Evening star., 1900-05-03
NETHERSOLE FILES SUIT-l
SHE CLAIMS DAMAGES IN THE SUM
OF 100000.
Dr.. r. @. Easton, Pastor of q Local
Church, Made Defendant
Slander Alleged.

Miss Olga Nethersole. the actress. whose
appearance in "Sapho" has been the sub
ject of considerable comment, this after
noon made good her threat to institute pro-
ceedtngs against Rev. DR.. Thomas Chalmers
Easton. pastor of the Eastern Presbyterian
Church, this city. by filing a suit at law
| against him in the Supreme Court of the
District Of Columbia to recover damages in
the sum Of $4,000 for alleged slander. Miss
Nethersole is represented by Attorney
Campbell Darlington, who Is the Washing
ton correspondent Of her legal advisers in
New York. Messrs. Howe & Hummel.
The basis of the suit Is a sermon delivered
by DR.. Easton to his congregation in this
city some time ago, while the ''Sapho" agi-
tation was at its height in New York. In
bis sermon DR.. Easton is alleged to have
given utterance to remarks derogatory to
MISS Nethersole's character an actress
and a woman.
In her declaration Miss Nethersole sets
forth that she is a person of good and
chaSte character, and until the committing
or the alleged grievance by DR.. Easton was
Always reputed. esteemed and accepted as
such Dr. Easton declares Miss Neither
scle, greatly envying the happy state and
CONDITION OF the plaintiff, and maliciously
intending to injure her good name and
Tame, and cause her to be reputed an un-
chaste person and unfit to be employed as
an actress, and to be reputed as a person
did, the 1st day of April, 1900 in the pres
ence and hearing of three hundred good and
worthy citizens, in certain discourse of
ana concerning the plaintiff and her busi-
ness. falsely spoke the alleged defamatory
word: This lewd actress (meanine there
by. 1t is alleged. that the plaintiff was a
woman of evil name and fame leading an
immoral life, and unfit to be associated
with. and person unworthy to be employed
or patronized in her business).
Reputation Injured.
By means Of the alleged defamatory words
of DR.. Easton. Miss Netherso!e declares,
she has been greatly injured in her reputa-
ton and brought into public scandal and
disgrace. The plaintiff declares that by rea-
son of the act of Dr. Easton those neigh
bors and citizens to whom her innocence
and chastity are unknown have suspected
and believed her to be a woman of evil
name and fame and have Stunned and
avoided her and refused to have any ac-
quaintance or discourse with her, as they
were before accustomed to do.
Further, says Miss Nethersole many per-
sons who would have attended the perform
ance of the plaintiff as an actress and many
managers of theaters who would have en-
ployed the plaintiff an actress have, by
reason of the alleged grievance committed
by DR.. Easton, declined to do so. There
fore Miss Nethersole declares she has been
deprived of great profits which otherwise
would have accrued to her.
Doctor EastOn's Position.
Upon calling today at the Easton resi-
dence, No. 637 East Capitol street a Star
reporter was received by Mrs. Easton, who
said her husband was in a remote part of
the city, paying sick call. She further
stated that he would have nothing to say
for publication regarding the Nethersole
suit. The reporter read to Mrs. Easton
what purported to be an interview with
her husband published in New York and
a Baltimore paper, this morning, which
quoted him as stating that he would make
an apology from his pulpit, Miss Neither
sole had suggested that would be accept
able Mrs. Easton, while not giving an
opinion upon the correctness Of that pubi-
cation. plainly showed that she did not be-
lieve her husband had made any such state
ment.
1t Is understood that DIR. Easton has al
ready consulted legal counsel and that he
takes the position that his personal letter
OF apology to Miss Nethersole, written some
time since, and letter of explanation pub
lished about the same time in a local
paper. acquits him of the necessity for any
further action, except defending the suit
against him.