New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-30
LADY FLORENCE DIXIE.
THE REPORTED ASSAULT AND WHAT Is
THOUGHT ABOUT II.

other parts of the world rs iDpulsive and ener-
getc woman, with an unusual bent toward adven-
ture with dash of danger in IT. She has travelled
widely, knows Patagonia and South Africa and
Ireland and has encountered peculiar experiences
in each. She has published books of travel She is
champion of Cetewayo. She has been CORE
spondent of Tie Morning POst-not from
Windsor Castle nor with reference to any
form of social life but from Zululand.
Lady Florence is q woman of eight and twenty.
rather short AID slight with u face that tells Of
hardship and exposure If she is eccentric her &C.
centrioity comes to her of right Shs is daughter
of the late Marquis OF Queensherry singularspsc-
men OF nobility; perhaps hest remembered as
among the last Of the noble patrons of the nOte Sci
ence of self-defence, and author Of the Queens
berry rules" by which the sports Of the prze-ring
are still governed. she is sister to the present
holder OF the title, whom the Conservative Peers
| OF Scotland conferred distinction some years since
by striking him Oh the list OF elected representative
Peers of Scotland in the House of Lords. The
! charge against him was atheism. Lord Queensberry
achieved further renown last year by rising in the
| stalls of the Olympic Theatre To protest against Mr..
| Tennyson's caricature of agnosficism IN that ill
| fated drama " The Pronise of May" Lady Flor
ence has been married seven or eight years to Sir
Beaumont Dixie. English BarOnet of old Gre
alton who proves his gallantry b. allowing his wife
| to DO pretty much as she likes.
| Over and again Lady Florence Dixie has |
| proved how Keen was her sympathy with an OPP |
pressed wronged people. OF the judicial quality
or of capacity for weighing evidence she has TO |
moro, perhaps, than belongs to the majority OF her |
Her efforts in behalf OF the King of the Zulus
gave offence to the white settlers of Natal who are
quick to take offence at any interference with what
used TO be known section of America the
right of every man to wallOp mis- owD niger. But
Lady Florence Dixie not deferred by experl-
ences Of this sort from saying what she believed to
be true. The Irish succeeded the Zulus, as the
Zulus had succeeded the PatagOnians, objects OF
this lady's compassionate interest She went 10
Ireland to look into the matter of Irish grievances
for herself. She went friend both OF the tenant
grooming under the yoke of his landlord, and
of the laborer grooming under the yoke Of
tenant. Lady Florence Dixie presently fonnd that
too undertaking. philanthropy has It's inconve-
niences. The tenant expects you n sympathize
with grievances. but stragItway regards yOu with
suspicion if you hint that he has not monopoly OF
misery Lady Florence found. moreover, that
nothing like independent inquiry would be tolor-
ated. As soon as she challenged the accounts of
the Land League. the leaders turned upon her, de-
nornced her. circulated odious stories about herdid
everything in short except answer her accusat'onS
Her letters did much 10 discredit tho League and
those connected with II. and she has been a marked
many other cases proves true in hers II is rot I
enough 20 be friend to Ireland. There il always
an Insh party which regards as enemy every {
body who exposes the rascaiity covered up under a
pre,ext of friendship for Ireland
When therefore a report reached London that an :
attack had hcen made Lady Florence Dixie.
people at once and naturally enough, vt It down 4
rs the work of the Land League against whose =
agent. her criticisms hal been directed. This n
was Sunday morning. when a brief paragraph s
iold us all we knew. On Monday tho papers were y
full of II. but much a. Is necessary To understand
The present state If the case. and Of public opinion q
nay be tod at no great length.
Sir Beaumont and Lady Florence DNo isho
would los "LadJ Dixie" Il she derived her title
rom her MAJ RAG, Int was Lady Florence Douglas -
before her marriage) live in villa called The :.
Fishery" some three miles from Windsor. Next a.
ioor is ! he willows" a place belonging to Cap Al
ain Brockchurst where the assault actually oc- C,
'urred Both these properties Ito the Thames. 81
md are approached from the main road between Z.
Windsor and Maidcnheld. meadow and plan 10
alton separate the mouse from the road At 400 tn
o'clock on Saturday afternoon Lady Florence Dixie
standing footpath By the roadside in front r
If The Fishery. OF what then happened she has
lers"f given several accounts. beginning with n ! c.
etter to The Times and ending with statements 10 re-
newspaper reporters published this morning. The "a
lttT HdH many OI hnCfIllS anu |
Just the sort Of letter a woman would write under
he shock Of such Outrage, straightforward, ner-
GUS. not attempting would think. To say more
han the writer really knew. Nothing that has du
appeared cOntradics IL dccisycly. discrcdts mi
y direct testimony any essential statement. Such ne
exists due TO the inherent mDrob- We
bility of the occurrence and ~ points | will at
lenton later. Two men disguised women APP tb
reached aud asked the time. At first, Lady h.
lorenzo seems to have had suspicion. She said an
le had not her watch with her. and turned away ~,
she meant to escape, she chose badly, D.
Dr. she entered Captain BrocklehursFs grounds
a point where she could only get out by
imbing q ste. Tho women followed, and ten
10 turned TO meet them. One seized her roa
y the neck. the strength of the grip denotng ~.
an, and threw her down The other leaned over
nd struck with knife 81 remember seeing tho -
eel of the knife come straight down upon me- del
1ven by this PERSONS band.n The blow was neJ
rued by the uhaebone steel OF the stays The s0'
an struck again, the other sitting her cries by
uffng earth INTO her mouth. With her gloved
inds sac tried TO atop the blow. aud at that mo-
ent her dog, powerful st. Bernard sprang at
10 rul1idn, who with his companion, made off. Ifo
ady Florence tainted When she came TO herself br'
e quite alone.
A moment later Sir Beaumont Dixies butler Am
me rushing into his masters room crying out Bee
There's something happened to her ladyshIp Roi
7 Gods sake, Gomez sir Beaumont went out and r.
md his wife i'm tho hall still half f,intno He wal
II, rd bor storv informed tbe noI,co o,J ,,odo ~ the
~ w. - $500 W. i $3.50 ""'N -" had
hculty IN telling the brst reporter who visited ask
M that Inc aftributed the outrace IA her writing call
tiers against the Land League. That Lady Flor pos
ce did arrive at her house Saturday afternoon to
an excited and exhausted state. with her hands A
eedng, her dress cut in several places aud hcr pos
ce covered with mud may he taken certain neil
question TO which all London is seeking an an ing
.or 90 Il ~ 10 uo,y c.r,o adj. rtoro,o pt-.o Z; fat
- ' hi'' '"'''''" h'A'o III chu