Evening journal., 1893-04-18
SIX WEEKS IN PRISON.
The Duchess Who Tempered
With a Will Severely Punished.
'TIs UNPRECEDENTED IN ENGLAND


In order to Prevent Adverse Action In
a VIII Case, She Deliberately Placed
an Important Document in the
Fire.
LONDON, April 1s.-The Dowager
Duchess Of Sutherland, was committed
to Holloway prison under sentence of
imprisonment for six weeks imposed by
Sir Francis Jeune president of the Court
of Probate, for contempt of court.
Notwithstanding that the imprson-
ment of British duchess in common
jail is probably unprecedented in Eng
land the affair did not excite any great
surprise among the public and it had been
anticipated that the court would take
severe action in view of the fagrant
contempt with which the duchess was
charged.
The name of the dowager duchess is
Mary Carolins, and she was a widow at
the time of her marriage to the late
Duke of Sutherland, her previous hus
band having been Arthur Kindersley
Blair
She was the younger daughter of the
late Rev Richard Michael, d D., prin
cipal of Hertford College Oxford. The
late duke himself was a widower at the
time of the marriage and had children
and grandchildren, the eldest surviving
child being the present Duke of Suther
land.
She Was Married I'm Florida.
The first wife Of the late Duke Of
Suths rland died November 25th, 1883.
The late duke was at the time acquainted
with Mrs Blair, the present dowager
duchess, and this acquaintance rapidly
ripened when the late duke became 3
widower.
The late duke and Mrs. Blair were
married in Florida during a visit to
America on the 4th of March 1889
The news of the marriage was re-
ceived with anger and disappointment
by the present duke.
Placed a Document in the Fire.
The present duke contested his fathers
will, and in court on Saturday counsel
in behalf of the present duke asked that
q writ Of attachment be issued against
the dowager duchess on the ground that.
having obtained an order to inspect
certain papers, she had deliberately
placed in the fire a document which
under the orders he was permitted tC
inspect.
Justice Jeune said that the charge wa.
a serious one. The justice at once stop
ped the order Of inspection and said thai
the dowager duchess must make answer
to the allegations on Tuesday. The cas-,
was thereupon continued to day.
She Showed Violence and Deceit.
Sir Jeune commented in the severest
manner on the action of which the duchess
had been guilty. He said that it wal
evid ent that the destruction of the
document had been deliberately planned
and that it was effected by violence ant
deceit An apology was proper for sucl
an act but the accused could not do any
thing but apologize.
Moreover since the injury and wrong
were now irreparable an apology coulS
. only be regarded as a somewhat easl
method of atonement. Further it haS
been shown that wien she destroye,
the letter she said IL was a letter iron
her to the late duke Now she said tn
reverse-that it was private lette
S from the late duke to her.
< Justice Jeune added that he wa
6 unable to say which statement was true
but the action of the dowager duches
had destroyed the possibility of believing
S her Justice Jeune limited that tn,
differences drawn from the inciden
e might heavily prejudice her case.
Is imprisonment and Heavy Fine.
e Justice Jeune then imposed the sen
e sence of six weeks Imprisonment 70
J. contempt Of court, and sentenced th
dowager duchess to pay a fine Of e25(
= The dowager duchess was awaiting th
y disposition of the case in the barristeri
IL consulting room. There was a grea
scene when her friends communicate
- the sentence to her.
y The dowager duchess and the friend
Il around shed tears and exhibited gres
u indignation. The solicitors of tn
D dowager duchess had been prepared fC
the result and in expectation of the de
4, cision that was delivered, they had
J, carriage in waiting.
Would Not be Taken by Force.
ID The dowager duchess hurried into I'll
sc carriage and accompanied by her solici
ors rode off at once to Holloway iai
st thus depriving the tipstaff of the coul
D. of the unique experience of serving
N committal order upon a duchess
,e Holloway Jail the duchess was taken j
and lodged as a first class offender.
M THE VICTIMS OF FoReERlEs.