The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-29

TIE tsse ~ 0.sAv nwsksas.
Tho Silt ~ the Fart of DunHIM for IN.
annulment % h.s marriages. On the ground
that his wifo WA insane ut the time she en-
tered into th. matrimonial contract. ha. been
briefly reported ir our dispatches from Lon
don: but thu cass was So remarkable. az CT
trsor iinsry. that = history 81 it mad. W
from tho full accounts Of the proceedings at
the trial. now received. will be ~ great In.
tcrcst. No suit In England u lats years has
attracted So much attention. especially
among the aristocracy. the court room hav-
ing been crowded throughout lis progress
by people Of that sort, both men and women.
and among the witnesses examined were
many persons OF high rank.
In 1879 or 1850 the Earl Of DURHAM first
met Miss ETHEL l.. MILSEB in society. into
which she had lately entered, having been
presented at q drawing room In 1879. She
was tho granddaughter OF the Archbishop VI
Armagh, was one VI the beauties Of the day,
and WAS then 10 her twentieth year. the Earl
being four years older In 1889 he renewed
his acquaintance with her at Ascot, where
she was staying during the racing at the
house OF her elder sister the Hon. Mrs.
GERARD; and during his visit OF three or
four days he paid her marked attentions.
Subsequently she took part In the gayeties
OF the London season, and danced very
much. though she was Of a shy disposition.
She was at the Marlborough House. whero
she shook hands with the Prince OF WALES.
and later she danced with him at ball given
by her sister. She again met the Earl of
In rIDn nnAk ko l,,,v>v
sion she had made on him was so far strength
ened that when In July. 1882. they came to-
gether at Newmarket he was still more
assiduous In his attentions In August they
were both guests Of Lord CAsTLEREAoH In
the county Of Durham, and there the Earl
proposed marriage to her and was accepted.
But he was SO struck with her shy
and reserved demeanor toward him that
previously he spoke to Mrs. GERARD on the
subject, fearing that Miss MILNER's conduct
indicated that he was repugnant to her; but
Mrs. GERARD assured him that her sisters
manner was due to her love for him. At the
time OF the betrothal he embraced and kissed
her, she submitting to the manifestation Of
affection. but Offering no tenderness in re-
turn. He pressed her to know the cause Of
her shyness, and urged her to put more trust
in him as her accepted lover, upon which she
said: II have something dreadful, awful, to
tell you:" but she refused to answer his
question as to what it was and he has never
been able to find out since.
1t seems that on the day before the be-
trothal she set fire to her clothes with q
match, and was burned on the breast, but
only slightly. according to her maid,
though the circumstance that she made
nothing OF the accident, and rodo out next
day as il she had suffered no injury, was
brought up as an indication OF insanity. But
her sister testified that she had always been
plucky about hurts to herself, and the SER
want that she rang for her when the burning
| occurred. The testimony contradicted the
theory Of a suicidal intention.
The relations between the Earl OF DURHAM
and Miss MILNER were extraordinary for an
engaged pair. She conversed with him in
monosyllables, mostly saying nothing
| more than yes and no In low
tone Of voice. Two days after tho
engagement she left Lord CAsTLEREAGH's
without taking leave of her lover and pro-
ceeded to Buxton, where she stayed with her
mother and her grandfather the Archbishop
OF Armagh. The Earl speedily followed her.
and, according to his testimony, was treated
with GOODNESS and Indifference which would
have opened the eyes OF an ordinary lover.
She avoided his society, would not remain
near him when they walked together. and
refused to converse with him. From Bux-
ton Miss MILNER and her sister, Mrs.
GERARD, went with Lord DURHAM to Lamb
ton, his seat, and the future home OF his af-
fianced bride. Here she exhibited remark
able taciturnity during the whole visit, keep
ing away from Lord DURHAM whenever not
on the grounds with him, and preserving
throughout listless demeanor. On the
road from Lambton to London Miss MIL
NER, Mrs. GERARD and Lord DURHAM were
Joined by GLADYS, Lady LoNsDALE, who Of.
fered to give Miss MILNER dachshund. but
she paid no attention to the offer. answering
nothing. While on this journey an incident
occurred which was thus brought out by the
Acknowledgement In his cross-examination
OF Lady LoNspALE:
| "'There was Joke. Lady LoSspALl, on the journey
upi Did Lord DuRuAH say to Miss MILssr, Would yot
like to see mo kiss Lady LossDALEi"'
"'t joke
"oh. Lady LosspALs We know that; but did he mo-
say that in joker
"'Yss. he did
"And did he say-iu Joke. OF courss--"As Offer
did before -
~ do not recolleet that
"'wel, Lady LosspALs did Miss NILSER speak to 20,
after the Joke about the kissr
"'she had not spoken TO before
-'But am not asking that now. What an asking 4
whether she spoke to you AFTER
"'Ho. she did not"
"'Dd she understand It was dschshund you were Of
| fsring her ~
"'shs did not seem to understand anything"
Mrs. GERARD testified that her sister diS