The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-10
ACTRESS WIFE SUES EARL
ANNA ROBINSON WANTS DIVORCE
FROM ROSSLYN.


Special Cable Despatch 10 TEE SUN.
LONDON, July e.-The Countess Of Rosslyn
has begun an action for divorce.
The announcement that she had lone
90 created no surprise here in the circles
acquainted with the pair. Since shortly
after their marriage things between the
couple have been at odds and ends, and
the divorce suit, which is now made public.
is merely the sequel to practically a year
and a half of separation.
just about this time last year efforts at
a reconciliation we're made by American
friends Of the pair and for n time II looked
as IN they might succeed but the Countess
insisted upon holding on to her fortune
too tightly to suit her husband. At leas.
80 IL was rumored, and the reconciliation
did not come about.
The original trouble il believed to have
started through financial differences. The
Earl of Rosslyn for years has been devoted
to gambling at Monte Carlo. He believed
he had a system which would surely break
the bank, provided he had capital enough.
After he lost a fortune there his wife told
him she was quite capable of s~quandering
her W money and refused to furnish
further contributions for the Golfers OF
M. Blanc. From that time there were
constant jars in the household, and the
upehot was hat the Far left his Norfolk
street house and lived in London hotels
or in Paris. The Countess said to the cor
respondent Of THE SUN tonight:
1T is quite true that | have entered a
suit for divorce. The papers we're served
upon the Earl last August. but since then
! have been 80 i'll that l have been unable
TO proceed with the case. / have just
returned from a continental trip feeling
very fit. and l am now determined TO see
the matter through. The grounds alleged
are the statutory ones required for a divorce
in England. including desertion. adultery
and cruelty. The correspondent is well
known in London and has a husband in
the United States Navy, The cruelty con-
sisted of abusing me with physical violence.
My proofs are absolute and l I'M confident
that my petition will be granted"
IL is likely that II the Earl contests the
case there will be some interesting and
spicy revelations on both sides. One
hotel incident will largely figure. in which
the Countess with a party Of friends sat
at one table, while at a nearby table the
Earl dined with the woman whom the
Countess now names as the correspondent.
The marriage Of the Earl and Miss Robin
son, which came as a surprise. was frowned
upon by the Earl's family. but after a while
through his efforts his sister. the Duchess
of Sutherland. gave recognition To the
American actress, and the Duchess invited
her to her Scottish seat and she was made
a welcome guest there. This happy con-
dition did not last long. as d~ivergences
on many points constantly appeared.
The Earl Of Rosslyn played in New York
under the management Of Charles Frohman
several years ago under the name Of j.
Erskine. He was married in London on
March 20. 1905. to Anna Robinson. an Ameri-
can actress, who settled $40. 900 a year pom
him. He had previously been married
in 1890 TO Violet Aline Vyner. h left him
and he got a divorce from her on the ground
Of infidelity and desertion. end she married
Charles Jarrett. an automobilist.
Rosslyn served with Thorneycroftis Horse
in South Africa. participated in the relief
Of Ladysmith and wal war correspondent
for a London newspaper during the cam
paign. He is now 80 years old:
1t was in March Of last year that reports
his Countess had separated at Monte Carlo.
He was reported as aging that she was
impossible although otherwise a charm
ing and delightful person. The Countess's
opinion of the actor nobleman apparently
was the same.
The Countess was formerly Anna Robin
son, the daughter of a hotel proprietor
in Minneapolis. She and her sister Mar
garet left Minnesota about fourteen years
ago to go on the stage. Anna, being a
beauty and in the chorus OF the Weber
d Fields shows, made many c~onquests.
She was reported engaged to several per-
sons. When she went abroad her name
was coupled with that Of several lesser
English noblemen, as well as that OF Leopold,
King Of the Belgians. She had money
when she married Rosslyn. Most Of II
was said to have been won on the turf.
After her marriage she leased Thurso
Castle in Scotland In which to entertain
her friends. She tried to break into society