The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-19
MISS RussELL's MARRIED. LIFE.
Her Latest Husband Found Her Too
Fond of Poker.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
Lillian Russell Is too fond of poker, and
il was that which caused the suit for alb
eolute divorce her husband, John Chatter
ton, who is professionally known as Peru
gtni. testified before Master in Chancery
Washington b. Williams, in Jersey city
Yesterday. She and Chatterton were mar
ried In January, 1894, by Justice Moller
of Hoboken. They lived together FOR Tour
months, and then parted. IL was not I'M
al the husband got into the witness chair
that this cause OF the quarrel was made
public. He also intimated that pique rem
dered fruitless all overtures to effect a re-
Cancellation, because after the separation
he received greater applause at the per-
formances than his wife.
Signor Perugini instituted suit for alb
solute divorce in the New Jersey Court
of Chancery on the ground of desertion
His wife filed counter suit, alleging
cruelty. Her story remains to be told
and the case for the petitioner has not
been closed. Chancellor McGin, to secure
as much secrecy as possible and AVOID
the public hearing In the open court, re-
ferred the case TO the Master in Chancery
Few were present at the hearing Inc
husband was represented by Mr.. Redding
of. New York, and Messrs. Wall and
Green of New Jersey. Mrs. Chatterton's
interests were looked after by Corporation
Attorney Mnturn of Hoboken.
Signor Perugini was the first witness.
After testifying to the marriage he said:
owe lived very happily together until the
season opened and we went on the road
We played together, she as the prlma
donna and l as the tenor. We had very
successful tour and everything was pleas
ant until we reached Philadelphia, when
my wife rebelled against all authority on
nv part She used to come home 10 our
hotel after the performance, and insisted
on playing poker until o'clock in the
morning"
When asked with whom his wife played
poker he replied: with other members
of the company. I demanded that that
sort of conduct cease forthwith, as there
were some ladies In the company did not
care to have my wife associate with. She
refused to listen to me, and asserted her
right to do as she pleased. We had many
duarrels, and my wife left the hotel at
which we were staying and went to an
other hotel after telling me she would
never live with me again. We played to-
gether all that season, although the news
papers were filed with comments about
our separation. The public sYmpathized
with me and received me with great APP
plause, while my wife was treated very
coldly by the audiences. This fact so ex-
cited and agitated her during the perform
ances that 1t was with difficulty the man.
agement restrained her from breaking her
contract. While on the stage and between
the acts would speak kindly to her, but
she would not answer me- When the sea-
son closed she became 81, and I sent her
bouquets and presents, and also wrote her
a letter, begging her to return to me. She
neither answered the letter nor acknowl-
edged the receipt Of the presents. have
not seen her in four years, nor have
heard from her, except through friends.
Digby Bell testified that he was a men,
Der of the same company had known Mr..
and Mrs Chatterton for many years, and
endeavored to bring about reconciliation,
but was not successful. He said that when
the season closed at Newark, and as the
curtain fell on the last act, Mrs Chatter
ton fervently exclaimed, THANK heaven,
that's the end of this ordeal, the end Of
him" (meaning her husband. Mr.. Bell
explained that this exclamation was
prompted by the treatment that had beeen
accorded her by the public.
Mrs. Kate Byron, wife of Oliver Doud
Byron, testified that 1t was not uncom-
mon for actors and actresses who were
carried TO play in the same company,
and, although they were frequently sepa-
rated for a season by procuring engage
ments IN different companies that they
returned to each other at the end of the
season. On cross-examination she ehu-
merated many happy marriages Of actors.
The hearing win be resumed next Thurs
day.