The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1901-07-31
LORD RUSSELL in JAIL.
A Bad Egg of British Peerage Gets
Light Sentence

arraigned at the bar OF the House
OF Lords today on the charge OF,
bigamy, pleaded guilty after lengthy
arguments against the jurisdiction
o, the court. The trial was carried
on with all the quaint middle age
ceremonies, The arguments lasted
oae hour. Both the Earl and the
Countess MRS. Somerville), through
their counsel, pleaded that they did
not know they we're doing wrong,
but had acted on the best legal ad-
vice obtainable in Nevada.
The Peers reached their decision
after consideration of the case, last
ing twenty minutes. Earl Russell
was sentenced to three months im
prisonment as first class mis-
demeanant.
In anticipation of the arrival of
Lord Russell the officials Of Holt.
day Prison have prepared for his
reception one Of the rooms formerly
occupied by William T, Stead, the
editor, and members of the Jameson
raiders. 1t is commodious apart
ment, in which his Lordship can be
supplied with his own food and
| wines.
ANCIENT CEREMONIAL IN FORCE.
The scene in the Royal gallery,
temporarily converted into court
OF justice, when the Lord High
Chancellor, Lord Hslsbury, who
had been appointed Lord High
Steward for the occasion, took his
seat upon the dais and the quaint
ceremonial began, was most pictur-
esque, The hall was a magnificent
blaze Of color, produced by the
robes of the Peers, ths academic
robes Of the Judges and the brill.
ant uniforms of his stats officers.
1 Although the House of Lords was
not represented in its full strength,
about 200 OF Earl RUSSELL peers at
teuded his trial and m ,d > an impos
ing array as they filed into ,he hall,
two by two, from behind tns throne.
Lord Salisbury, the Premier,
brought up the rear OF thu process
sion and was almost unno'iced as
he took his seat near Lord Halls
bury.
Immediately beneath the das sat
the ten Judges in their gorgeous
robes, surrounded by phnlapx of
lesser legal luminaries. On either
side Of the Judges we're ranged five
benches filed with Peers, whose
ranks we're distinguishable by the
varying number of rows of or min Q
and gold lace on their scarlet man.
tells.
The benches reserved for Peer.
esses we're amply filed, while TIE
space allotted to distinguished
strangers was crowded with the
diplomatists and their families, in
Guiding the United States Embassa
dor, Joseph FL. Choate, ani The
Secretary OF the United S ates Em
bassy, Henry White.
J Mollie Cook, otherwise Mrs
J Somerville, Earl Russell's present
J wife, entered the hall by ticket and
sat facing the benches occupied by
members of the House of Commons
! She was accompanied by young
woman dressed in gray and wearing
hat trimmed with cream lace
Mollie Cook appeared no more con
: cerned than the other witnesses OIL
l the interesting scene,
NEVADA JUDGE PRESENT.
Among the witnesses who en-
: tered the hall was Judge Curler o
, Nevada, who took a seat beside tn
a clergyman who married Earl Rus
l sell to Mabel Scott, his first wife.
The court was formally opsne.
with a series of quaint ceremonies
s aud the exchange of stately phrase
/ prescribed in the ancient legal pro
a cedure.
| Beside Lord Halsbury, in hi
;. Earl's robes aud a wig, stoo(