Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-06
AN PAIR
Miss Florence st. John and
Her Husband.
Each Sues the Other for Abso-
lutte Divorce.
1nfdelity and Cruelty the Charges
in the Complaints.
Both of Them Married and Divorced
Previous to Forming This Unhappy
Union-Some Sensational
Testimony.
Associated Press Dispatches.

LONDON, Dec. 5.-Miss Florence st.
John, the actress, has brought suit
against her husband, DuPlany Marius,
for absolute divorce. She charges cruelty
and adultery.
Miss St. Johns suit is counter action
brought to offset similar suit insti-
tuted against her by Marius. He al
leges that his wife had improper rela-
tions with Arthur Cohen, sub-editor of
the Financial News. Marius asks no
money damages against Cohen, but only
asks the court to rid him of his marriage
ties. The testimony brought out is very
sensational.
Miss st. John charges that since her
marriage to the defendant, he has treated
her in the most cruel manner, and has
also been criminallv intimate with other
women.
Sir Charles Russell appeared for the
petitioner, and G. F. Gill for the re-
spondent. Mr.. Gill admitted that the
charge of adultery was true, but asserted
that it had not occurred until after Miss
st. John deserted her husband.
Sir Charles Russell stated that Marius
and Mise st. John fell in love when
they were both married persons. They
SO far forgot their duties to their re-
spective partners that the procuring OF
divorce by Mrs. Marius and another
by Miss st. Johns husband was rem
dered necessary. After these divorces
were granted, Marius married Miss st.
John. The couple did not live happily
and scenes of violence were frequent
between them. Finally, in September,
1888, Marius knocked his wife down and
SO abused her, that had it not been for
the fact that her brother was in the
house, there is no saying how his
violence would have ended. After this
trouble they no longer lived together as
man and wife.
Miss st. John was called to the wit
ness box. She said she met Marius in
1879, after he had been divorced from
his wife, and she from her husband.
She married him in 1885. In 1856 a
child was born to them. She had much
reason to complain of Marius's intem-
perate habits in 1887 and 1888. When
drunk he was very vicious and in
sulting.
Witness gives in detail a number of
acts OF cruelty on the part Of the re-
spondent.
Miss St. John denied that she told a
man named Bonish that if he appeared
in court in this case she would have
him arrested for theft. She said she
only asked him if he was going to re-
pay the money he had stolen from her.
He denied having stolen the money.
Witness stated that she was very
fond of her husband. When at Nice she |
wrote him daily. He had written her
very indecent letter, which she had not
kept. She had complained of the indie
,ency of her husbands expressions.
Witness admitted that she had dined
with Arthur Cohen in public places.
He was very kind to her, and her hus-
band had no objections to Cohen visit
ing and giving her presents. On the
contrary, he rather encouraged him.
She said she was not Is years old
when first married. She went to Monte
Carlo with Lady Euston. Cohen was
here also, but not with her. After
wards she went with Cohen, Mr.. Vert
leimer and Lady Euston to Nice. Co.
len gave her jewelry, just as other
people did. She did not tell her hus-
oand, on one occasion when he threw
watch at her, that she would visit Co
hen as much as she liked. She denied
hat she was in the habit of using OBJ
'cene language. She testified that she
received affectionate letters from her
husband after their separation, implor-
ng her to return to them. She admit
ed writing to her husband stating that
he heard that he declared she had been
intimate with Harry Marks, proprietor
II the Financial News. She had not
hought him base enough to make that
assertion, but a man named Harvey
md Captain Blythe told her that he
her husband) was trying to blackmall
Marks. Captain Blythe told her that
;olonel North (the nitrate king) said
darks would be glad to injure him.
At this point the court adjourned.