Gross Misbehavior and Wickedness

The bitter and public court battle waged between Nina and James Walker of Newport, Rhode Island from 1909 to 1916 created a sensation throughout the nation with lurid accounts ofand gossip abouttheir marital troubles. The ordeal of this high-society couple, who wed as much for status as for love, is one of the prime examples of the growing trend of women seeking divorce during the early twentieth century. Gross Misbehavior and Wickednessthe charges Nina levied at James for his adultery (with the family governess) and extreme crueltyrecounts the protracted legal proceedings in juicy detail. Jean Elson uses court documents, correspondence, journals, and interviews with descendants to recount the salacious case. In the process, she underscores how divorcein an era when women needed husbands for economic supportwas associated with womens aspirations for independence and rights. The Walkers dispute, replete with plot twists and memorable characters, sheds light on a critical period in the evolution of American culture.