Morris tribune., 1881-06-23
GAY GITANA GLADYS.
A Scandal Concerning the Biggest and Pret-
test of British Bellies.

GAY GITANA GLADYS.
A Scandal Concerning the Biggest and Pret-
test of British Bellies.
The last English mails brings us an item
Of considerable interest concerning titled
English couple who have, during their brief
day, made no end of scandal in the aristo-
cratic world. At Marlborough police court
on the 18th inst, Wiltshire magistrate,
Mr.. Richard Ludlow Bruges, of Seend
House, Melksham, was charged with writ
ing and sending an indescribably filthy and
libelous letter to the Earl of Lonsdale con-
cerning the countess-a letter SO filthy that
it could not be read in court. Mr.. George
Lewis, the well known fashionable barris-
ter, said he appeared for Lord Lonsdale to
prosecute the prisoner for writing a filthy
and libelous letter to him. Lord Lonsdale
had been abroad, and returned to England
about April II. Upon his arrival he found
awaiting him at the Turf club, Picadilly,
the letter in question, which bore neither
the signature nor the address of the writer,
but the postmark of Melksham. Lord Ions
dale sent the letter to the postofice author
tiles, who informed him when it was post
ed, and then he placed it in the hands of
Mr.. George Lewis to discover, if possible,
tho writer Of the letter, so that he might be
brought to justice. The result of these in
quiries was that the letter was clearly traced
to the prisoner. Evidence to this effect was
offered, and the prisoner was held in e4, 900
bail, Mr.. Montagu Williams, the other fash
ionable counsel of London, saying, before
bail was taken: Il am not in position to
offer any explanation at present of the letter
which, [ need hardly say, is most disgrace
full"
The Earl of Lonsdale the fourth who
has born the title-is the head of that Low
ther family which for century and half
exercised paramount influence in the coun-
ties of Cumberland and Westmoreland. Pitt
owed his seat to the family's influence, be-
ing returned for Appleby without even vis-
iting the constituency. in gratitude for
which he made his patron Earl of Lonsdale.
The first earl, harsh, penurlous man, who
ruled his vast estates with rod of iron,
married daughter of Lord Butte, the roy
al favorite. The family owns immense es-
tates: Lowther Castle in Westmorland,
Whitehaven Castle in Cumberland. and the
town of Whitehaven, and large property
inal rental of Ell, ,211, while the Earl of
Lonsdale has SO church iivings in his gift
worth some e10,0 year. The Low theirs
are a very old family-one was attorney
general to Edward I, and made very good
transactions in crown lands; indeed so late
as 1922 they got the Manor of Ennerdale
with its mines and quapies, 961 acres in al,
for G2500, having previously rented it for
less than SIS year and a tenth of the min
ing profits. Sir James Lowther, the first
earl, is immortalized in history as mil
lionare whose "rapacity degenerated into
mere dishonesty" who made it arule new
er to pay his neighbors because he knew
they were rascals nor his distant creditors
because he didn't know they weren't. 1t
was he who by refusing to pay a debt to
Woodwarths father ruined the poets faml-
ly. He was an accomplished boroughmon-
ger, owning nine members of parliament,
whom Greville calls Lord I,onsdale's peo-
ple," as if they had been servants. To
return two members for Hazelmere he pop
ulated it with forty colliers, who lived rent
| free and had half a guinea week for their
votes at election time, when he sold the
seats or filed them with relatives who OBJ
tanned sinecures. The present earl is the
| first spendthrift Lowther.
He was born in 1856 and succeeded to the
| title in 1875, marrying, two years later, Lady
Constance Gladys Herbert, four years his
Junior, the daughter of Lord Herbert, of
Lea, (Sidney Herbert), one Of the purest
and most earnest of modern British states
men. Some years ago her mother and SIS
ter Joined the Catholic church; not so Lady
Constance, who was one of the gayest as
we'll as one of the most beautiful women of
4 England. She is one of the tallest, too
standing nearly six feet in height, and is
swarthy and dark-eyed, with an almos
Jewish cast of countenance, so as fully tc
merit the pet name" she is given in society
of LA Gitany," or "The Gypsy" He
brother, tie Earl of Pembroke, considered
that for girl of her disposition youns
husband who was noted even among hi
fast set for drunkenness and debauchery
was asvery undesirable guardian. He re-
fused to attend her wedding, Lord Ions
dale came into property with nomina
rent roll of $3.50, 600 year, but perhaps
yielding nearly 81, ,000. 900, and besides thi
income of SO, 900 day, had about $3.50, ,00'
in ready money when he succeeded to tn
title. Every possible means to squande
this fortune was adopted-last, and not b.
any means the least, a racing stud, and th
countess, "They seemed wrote q chron
icler couple of years ago, ito be yer.
fond of one another-in vel
regulated way, of course-and afte
their union they scattered golt
lavishly all over Europe. Balls, dinners
yachts, racing, hunting, succeeded in un
broken succession. She wanted everything
and he bought her everything. The oil
world was ransacked. for curiosities, luxu
ries, objects of art Her diamonds cos
her 100000, and her furniture, pictures
marbles, and like, more than G300,000, il
seven months; and yet she was not content
They loved the great world and its resplend
ent gawds more than they loved one an
other before their honeymoon was fairl
over. While he was yachting in the East
ern Mediterranean she was dancing at Mon
te Carlo. He dined late and long at tn
Maison Doree, when she captured youn
noblemen and watched the stars from th
cliffs of Sorrento. She was 90 and he wa
"a. but both had lived long enough and fas
enough to feel weary, jaded and old. In
] few months after their marriage Lady Gla
.. dys had to return to her mother, and he
husband committed the disgraceful act 9
announcing in the papers that he woul
not be responsible for her bills. Not Ion
afterward the earl had to sell his collectio
Of paintings and a good share Of his proper
, | ty that was not entailed.
, Meanwhile the countess consoled herse
and became one of the most professional {
!. the few professional beauties" HI
i photographs with those Of Mrs. Langtr
, end most of the other very fashionabl
women, were exhibited in the shop window
along sidt Of those people with very doub,
y full regulations, all marked at the sam
price-two shillings. One Of Lady Lon.
5 dald's prettiest photographs attitudes WI
) lying in hammock, but another ashowe
( her feeding chickens, and on being aske
, what it was intended to represent, she r,
: Piled, aSowing my husbands wild oats
: still another photograph, that proved
sensation amounting to positive scanda
showed her huge form to q gratifed publ