The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-21
RICH LOSES DIVORCE SUIT.
ACTRESS STILL MRS. RICH, IN
SPITE OF BOTH or THEM.
And They Go on Living In the Same House.
as Lovers Once but Strangers Now
Lawyer for Correspondent stratton
Among Those Who Addressed the Jury.

And They Go on Living IN tho Same House.
as Lovers Once but Strangers Now
Lawyer for Correspondent stratton
Among Those Who Addressed the Jury.
Honors are easy so far as court pro-
ceedings are. concerned in the family row
OF the Riches.
Nancy Rich, who was the actress Annie
Summerville Of Dixey's 'Adonis' company
and who lost her suit for separation from
her husband. William L. Rich on Tuesday,
won yesterday before Justice Scott OF the
Supreme Court in her husbands counter
suit for absolute divorce.
The jury was out an hour before agreeing
that there was not sufficient evidence to
show that Mrs. Rich had been guilty OF
adultery with Frank Stratton, the very
boyish correspondent Husband and wife
are still living In the same house on East
Seventy first street, but in different parts
OF it. They don't speak. That is, they
haven't been speaking.
The most amused looking person in the
court room early In the day was Edward Chap
man, the comedian. Mrs, Rich's former hus-
band, and father Of her daughter, Edna. He
said that he had to come downtown anyway,
and thought he'd drop in just for a minute
to see how his former wife looked There
were no greetings. Mrs. Rich got divorce
from Chapman about fifteen years ago.
When the case was resumed in the morn
more servants and guides to testify that
they had seen Mrs. Rich and Stratton
together in the Adirondack woods and
on Lake Placid But they added nothing
material to the evidence, and there were
no more kissing or hugging stories. That
<,,Il Lo Md 70 rnltn tha ind
Of score Of women and some young men,
wearing openwork hose, who went to court
out of curiosity but were ordered out Of
the room by Justice Scott, who said that
the day was too hot for an unnecessary
crowd.
Both Mrs. Rich and Stratton testified
in their own defence and denied that they
had ever kissed. Stratton said that while
he was never engaged to the daughter,
Edna Chapman, it was to see her that he
went to the Rich home,
Mrs. Rich said that she was born in Eng
land; that her maiden name was Annie
Shaw; that she went on the stage when she
was IS years old and that her stage name
was Annie Summerville. Stratton, she
said. was "a years old She refused to tell
her own age, and said that II was enough
for the Jury to know that she was the
Stratton used to call to see.
Stratton testified that since he was grad
uated at Princeton, he had been employed
in the banking house of Brown Bros.
When asked by what title he addressed
Mrs. Rich, Stratton replied:
Il called her the Countess and she called
me the Baron. asked Mr.. Rich II he didn't
think Countess was good name for his
wife. and he said that he didn't, that she
ought to be called the Duchess Of Garlic
ton Terrace tShe was the Duchess in
'Adonis"
Job Hedges. counsel for Stratton, awaited
himself of the opportunity offered by the
recent amendment Of the divorce law to
address the Jury in behalf Of the CO.
respondent.
He said that he had never heard before
that walking up mountain trail consti-
tuted adultery
After the verdict Mrs. Rich, Miss Edna.
Stratton and crowd Of young men friends
left the Court House Just in time to be
drenched by the downpour Of rain.
The husband waited and got to the Sew
enty-first street house with a dry skin.
ANYWAY.