The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-09
BARON DE STEURS'S WIFE.
SIZE TELLS THE STORY OF HER MAR
ITAL TROUBLES IN COURT

SIZE TELLS THE STORY OF HER MAR
ITAL TROUBLES IN COURT
| Accusing Her Hnsband or Cruel, Jealous,
and Unmanly Gonduct-lais Attempt to
Place Her IN an Insane Asyium-The
Baron Tells His side in Deposition
HE Wife Ceased TO Love Him and
DID Many Things 20 Hurt HIS Feelings.
Sioux FALLS. s. D.. Feb. s-Judge Atkins
| court room was crowded this morning when
| the famous divorce case OF Do Steurs agt. De
| Steurs was called for trial At o o'clock tho
| plaintiff entered the room. She was accom-
| panied by William Elliott Zeborowski. by H. A.
| Shipman OF New York. and Capt. W. II. Stod
! dard Of this city. her lawyers, and her maid.
| The Countess was attired in q bright maroon
| costume and was everywhere greeted with ad.
| miring and sympathetic eyes. j. /. Glover
| and A. f. Orr OF Sioux Falls. formerly OF Rome.
| N Y. appeared for the defendant.
The complaint. which asks for divorce on
| the ground OF cruelty. was received. and the
| court room became very still as Nine. De
| steurs was called to the stand. She recited
| the fact OF the marriage in April. 1876. Of the
wedding trip to Europe. and then went into
tho details OF her life In Paris. Madrid. Lon
| don. and Berlin. The Baroness gave hor test-
mony in very quiet way. but when the cross
| examination began proved herself a good wit
ness. Her answers were keen as razor. and
often extremely witty. Several times the
spectators were breaking into applause. WHEN
they we're called to order by the Sheriff.
MY husband" she said was very unkind
| to me in Paris He said I was A Savage
| American and baby. and that didn't know
how to behave myself He said this before
| people and to humiliate mo. In Madrid. to
| which post he was sent as Secretary Of the Le-
cation. and atterward as Il Minister. his treat
| ment OF me was very cruel Once whilethero
I had invited to the house three people in dip
| lomatic circles. That afternoon tho Car OF
Russia was assassinated. My husband or
| dered me to countermand the invitations. but
l refused. saying that there could be no OBJ
lection to such a party. When the guests ar
| rived Mr.. de Steurs affronted them and told
| them was behaving indecently. that did not
understand my duties as Minister'S wife.
| and abused mo in their presence. Soon after
| that I came to America. where my mother
died five days after my arrival. I spent two
| months in America and then went back to
| Madrid
! You say no made scenes. What do you
mean by thaty asked Capt. Stoddard
| HE was unmanly. For instance. ono day at
dinner we had present some eight or ten
| guests. made some remark which he didn't
| like. He jumped right up from the table.
| screamed ut me. spit in my fnce and sad
wish to God had not married YOU l left the
table weeping and was very i'll all night.
| My husband objected to my reading any
| thing but history. Nne day was reading
harmless English novel. when he entered the
room. snatched the book from me and went
| out, slammlng the door. Ono tmo when
l was in Berlin / received Il tele-
gram from my husband who said he
was coming to SEQ me. l met him
| Mt the depot. He looked like n murderer. and
asked him what was the matter He said he
would tell me later and when we got to our
hotel he charged me with being unfathfu to
| him some ten or twelve months before. was
| SO astonshed that for a time could say moth
ing. Then told him his charge was false and
insulting. He finally told me that il would
60 to church and swear that had been faith
full he would DO satisfied. went and did 80.
He then said 1 had perjured myself. but later
| said he believe mo.
Once at Madrid my husband was nego-
tating delicate commercial treaty. and he
was unable to carry it through without tho
| assistance OF the Minister of Commerce. My
husband asked mo to invite the Minister to
tho house and to ply all my Establishments
| upon him. In short, to make him fall in love
with me. you know. and told him l was not
doing such work, and refused fatty to thus
State. That was in 1888" 'e' '''e' " VIC
The witness then. gave q very vivid and
husband to have her locked in a 'retreat'
She says she was trapped into ain
maid. pale and tremb ling. came to her
room. saving. that two doctors were
Cheurcot entered the room with De Steurs:
is spsc i'll on INSANITY tod
to which she Replied that she WAS su & to
hear It,. Tho Doctor said his reason for be-
sypbs her % %n t;n was that she didn't
to get q divorce from him. and that she had a
Partially for her daughter. He said she ought
The doctors then left. and Mrs. De steurs
refused ,r to 60 to any retreat;
should be taken, from her. That, evening tho
children s we're spirited away; the daughter be-
ing SCHOOL The witness has never seen Sc either
child since. She has since then received only
few ete so from The children one since her
to. show that the. plaintiff left her husband
marrying mari Elliott zborowsk but tRssS aaes-
tions were ruled out. Tho. plaintiff said She
admitted that she came here to think It Over Ta'
Baroness De Stcurs's mail was tho next wit
out IN tho plaintiffs Testimony. The. deposit
tons OF the butler and head cook OF the Do
sn aTy Ia hs n w ns
| Of n calm and serene. disposition. and that NIL
| the trouble in the family was brought about
by the defendant.
The defendants deposition covers seventy
| five pages Of tync-written copy. He lays all
| the blame OF tho family trouble upon his wife's
| poor health and the abnormal views she takes
Of things as the result. Among other things
| tho Baron says:
Ever since our marriage Mrs. De steurs
| has constantly been in i'll health During tho
time we were engaged she had several faint
oh, it's nothing: she has HISTORIES ! had
| the best doctors to take caro- OF her.
bmt she constantly changed doctors WITH
fifty doctors. She was intensely variable.
cried and laughed at the same time. some
She complained that | left her alone. and
| when came to her she was dis pleascd. She
| became cross at everything and nothing. She
| was at times systematically unmanageable.
| wilfully teasing, cross and sulky. ny caprice.
She at first loved me dearly and now has