The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-27
Is SHE
a Case Which is Now Agi,atiug English
AIIrtOCIacy,

James Boothby Burke-Roche, just now
a prominent politician in the English
house of commons. says he is a married
man. 'Burke's Peerage' said he was
not. James Boothby Burke-Roche sued
, them and compelled them TO eat crow.
Burke-Roche's wife says he is unmar-
| ricd. The "Peerage" people got their
Information from her. She obtained a
divorce from the gentleman of many
names I'm "a Delaware court five years
, ago. She was given the custody of the
| children. cynthia, Edmund Maurice, and
Francis George. The boys are wins
Burke-Roche denies that he is divorced
because of the British law. which makes
the wife OF a British subject also a
| British subject, not amenable to the d.
vorce laws of another country. lie could
reclaim the children if he found them on
English soil. lie Is said 10 be a lineal
| descendant of Boyle Roche. the celebrat-
ed Irish master of bulls. VINO wrote one
moving epistlc. he declared, with a pis-
tol i'm each hand and u dagger between
mis- teeth
Mrs. Burke-Roche was % years old when
she married. in 1880. She is a daughter
of Frank Work. the w~ell-known New
Yorker, whose t~rotters have brought him
fame in this country and in Europe. She
lived with her husband six years in Eng
land and then returned home. She says
he forced her TO come. Frank Work had
paid his son-in-law's debts time and
again. and finally refused 10 be bled any
longer. II was the cutting off of sup
plies which led to the deportation Of
Mrs. Burke-Roche.
The divorce case was a cause cclebre.
II was handled by the newspapers of
l.tl. .,tsr.rf,- and billed MANY an hpur
in d-rawing-rooms. Former Ambassador
Bayard made a powerful argument for
the woman.
Seeing that her father would no long
er accede to his demands for money"
said Mir. Bayard. "Burke-Roche did not
wish to support the two children left
with him in London. and sailed for New
York.
ION his arrival he took the children to
the door OF their grandfather. inside of
which their deserted mother had taken
shelter. He pushed them inside the door,
rang the bell. and drove off. The next
day an interview was held. In that in
terview he showed no love for his wife
or children. He simply showed a desire
for money. That was all.
mo money was forthcoming and he
left, never to see his wife again. once
since he WIS III NEW iOiNf III ~ AiRi
of some dignitary, but he did not call
for his children"
The decree of divorce was signed by
Justices Cullen and Houston. Chief JUS
tice Comegys opposing. 1t is not recog-
nized In England. Not long ago Burke
Roche's borough elected him to parlia-
ment and his political opponents charged
him with being Il divorced man. IL was
then the row with the publishers of
"Burkc's Peerage" cropped up.
Interest in the unfortunate alliance has
been recently aroused by the strong prob
ability that the erring husband will sue
coed TO the title and valuable estates OF
his elder brother. Lord Fermoy. who is
lying at the point of death. Lord Fer
moy has but one daughter and no sons.
The title will thus pass. The estates con-
sist of seats in Cork and Limerick. The
family motto IS "Dieu est Ma Roche"
Mrs. Burke-Roche. who is now at New
port. can have the title If she wishes to
assume it. As her husband has con-
stantly asserted he is still married TO
her he could not deny her the privilege
Of wearing 1t. In order 10 do so. now
ever. II would be necessary for her also
to deny the Delaware divorce. whose in
tegrity she has maintained for so many
ycars.-Chicaeo Chronicle.