Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-04
THAT RUSSELL CASE
to Attract Great Crowds to
the Court Room.
EARL RUSSELL is LOOKED UPON
With Disgust by Even the Members Of His Own
Noble Sst-He Denies Upon the Stand
the Allegations Made Against
Him Loves Cats.

this, the third day or the proceedings,
the general public displays more avid
ity to learn all the details of this sad ex-
pose of the life Of one of Great Britain's
most noble peers.
On all sides comparisons are made be-
tween the present holder OF the title OF
Earl Russell and his great ancestor
Lord John, and later Earl Russell, whose
work in behalf of Great Britain and the
British people, is a matter OF history.
1t is needless TO add that these compari-
sons do not rebound to the credit OF the
successor of the great English states
man.
The feeling entertained for Earl Rus
sell by the lower classes was amply
evidenced by his treatment as he left
the law courts yesterday, when the mob
hooted at him, and some OF the more
hot-headed tried TO strike him. Though
the members of his own class have not
been carried as far as this, there is no
denying the fact that the gentlemen and
ladies in the aristocratic circle, in which
the Earl belongs, look with contempt
and disgust upon the noble Earl.
The usual crowd sought admission to
the court room this morning. AS soon
as the court was declared open, Sir
Charles Russell arose and continued his
presentation of the Earl. Sir Charles
ridiculed the idea that Earl Russell had
kept a pistol convenient for the purpose
of shooting his wife.
The quarrel between the Earl and
Countess which occurred at the Abe
marie Hotel at the time they came up to
attend the levee was due, not to the
Earl's compelling the Countess to act as
valet to him, as the Countess had tes-
tilted, but to the fact that the Earl had
refused to allow his wife to go to the
Ascot races in the company OF a man
with whom he had every ground to for
bid his wife associating.
Immediately on the conclusion OF Sir
Charlea Russeli'S address he called the
first witness for the defense. The wit
| ness was Prof. Roberts, the mathemati-
cal master at Bath, who was in the
habit of staying frequently at the resi-
dence of Earl Russell. Prof. Roberts
entered the witness box aud in reply to
questions put to him by Sir Charles
| Russell, testified that he was friendly
with the Earl at college. He afterward
became acquainted with the Scott fami-
| ly. After the marriage Of the Earl and
Lady Mable Scott, he visited them at
their home.
He had sung with the Countess and
had thought her charming hostess.
The witness made very emphatic de-
NAL Of the actions imputed to him by
the countess in relation to the Earl.
The Earl was placed upon the stand
and said it was not true that he made
her turn out her pockets and took away
! from her what money she had. She
got FIVE pounds in pocket money the
same day from him. The Earl denied
the Countess statement, that upon the
occasion when he had written letter
to his solicitor complaining about her
extravagance he had treated her In
| most brutal manner.
He did not then shake her by the
shoulders. She wanted a copy OF the
letter and tried to seize 1t. She did
get the letter, but he caught her by the
wrists and took 1t away from her. She
then boxed his ears.
Sir Charles Russell drew from the
Earl his version OF the bedroom incident,
when the Countess was found nude and
in faint on the floor, as testified to by
her maid. The Earl said that after he
and his wife had retired he declared
| that he would not go to Lady Sails
| bury's, owing to the refusal OF the
| Countess TO go to Amberly cottage, the
Earl's residence at Maidenhead. in Berk-
! shire. The Countess got out OF bed and
tainted on the floor. When she came
to he said: "How are you darling?"
She replied, "Dont you dare call me
! darling" and then threw a soap dish at
him and made for him with poker.
She threatened to throw herself out Of
| a window If he remained in the room
with her.
The Earl declares that the state
ments made by the Countess, that he
left her and went to Prof. Roberts bed
room were absolutely false. There was
not the slightest reason to suggest any
| improperly between himself and Prof.
! Roberts. Once when his wife was hys-
terical he had held her wrists TO pre-
vent her from tearing her dressing
jacket to pieces.
On returning to the Albemarle Hotel
| from the levee. he had rebuked the
Countess because she had lunched with
a divorcee, who very we'll deserved TO
be divorced.
The Earl admitted that he had once
used the word ''barren" in conversation
with his wife, bnt be had only used il
| in fun. He denied the cruelty TO cats
that had been attributed to him, instead
| of being cruel to the animals he was
fond Of them.
He had tossed cat into the air play
fully but had not thrown it against the
| ceiling until he had almost killed 1t.
| The witness had never told his wife TO
plead the "infant act" and by this
means avoid paying her debts. On the
contrary he himself agreed TO pay her
bills.
When questioned, the Earl stated that
he did not think his wife's health or
nerves had suffered during her married
| life. Her ailments were caused by un-
accustomed restraints. At this point
Sir Edward Clark. representing the
Countess, asked the witness 70 give an
| instance OF unaccustomed restraint
The Earl replied that one instance was
| his limiting his wife to six cigarettes =
day.
The witness declared that he was not
unduiy anxious 10 have son. He de-
| MED that he had ever sworn AZ his wife
or called her brute or beast. He
! was much annoyed shortly after his
marriage by learning that many OF the
Countess debts were unpaid. Once a
milliner came to the house and created
bother. The Countess came TO wit
hess and asked him to get hsr out "fof