Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-19
EAR'S NEVADA Wedding
Puts HIN INTO PRISON.
PLEADS GUILTY TO THE CHARGE
OF BIGAMY BEFORE HOUSE
OF LORDS.
THREE MONTHS THE PENALTY
DECLARES HIS oFTENsE is ONLY
TECHNICAL, AND THAT HE
WILL MARRY LEGALLY.

LONDON, July 18.--Earl Russell, who
was tried by the peers of the realm
IN the House OF Lords to-day, pleaded
guilty to bigamy and sentenced to three
months Imprisonment after lengthy ar
guments.
The trial began in the royal gallery
of the House of Lords at IL o'clock to-
day Two hundred people. CARRIED in
the robes OF their noble station in life,
walked into the gallery, two by two.
Many members OF the House of Com
mons occupied the corner OF the cham
Der, but there was no general crowd
permitted to see the trial Of peer for
! criminal offense
A red dais at one end OF the gallery
contained a golden chair, surmounted
by crown, to represent the throne.
Below 1t was table for the lord chan
cellor and next to this were four rows
Of crimson chairs for the peers.
Earl Russell arrived early. He was
accompanied By fye lawyers. The earl
frst notified the clerk Of bis, surrender
on the charge OF having committed
felony by contracting bigamous mar
riage with one Mollie Cook, in the state
OF Nevs.ia. his wife being then alive.
The/ imposing court sat promptly at
The Appointed time. IL O'Clock, with
eleven public prosecutors acting for the
crown. together with ten judges, to keep
the peers straight on legal points
1t is estimated that the trial will cost
500 times more than 1t would to try an
ordinary person for bigamy.
The present countess, wearing gray
dress with a big hat trimmed with
cream lace, occupied a front seat on
the guests benches. She appeared en-
tirely unconcerned.
Upon being called Earl Russell APP
preached the bar, accompanied by the
BLACK Rod. The earl uncovered, made
Z low obeisance to the noble court, and
the bar was then raised. Russell next
approached the Earl of Halsbury, ths
lord high chancellor, and more obei-
sances followed.
This ceremony concluded, the clerk
read the charge. after which Lawyer
Robson, for the accused earl, argued In
favor OF quashing the indictment Dur
ing Robson's argument Judge Curler,
OF Nevada, was called within the bar
for conference with the lord high
chancellor.
Carl Kalsbury, at the conclusion #
7 the argunentf refused the motion to
quash the Indictment and called upon
Earl Russell TO plead. The earl rose in
his place and in a voice scarcely au-
dible, did what had been expected
pleaded guilty.
Mr. ROBSON Immediately addressed
the noble lords with view of obtaining
q mitigation of sentence. He related
the circumstances of the divorce and
second marriage and stated that tic
earl acted under the best legal advice
c1tainable in Nevada. He declared tie
otferse, at best, WAS only a technical
one, as Ear, Russell believed he was
acting in legal manner.
Earl Russell also addressed the peers
before they retired to consider their de-
vision. He said he considered that the
decree obtained in America gave a
social sanction for his new marriage.
- now, proposed, at the earliest pos
>Sts moment, to marry according to the
English law. He placed himself I'M
reseryedly in their lordships' hands.
He had not intended to defy the law.
1t was a few minutes after l O'Clock
when the peers retired to consider their
decision privately. They had not eeen
out long when it was announced that
they had sentenced the earl to three