The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1893-12-02
Miss Lillian Russell Divorced From
Edward Solomon.
NOW WHOM WILL SHE WE'D
Her Marriage in 1884 Is Annuled ana
She Is Given the Custody of Her
7-Year-Old Child.

new YORK, Nov. 26-Judge McAdam's
court was well crowded with people this
morning, attracted by curiosity because
the suit for annulment Of Miss Lillian
Russells marriage to Edward Solomon
was coming on. Those who had come
to see pretty woman were not disap-
pointed, for the comic opera prima don
ma never looked prettier. The bracing
air outside had pinched roses into her
cheeks and hsr big blue eyes sparkled.
She looked around and smiled and then
sat down within the Enclosure near a
large table heaped up with books and
papers. She took position where all
in the room could see Der. Lawyer
Hummel explained to the court what
they had all come together for thereby
disclosing the plot of the piece TO the
audience, and having done it he called
Robert B. Storrs.
Storrs said he was correspondent for
Canadian newspapers in London in 1887,
and that he remembered going to the
Marlborough police court some time in
the summer of that year to report
charge of bigamy brought by Mrs. Solo
mon No. l against Edward Solomon the
defendant in this case. Storrs asserted
that Solomon in the London police court,
had admitted marrying Mrs. solomon
No. l in 1870 and also had admitted that
he had never been divorced. The ex-
cuse he gave for marrying Miss Russell
in 1884 was that ne supposed his first
wife to be dead. On being questioned
by Mr.. Hummel as to this extraordina-
nv state of affairs, Storrs stated that
the case was adjourned number OF
times and finally dismissed on the ground
that Solomon's offense, if there was
any, was against the laws of the United
States rather than against those OF
/ Great Britain.
The heroine of the second scene was
Miss Russell herself. When the valiant
Hummel smiled upon her and asked her
to take the witness stand she stepped
up to the chair with a most degage look
upon her face and swore to tell the
truth. Then she sat down and arranged
her skirts and looked about the room
with her sweetest baby smile. Mr.. Hum
mel to verify a few statements made by
her in an afidavit drawn up in Chicago
last summer, and after she had done
this she was allowed TO say that she was
a singer and professionally known as
Lillian Russell.
'You were married to Edward Solo
mon on May 10, 1884, in Hoooker, were
you not?" asked Mr.. Hummel.
Yes" whispered the plaintiff.
"And sometime in 1886 you discovered
that Mr.. Solomon had already been mar
ried and had not secured divorce from
the first wife?'
) Miss Russell nodded.
when Won married Mr. Solomon, .
: continued the lawyer who was afably
: doing all the testifying except the yea;
and nays, did you know that he was :
married man"
, Miss Russell looked inexpressibly
! shocked and gazed Electrically upon Mr.
! Hummel. Then she let her eyes fal
q and said sweetly:
. "Oh, 10; did not know that he wa,
: married"
e Mr.. Hummel said that was his case
t and looked about the room 10 see If the
e defendant would put in a defense. N,
5 one moved, aud therefore Judge Nc
e Adam annulled the marriage upon tn,
}. spot. The decree also gave Miss Rus
sell the right to resume her name, Lii
liam f. Russell, the right to marry again
r and the custody cf her 7-year-old chill
/ Lillian. The question now is will sh
Y marry her strong lover Sandow, ric
r lover Sanford, or will she remain wed
re ded TO her art?