spent much
of her time in Washington and fire.
ouently came here at other times to
take part in the social life OF the Ma
tionai Capital.