YALE DIVORCE CASE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8790, 18 April 1907, Page 4

YALE DIVORCE CASE.

A "Great 'Varsity Divorce Suit," as it is cilled, is rivalling the Thaw case in its claims upon the attention of the American public. Yalo is a university holding about the same position as Cambridge 'in England, and 27 undergraduate's of that seat of learning are named by Mr Ed-win Norton, whose suit for divorce began in the High Court of Connecticut. Naturally, not only the Yale students, bnt-thoso at Harvard, the Oxford of America, and scores from minor universities, aro much excited over this case, and possibly there is much unseemly jest at the expense of Yale's reputation.

Mr Norton, who is a sou of tho former president of the Tin Trust, and lives at New York, eloped with Miss Birney, a beautiful cloak model, j of Newhaven, Connecticut, and mar-.; ried her at Brideport on January 16, 1906, a magistrate officiating. Miss Birney was known as the prettiest girl in the city, and all Yale was at lie feet. Sons of multi-millionaires paid her assiduous court, proposals came to her thick and fast, her beauty was the first thing the freshman heard of when he came to town. Mr Norton met her and instantly fell in love with her, it was said, but their was one other well-known Yale boy in the same fix, who was supposed to have an . excellent opportunity of capturing the coveted prize. Mr Norton's haste was the sensation of the day.

When Mr Nortn, senior, heard of the marriage he was furious. He took the nineteen-year-old husband out of the university, sent him to Europe, and then detailed detectives to watch over the bride, who remained at Newhavven. In his petition, young Norton alleges that he was intoxicated on the night of the elopeinet. TJie petition also charges that the wife did not mourn while her luish.ind was in Europe, but solacod herself with tho attentions of a largo cluster of admiring Yale students. All the undergraduates who had any acquaintance with the young woman have been subpoenaed, and the court looked like a class room. The fair defendant herself, attende 1 by three lawyers, made a decidedly good impression by her smart appearance.

The first estimony offered by the complainant was |that of Mr A. E. Mills, who told of visits paid by the bride and various young men to a restaurant in which witness was a waiter, and where she and her companions made merry. The court is crowded with Yalo men who expect to be regaled with lively proceedings. Stories of late suppers, neat whisky, and champagne wholesale have ab:6acly been told.