The evening times., 1899-03-31
WANTS TO BE FREE AGAIN.
Cissic LOTUS Sues Her Husband for
Divorce.

New York, March 31.-Cissie Lotus, an
actress. has begun suit in the supreme
court in this city for an absolute divorce
from her husband, Justin Huntly McCar-
thy, son of the famous Irish political lead
er and author. He has filed an answer to
her complaint denying her charges. but it
is understood that this action is merely
formal and intended to prevent trial of the
suit in open court. in accordance with the
provision of the law relating 10 undefended
cases.
Mr. Mccarthy returned 10 England a
week ago Wednesday, leaving his interests
in charge of fomer Judge Koch. He was
served with the papers in the case before
his departure Abraham Hummel of Howe
& Hummel, will act for Mrs. Mccarthy.
Rumors were current two weeks ago that
Mrs Mccarthy was about to sue for di-
vorce. Mr.. Mccarthy then denied them in
the most positive manner. Both were liv-
ing at the Marlborough Hotel, fact which
seemed to give color to the denial, but Mrs.
McCarthy's friends say that their apart
| ments were in different parts of the hotel
and that preparations for the divorce were
under way.
Mrs. McCarthy's complaint is based on
statutory grounds. Her husband in his an
swer makes no countercharges. No pronii-
nent names aside from those of the princi-
pals are mentioned in the papers, 1t is eX-
pected that the case will be sent to ref
cree and that the divorce will be granted
without difficulty.
Mrs. Mccarthy is now playing in Phila-
| delphia in "A Dangerous Maid,'' in Sam
| Bernard's company. Her marriage to Mr..
Mccarthy created sensation in England.
| They eloped to Edinburg. and were married
| on August 2S, 1894, by a sheriff. Mr.. Nc
| Carthy was then engaged 1t was said, to
! Aida Jenoure, another actress, to whom he
| had been attentive for a year. He had been
engaged previously TO John L. Toole's
| daughter, but she died, and he dedicated
| to her memory volume of poems express
| ing his grief
He sat in Parliament for Newry for sew
eral years, and was noted as the young
est member of that body. He retired In
| 1892 and devoted himself to writing. AT
one time he was the dramatic critic for Mr..
w. w. Astor's Pail Mall Gazette
i Miss Lotus, whose mother was Marie
| Lotus, a music hall singer was educated
| in a convent, with a view of keeping her
away from the stage, but she showed such
talent for impersonation that the plan
was a failure. She was said to be only
sixteen years old when she married Mr..
Mccarthy. He was then thirty-seven
| years old, but looked much younger.
| Both came to the United States few
| months after the wedding. Mrs. McCar-
| thy made a contract to act for Mr.. DAILY,
and her husband undertook the adaptation
| of plays for him. This contract was brok-
| en- and Mrs. Mccarthy made her American
debut at Roster q Bials. She was to have
| played there again this season, but declin-
| ed to do SO because. the management re-
| fused to withdraw an act which was much
criticised at the time, because of the scanty
costumes of the women who performed in
/ it. 81
It has been reported and again denied
| that Mrs Mccarthy will become Mrs. Bsr-
nard after her divorce has been granted
Mr.. Hummel declined last night to dis
cuss the case. -