Evening star., 1901-06-29
SEAS0N$s|s' s. SCANDAL
1t T.
London Has Eel a'!| Russell's Bigamy
Casess4his Year.
RACING, CYCLINllG(|AND n 6 DoAfINGLlVELY
New Idea Regarding Municipal
Insurance. Advanced.
s2 81
s9cSI :
GossIP OF INTEREST
RACING, CYCLIEllGEAND \ { BOAfINGLlVELY
GOSSIP OF INTEREST
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star

! Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON, June 10, 1901.
| Few seasons pass in London without a
| scandal of some sort to liven up aristo-
| cratic society. The arrest of Earl Russell
| on charge of bigamy is the sensational
| episode of this season. Thirteen months
| ago, when Lord Russells marriage took
place in America, 1t appeared to most per-
| sons almost inevitable that proceedings
would be taken against him in this coun-
| try for infringing the marriage laws.
though it was also recognized that the case
| would raise an important point of law
which might be a good defense. Lord Rus
sell made no secret Of what he had done.
He obtained a divorce from his previous
wife in Nevada, where he went to reside for
a short time, and Immediately on his mar
riage with Mrs. Somerville cabled the an
nouncement Of the fact for publication
here. 1t was believed, though, that he had
not secured divorce which would be rec
ogn1zed by the English law, and that there
fore he had committed bigamy. No one
can tell why action has been SO long de-
layed.
Since Lord Russelrs return to this coun-
try he has been welcomed in what Is
| usually called society, and he has numbered
among his friends more than one of the
judges of the high court.
1t is most probable that Lord Russell will
choose to exercise the privilege which at
taches to all peers alike, to be tried by the
house of lords. This he has the right to
demand. as the offense with which he is
charged is a felony, and every peer charged
with either treason or felony can demand
to be tried by his peers.
When parliament is sitting peers are
tried by the house of peers a whole; at
| hot fhn 30 4I,> 1A~1
high steward. AS the law stands it seems
the lord high steward is bound to summon
the whole of the peers. therefore there Is
not much difference in practice whether
the mouse Is sitting or not
Former Trials of Peers.
The last case Of a peer being tried before
the house of lords for felony was in 1S41.
when Lord Cardigan, who fought duel
with Capt. Tuckett, was tried and acquitted
for want Of evidence In 1765 Lord Byron.
the poets granduncle. who killed Mr..
Chaworth in a duel, was tried and ac-
quilted.
Another case was that of Earl Ferrers
who was tried for the murder of his butler
in 1760. found guilty and hanged at Ty-
burn. ;. =
The only trial for bigamy that ever came
before the lords was that Of the famous
Duchess of Kingston in 1776. She had mar
| ried a Capt. Hertey. who afterward be-
came the Earl of Bristol. This however,
was not good enough for the lady, and she
married while Lord Bristol was alive the
then Duke Of Kingston. The lords found
her guilty, but she pleaded the privilege OF
peerage (evidently bigamy was one OF
them) and the punishment of having her
hand burnt was remitted and she paid a
fine instead Earl Russell, who during the
last ten years has had considerable ex
perience in legal proceedings. is the grand
son of Lord John Russell. the first Victorian
premier upon whom Sir John Tenniel exer-
ri hiQ moi md GOT MD Of q
sixth Duke of Bedford.
The earl. who succeeded his grandfather
in 1878, is unromantic in appearance. A
rather stolid. ruddy face is redeemed by
smiling eyes that look out mildly from the
shelter of goId-rimIned glasses. He pos
sesses none of the oratorical or literary
qualities of his famous grandfather. though
he has spoken once or twice in a modest
way in the house Of lords and at the Lon
don county council. He is, however. re-
puted to be a rather good electrical en-
gineer. AS the earls experiences, crammed
into the last two years, comprise two mar
riages three divorces and a prosecution for
bigamy, 1 am not surprised to hear that he
has been reading law with view Of be-
ing called to the bar.
Mourning Effects at Ascot.
We are now in Ascot week, and it is the
height of the London season. Every one
who can be in town is here, and the bril-
lance of fashionable life is only chastened
ny lue TGueCliOH lHdl tue court Is sui
mourning. OF course, the king cannot go
to Ascot, nor to Goodwood. either. While
there will be no royal party at either Of
the aristocratic race meetings, the Duke of
Richmond has also abandoned the usual
house party at Goodwood House. The king
has done the best in his power to atone for
his absence. and has ordered that the roy
al incloSure at Ascot shall be thrown open
to invited guests as usual.
The vouchers for the inclosure have
n nE md nd tb~
royal is crossed out wherever the term
Royal Ascot" appears. The cards. how
ever, do not bear an official intimation that
only black and white is to be worn by
ladies. This direction it was fully antici-
pated would appear in the vouchers, and
many ladies who had reason to expect
tickets for the inclosure made their prepa-
rations accordingly. The authorities have
left the matter to the sense of fitness and
taste of the various recipients, and instead
of the brilliant racing toilets seen at the
chief racing function the general effect is
rather drab.
Boating Season Very Lively.
This is the best boating season that has
been experienced on the Thames for a
number Of years. When cycling became
fashionable it did great injury to the river.
and for a year or two boats were almost
a drug in the market. while the complaints
Of those who make their living by the
river were wow, HOWeFeT, cycling IS
no longer so popular. Huge numbers of
new boats have been purchased from the
builders, and the hiring traffic has proved
exceptionally good
Boating under the conditions which OBJ
tain on the Thames is the most picturesque
of all pastimes. and the average young
lady shows to immensely better advantage
while pulling an oar or langufdly polling
a punt than when perspiring upon a BIZ
cycle There is no situation in which q
white summer costume seems so much a
delightful addition to the landscape as
when worn amid the many-colored cushions
of punt.
The upper reaches Of the Thames are
gaycr than with all kinds of fashion
able craft. and the owners of villas on the
river banks have gone, into residence in an
ticipation of the Henley regatta. A record
crowd of visitors is expected at the regatta
this year. and hospitality on lavish scale
is being prepared by the riparian owners
1t is stated that garden party is to be