The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-04-12

A Peculiar Suit Brought Against the LADY
She Objects to Liquor Selling and the
Trustees of the Estate Object to Her
Objections.
London. April 11.--Lady Henry Somerset
services are in great req uest on her return
to England. and she has already accepted
twenty of the most important, among the
hundreds of invitations sent TO heac1uart-
ers of the W. &. T. U. CT London. At the
recent conference of the dissenting Church
es of England, presided over by the Rev.
DR.. Charlesburg, Lady Henry Somerset was
the chief speaker Great preparations are
in progress for the Worlds ". z. L. U. con-
yention, June II to 2lst. 1t now looks as
if not only Exeter, ST. James and Qleen's
halls would be in requisition, but thegreat
Albert hail, which holds about $4,000 people,
The poly glot will be exhibited ard the
delegations from different countries will
march into the hall while the national an
thems of their respective countries are be-
ing played. Miss Willard. says that as soon
as Lady Henry Somerset had left the Unit
ed States, all statements concerning her sa-
looms, her slums, her par etc, We're revived.
In England none of the criticisms would
be received for a moment. 1t is well known
that when she came into her property most
of it was under ninety ninesyear leases with
which she could no more interfere than an
outsider; few licenses of the few public
houses on her estate have run out, and in
every instance she has declined to renew
them. She is just now having a law suit
with her trustees who claim, that her failure
to renew the licenses of the White Halt,
famous hotel in the town of Reigata lear
London, where she lives, is public injury
and that as trusteesGi hey are IN duty bound
to prevent property beco ming less valuable
right of conscience, and that she is not to
be required to do what she considers t. be
wrong even though the property should
suffer. The question is most interesting
one, and the public is watching eagerly for
the decision which will be reached within
q few weeks or months. The two CHEF
London papers representing both the Cbn-
servative and Liberal parties, make he
same statemnt concerning Lady Henry'sre-
lations to Somer's Town and st. Panoreas,
in which her London property is situated.
The London Times makes his statement,
which is the same that is made by The
Daily News, the chief Liberal paper of the
United Kingdom:
An nnsanitary area in Somers Town, ST.
Pancreas, known as the Churchway, has
for some time been engaging the attention
of the public health and housing commit
tee of the county council. Some time ago,
Sir John Hutton, at the request of his col
leagues, communicated with the two free
holders, Lady Henry Somerset and Lord
Southampton, with. a view of their taking
steps to remedy matters. Lady Henry
Somerset at once showed a strong desire
to cooperate with tie council to that end
and she has made an offer for dealing with
the property which the committee described
as public-spirited one. Lord southamp-
ton, however, has not replied to the invita-
tiol sent to him. The committee propose
that he should be again approached and
asked whether he will not consent to do
what Lady Henry Somerset has promised to
do.''