The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-19
ANNIE SUMMERYILLE VS.. RICH
TUFY LIVE UNDER ONE moor,
DOX'T SPEAK, BUT SWEAR:
WE. That husband Is Cruel; Husband.
That VIE Annexed Her Daughters
sutton, a Young Princeton Graduate,
From whom Mr.. Rich Wants 500, O(DO

The marital troubles of William l..
picr, diamond buyer and general mana
s.r II the jewelry firm Of Black, Starr &
frost, aud his athletic wife. Nancy Rich,
wI, wa. formerly Annie Summerville,
,h, Duchess in "Adonis," and sister of
Anne IA Summerville. the Merry Little Noun
,fio MG'1. had an airing yesterday in the
suur,fnc Court. when Mrs. Richs suit for
separation and her husbands coun-
,er-ur for a divorce came on for trial be-
fore Justice Scott and jury. Rich has
named Frank l.. Stratton, young Prince
ton graduate, who was paying attentions
To Edna, Mrs. Rich's daughter by her first
husband an actor as correspondent in his
couutprsuit and has also brought an action
against Stratton for 100000 for aliena-
ton Of Mrs, Rich's affections,
Ers Rch testf I'd that when she mar
rcd Rich. in 1889, their financial circum-
s.ln,es we're such that she had to sell her
iowelrv When asked TO describe the
falling out they had last September. Mrs.
Rich legged that she be not compelled to
repeat what had happened, in the pres
cncr of her daughter Edna
Justice Scott said that the girl might
leave court, and she did. Mrs. Rich then
told how her husband had grossly insulted
her that night and had suggested that she
g. out and provide him with evidence on
which he could get divorce. Rich was
very often drunk and always abused her
when in that condition She says that his
income is about $4,000 year, but that
he stopped her credit without warning
because she bought couple of dresses
without consulting him.
On cross-examination Mrs. Rich adj
mi,tei that the two dresses had cost $40.
She wrote letter to a friend, William
Horsford about that time, in which she
said she was going to be thoroughly selfish
ia the future, as she had come to the con-
cu,ion that selfshness was necessary to
the proper enjoyment of life. Mrs. Rich
is a great athlete. rowing, swimming and
a baseball nine at Lake Placid last sum-
mer. where her husband says she was too
intimate with young Stratton.
Her dHushter Edna 3osep RGS e corr p
20 wears old. s, id she had never known
until list September that she was only
Mr.. Rich's stepda lighter. He always. she
admitted, tree ted her rs his own daughter,
just rs he treat ted his own two children.
Richard B. rum Lott, a caller at the
Rich house, testified that he had often seen
Mr. Rich drunk.
He WIS mentally drunk said young
Lott; mot phvsica lly'
Lott said th,t Rich rambled in his con-
verse ton. talking incoherently, end that
his liquor laden breath pervaded the whole
room.
Mr.. Rich testified that he had never ben
drunk in his life, had been for many yes RS
from home except when it was unavoidable
His first quarrel with Mrs. Rich occurred
rst July, in the Adironds cks. when he
objected to her ST. wing out on the cott' ge
with Young Strf tton. Rich said his whole
soul VIZ tied up in his love for his family,
and that he lived for his wife and children
alone.
conduct, she told him she was sick and tired
Of him and that she wished he would live
apart from her. He worried so much over
this that he made his will and contemplated
suicide, but he repented of that: and when
they returned to the city he tried to APP
proach his wife again. but failed. She de-
clined to speak to him and dismantled his
oom so as to furnish another for herself
One of the most aggravating OF her ways
Of annoying him was to rattle her knife
and fork on her plate when he said grace
at the table. Finally she refused to eat
separately He had to exclude young
Lott from the house because Lott TOOK
When he found his wife had bought IS 900
worth Of clothes in eight months he told
her to go slow" as with his income OF but
$4,000 a year he could not stand such ex-
'raVdRanCe. ne dShtu IicI W SoHsuiV vi
him before she made purchases. and az she
refused he was obliged to stop her credit:
She told him then that she intended to spend
every cent OF his money that she could.
He suggested that they sign rticles OF
separation, but she declined, saying she
wanted an absolute divorce, and aid before
the children and servants that II he would
give her sufficient evidence to get divorce
she would get it. When he answered that
such thing was impossible, she eaid:
IN make you sweat blood for this, and
il you don't give me full control Of every.
make a charge against you that you'll never
be able to face. I'll drive you out Of bust
ness"
She then began her suit, and he his coun-
tersuit They still live in the came house.
hut eat and sleep apart and never speak to
each other.
The trial will continue to-day. when Riohs
81 r,;l 6a1