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Drayton and Borrowe Reach New York Simultaneously. NO BLOODSHED ON THE BOAT. How a Society Man Married an Heiress for Money and, When She Loved Another, Blackmailed Her Mother. New York, March 23.—James Coleman Drayton and Hallett Alsop Borrowe, prin cipals in the cause celebre which is now agitating New York’s “Four Hundred,” arrived with no evidence of the sanguinary meeting hall anticipated by the interested public on this side of the water. Their trouble arose out of Borrowe’s intimacy with Mrs. Drayton, and culminated on the part of the injured husband by seeking atisfaction by force of arms. The Majestic did not reach here till late this afternoon. Shortly afterward a reve nue cutter with fourteen people on board left the dock, and, notwithstanding orders to the contrary, when the steamer was reached the whole party clambered aboard. No evidence of any unusual excitement was visible on board. Captain Parsell, who was on the bridge, when questioned by energetic reporters received them with asi look of blank amazement. He said: I know nothing of any trouble between these two gentlemen. They have been very quiet during the trip. I heard nothing about any duel, either on board the Majestic or anywhere else. This is all news to me. Indeed, I did not know that Drayton and Borrowe knew each other. Borrowe and Millbank were discovered later. Both were greatly startled at what they termed an intrusion by the reporters. They were informed of the marked atten tion given their personal affairs by Amer icans generally during the past week, and were shown copies of the letters that purported to have passed between Burrowe and Drayton. These were re received with significant shakes of the head and accompanying smiles. “My lips are sealed,” said Miloank. “It cannot say anything at present. I am surprised at the publicity, but as we have not read the story here published, I ought not ‘to speak now.”’ “I really cannot make any statement at present,”’ broke in Borrowe. He smiled and continued: “Now let me go. Really, gentlemen, I am not pre pared to say anything. We were not aware of these stories,” and hastened away. ‘Well, I’’—(with another long pause) ‘‘You can best judge for your selves. I really have nothing to say just now. I think Drayton should make a statement first, anyway. He began the trouble.” D. L. Upshur, son of Commodore Up shur, and a servant, were of the boarding party. Once aboard they rushed about the ship and spent nearly ten minutes be fore they found Mr. Drayton. Upshur fushed up, and, putting a bundle of news paper clippings in his hand, excitedly said: “Read this. Read it carefully. It of great importance.” In the cantime Drayton was shoved into a stateroom and a servant put on guard at the door, with instruc tions to let no one in. Upshur became ex cited, and then rushed through the pas sage exclaiming: ‘Can not talk, can not talk.” Those lingering outside the door after Drayton had gone inside could hear him frequently exclaiming: ‘That’s singular. That’s singular,” and then the voice of the man ser vant could be heard whining: “Awful, awful.””. Upshur, when next seen by the reporters was talking earnestly to her grace, the Duchess of Marlborough, who was a passenger. Said Mr. Upshur: “Mr. Drayton will look over the matter and all that is published will be carefully read. After consultation with some of his friends he will decide what course to take.” A passenger, whose name could not be learned, but who said he knew both men well, told of the meeting of the men on the ship, and described it. Drayton and the Duchess of Marlborough were going down the companionway when Borrowe started up. They retreated a step and, turning their backs, allowed Borrowe to pass. The Duchess of Marlborough, when asked about the episode, colored slightly and said, “Oh, yes. Mr. Drayton asked Me to step aside a moment and afterwards explained that a man he did not want to meet was coming up the steps at the time. I am afraid that some of your reporters will get me mixed up in this.” Mr. Drayton remained during the day locked in his stateroom. With him as a was a friend, and at 4 o'clock John Hoey, with his son, Frederick Hoey, who was a Passenger on the Majestic, paid him a visit. The mail steamer took away the Party of visitors, and Mr. Drayton, ac companied by John Hoey and Frederick Hoey, took passage on the boat of the health officer. At the White Star Line dock fully 800 persons person were gathered, awaiting the dock ing of the Majestic, among them Percy Drayton, a cousin of Drayton, and Fred die Gebhardt. After the arrival of the Mail boat, as Mr. Drayton was not on board, they took a coupe and drove up town. Promptly at 9 o’clock representatives of the press met at the Windsor hotel and Waited for the appearance of Drayton, Who promised to make a statement at 9:30. That hour arrived, but it did not bring Drayton. The reporters waited until 1:30, when it became apparent Drayton could not show up. Up till a late hour they have been unable to find him. A rumor was circulated to the ef fect that the would-be duelists had been quietly spirited away to Philadelphia, but this could not be verified. A call was made at the residence of Samuel Borrowe, father of Hallett Alsop Borrowe. Bor- Trowe hed to be seen, and it was said by an attendant at the door that young Bor- Towe remssined on board the Majestic to Right. Mrs. J. Coleman Drayton was Miss Augusta Astor, the third daughter of Mr. William Astor. She was married to Mr. Drayton ten years ago, io her father's house, on the corner of Fifth Avenve and Thirty-fourth street. Her choice of a husband was fully approved by her parents, and an alloved happiness was predicted for the couple. Mr. Drayton is a native of Phila delphia, and is of excellent family. Mr. Drayton was never very fond of the gay World. Mrs. Drayton, who was considered the beauty of the Astor family, attended the important social events of the winter season, notwithstanding the objection raised by her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Drayton's country house, known as “Crow's Foot,” is delightfully situ ated at Bernardsville, N. J. For several years Past the gossip of society has been that Mr. Bar- Towe, whose parents own and occupy an estate ahout three-quarters of a mile away, was a de voted admirer of Mrs. Drayton. Mr. Borrowe, it is said, frequently lunched with Mrs. Drayton and drove about the country with her in her Victoria. It appears that the ecoachman who Usually drove Mrs. Drayton and Mr. Bor rowe about Bernardsville and Morris town openly boasted that Mrs. Drayton was afraid to discharge him. One day, it was Sid. Mrs. Drayton had found it necessary to take the coachman to task. He turned on her Sid caillet her a vile name. Mrs. Drayton told her husband that she had been insulted, and he went out to interview the coachman The man asserted that he said nothing but the truth, and Got a chance then to tell what he professed were Getsils. [ was this episode, it is said, that led to the agreement between Mrs. Astor and Dray ton, involving the money consideration. Henry Alsop Borrowe is the son of Samuel OWe, vice-president of the Equitable Life Insurance Society. His companion on the Majestic, Harry Vane Millbank, is the eldest son of Sir Frederick Millbank, a Yorkshire baronet, who is one of the heirs of the Duke of Cleveland. He is but little over 30 years of age, and has already gone through a fortune of £ 300,000, $1,500,000. His last dueling experience is of the most extraordinary on record. Within a year he was called out suc cessively by the husband, brother and father of German lady, with regard to whom he has always sworn he was unjustly accused. He killed them all, being twice dangerously injured himself, and finding a new duel on his hands so soon as he recovered strength to leave his bed. The marriage of Mr. Drayton and Miss Augusta Astor caused a good deal of comment at the time. Their tastes were dissimilar, and money, not love, cemented the match. Five years ago Drayton discovered that his wife and Borrows were guilty of adultery, but he compounded her infidelity by exacting from her a written con fession of her guilt, a promise to avoid Borrows in future, and an agree ment on Mrs. Astor's part to make him an annual payment of $7,000 out of her personal income. The Astors are convinced of the woman's guilt. When, recently, Dray ton found his wife and Borrowe dining together in a London hotel, matters were brought to a crisis, and Drayton challenged Borrowe to fight a duel. The facts in the case were aid before the Duke de Moray, who is the Marquis of Queensberry of the field of honor, and he decided, without knowing the names of the parties, that the hus band had no grievance. He said: “When a man leads his fiancee to the altar he adopts absolutely the guardianship of her honor. If he discovers that the honor is not there to pro tect, then it is a question of divorce, but pecu niary emolument is no solace for wounded honor, and no gentleman could so regard it.” A week ago Borrowe took passage for America on the Majestic, then, changing his mind, de cided to wait for the next boat. Later, learning that Drayton was to sail on the steamer, and that his own change of mind would be charged to a fear of meeting his enemy on the boat, he caught the Majestic at the last moment. Mrs. Drayton is in London.
Newspaper Details
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Seattle, Washington, US
Thu, Mar 24, 1892
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
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USA 08 Jul 2026
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