The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-17
Of the Story of Their COurtship
and Married Life.
SHE is HIS WIFE YET
lie Says, and Shall Never Unite
the Knot.
Declares the Daughter is Not
His Child.

famous Jersey Lily since her Califor-
Man divorce have led that gentleman to
believe that his long policy of silence
with regard to his unhappy married life
has been a mistake.
Mr.. Langtry recently recovered from a
severe attack of influenza and for the
last week he has been engaged in re-
viewing the various charges growing out
! of his wife's divorce. He has at last de-
termined to break his long silence, and
/ has made the following signed statement.
/ covering the period since his marriage:
! They say I forced my attention on
= pretty Miss Lily LIE Breton at a ball in
! Jersey. This is not true. I gave out invi-
tations for a ball at St. Killers in 1874,
and it was an understood thing between
me and the friends that the prettiest girls
the island noted for its beautiful wo-
men, should be my guests. Amongst
many others the LIE Bretons received in
vitations. I think it was at the instiga-
ton of an old friend of the family named
Young. Dean LIE Breton, his wife, his
son and his daughter were present. L
was introduced to the undoubted belle of
the ball by her own brother. young LIE
Breton, and if I were capable of ro-
nance I would say there was struggle
between US to keep away from each
other.
THE simple prose is. did not dance
with Lily LIE Breton until half through
the night, and after that I took her down
to supper. don't know that our court
ship matters much to any one. In five
months we were man and wife.
"Old Dean LIE Breton, her father, mar
ried US. It was in his own beautiful
church of St. Savior's, in st. Killers.
The ceremony took place at 3 o'clock in
the morning. There was really nothing
strange about this. He was anxious to
catch the o'clock boat for Southampton.
Il have been painted in various hues.
and darkest of all in America, but I
made a marriage settlement at the very
outset on Lily. I assigned to my wife
property which had been left to me by
my father, valued at upwards of G1o 900.
That settlement has, of course, never been
interfered with, and still exists. Under
the terms of the settlement my wife has
only a life interest in the property, but
as far as know she has enjoyed it up to
the present. And this I know as a fact,
that my life is fully insured so as to clear
the property in the event of my death
Many allegations have been made
against me, and these I would like to go
through seriatin-
Now, a more lying or foul charge has
never been made than the one which ac-
cuses me of physical nl-usage of my
wife. I never in my life once raised my
hand against any woman, and those who
say that repea tedly struck Mrs. Langtry
speak a deliberate lie. No, there was
nothing in her character that I could
take exception to. She was just 20 years
of age when we were married, on March
u, 1874. and hasten to say that during
the eight years we lived together there
was no suspicion even of temper in the
disposition of my wife which would have
furnished the smallest ground for COM
plant. Apart altogether from her alb
solute cruelty, she was one OF the sweet
est girls that ever breathed. After our
honeymoon, we lived in Jersey for some
years and then We came to reside here in
Southampton.
1T was here that my wife contracted
typhoid fever, and, after I had nursed
her through it. our medical advisers
recommended a change of air. She de-
sired to live in London; cared nothing;
so we went to London and we lived in
BeIgravia. She was a beautiful woman
and we had many friends.
4 don't care to speak of our first
estrangement, but may say this. that it
was in 1881 that I had an offer to go to
America to ascertain the value of some
property belonging to Miss Adelaide Neil
son, and in which it was said Edward
Sothern, son of the originator of Lord
Dundreary, had some interest The Of
fer was made to me by George Lewis of
Ely place, now Sir George Lewis, and the
terms were very satisfactory. We agreed,
Lily and I, that should go. I went and
remained in America five months, kept
there by cablegrams and letters which
had no real Importance. I saw the es-
tate in question, and all the work it was
necessary for me to do I completed in
less than two hours on the spot.
1T would be idle for me TO say that I
had no suspicious. I believed my wife
gave birth to child in Paris during the
time I was absent in America When I
returned, I met Mrs. Langtry once at
Ely place and I thought we should live
together again, but she did not care to
come back TO me-and so we parted
"An I know of the birth of the child
was the merest rumor. If my wife gave
birth to a daughter during the five
months that was across the Atlantic it
could not have been mine. I had been
fer long time away from her. and had
in fact, been staying with her own
brother. my brother-in-law, young lie
Breton, for several months in Noting
ham. Nay, more, and however seeming
cruel it may be. I now affirm that I never
heard that my wife had given birth to
child of which was reputed to be the
father until I received the divorce eta
ton which was served on me here a few
months ago.
THAT should dispose of the question of
desertion, but there are sttu further facts
which should dispose of this odious
charge. I am told affidavits or state
ments have been made to further the
plea of desertion by Sir George Chetwynd.
Sir Robert Peel, Lord Rosslyn and others.
None of these persons have I to my
knowledge seen in my life, and certainly