The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-10-16 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIID6E OBSERVER.

LORD LONSDALE AND MISS VIOLET
CAMERON:

The American papers to hand give the reports of
the case of David De Bensaude, Miss Violet Cameron's
husband, which was tried in the Special Sessions Court
in the Tombs, before Police Justice Smith.
As soon as Justice Smith had taken his seat the pri-
soner was put upon the stand. His counsel moved
for his discharge, on the ground that the complaint
was a trumped-up charge, which had simply been
made to get his client out of the way of Miss Cameron
and Lord Lonsdale, neither of whom De Bensaude
had the least intention of initiing. Mr. Hummel,
in reply, declared that there was a deliberate inten-
tion on the part of the prisoner "to kill, maim, or
shoot" his wife, because of her refusal to pay him
£l5OO to go to Morocco or some equally remote
place. The law, he thought, was bound to protect
Miss Cameron from the "scoundrel" who had never
supported her or her child.
Miss Cameron was closely questioned by Lawyer
Jacobs as to her relations with Lord Lonsdale. She
said that she was married to De Bensaude about two
years ago, and they had one child. Her husband
had never supported her,, and she had a suit for
divorce from him now pending in the London courts.
"Were you ever charged by your husband with
adultery with Lord Lonsdale ?" she was asked.
"Yes," she replied, considerably excited, " but the
suit was discontinued." She could not remember
where or when she first met Lord Lonsdale. De
Bensaude had not, she admitted, annoyed her directly
since her arrival there; in fact, she had no conversa-
tion with him.
Miss Cameron added that Lord Lonsdale had told
her that De Bensaude had threatened to maim or dis-
figure her on or off the stage on Monday night unless
he received £l5OO, and she believed it. In answer to
Mr. Jacobs she said that she was not aware that Lord
Lonsdale had rooms at the Hotel Madison, where
she lives. In speaking about her relations with the
earl she looked her questioner squarely in the face
with a perfectly steady gaze.
Hugh Cecil Lowther, Earl of Lonsdale, was next
called. He said that he was 29 years old, and every-
body looked surprised. He looks at least ten years
older. Delmonico's, he said, was his present abode.
He then told about De Bensaude's visit to him on
Wednesday in regard to sending a letter to Miss
Cameron.

"I told him," said the witness, "that ho had better
send it through her lawyer if it was a request for
motley. I asked him if he remembered telling his
solicitor that he would keep away from Miss Cameron
in this country. I told him that to help him I had
placed myself in a false position, and now, to add
insult to injury, he wanted my aid to get £l5OO from
his wife." The witness then repeated the statements
made by Miss Cameron about De Bensaude's thre3ts,
adding that Mr. Jacobs, the prisoner's lawyer, had
advised his client to shoot the earl. This provoked
a roar of laughter. On being cross-examined, Lord
Lonsdale said that he was married, .4.11 d in corre-
spondence with his wife, who was coming here soon.
He said that he had known Miss Cameron about six
months.

"Were you co-respondent in an action for divorce
brought against Miss Cameron by her husband ?'7
asked Mr. Jacobs.

After considerable evasion he admitted that he was
co-respondent, and also that he had been arrested for
assaulting Be Bensaude and fined 40s. He said that
the reason why he did not avoid Be Bensaude here
Was that he wished the public to know that he was
not afraid. Be Bensaude, he said, had asked him to
become trustee for his child about six months ago.
"You were friendly with him how long?" asked
Mr. Jacobs.
"Until he tried to cut his wife's throat at Porto
Bello."
"Did you offer
_him a pistol to shoot her?"
_

"No. - I did tell him that I would let him take a
pistol if he wanted three shots at me and give me
three at him." He further denied that he had ever
stopped at the same hotel with Miss Cameron in
London. It was De Bensaude's frequent visits to the
Hoffman House to see his wife, he said, that caused
Mr. Stokes to ask her to leave that hotel. Miss
Cameron's suit for divorce was begun, he said, in
July; her husband's not till September.
De Bensaude said he was 30 years old. He denied
making any threats, and said that Lord Lonsdale had
asked him to gall. Then he became angry, and broke
out in a fierce tirade againA his wife and Lord Lone..
dale. When asked if he knew of any improper con-
duct between them he admitted that he did not. Lord
Lonsdale, he declared, had offered him 2000 dole. to
leave the country, but he added in a dramatic way," I
did not come here for money, but for the honour of
my wife." He asserted that he had contributed to his
wife's support, but declined to say how much. When
they travelled together on the Continent he paid the
bills.

Miss Cameron leaned over and whispered to her
counsel.
"Were not those Continental bills sent back to her
unpaid ?" broke in Mr. Hummel.
De Bensaude mumbled something in reply about
overcharges. He denied taking any of his wife's jewels
in London.

The hearing was adjourned, but the prisoner waived
further examination, and was held for trial in the
Court of General Sessions.