Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-04
EARL TO FIGHT BACK
Yarmouth Will Defend Suit by
the Countess.
WILL BE HEARD IN CAMERA
English Law in the Case Is Very
Rigorous.
MARCHIONESS WIFE'S FRIEND
Other Members of the Family All
Side With the Gay Young
Nobleman.
MARCHI0NESS WIFE'S FRIEND

LONDON, January 4.-The solicitors of
the Earl of Yarmouth, whose wife, for
| merly Miss Alice Thaw of Pittsburg has
begun suit for the notification of her
marriage, have given notice that they
propose to defend the action. The case
probably will not be heard for several
weeks.
While this action is quite distinct from
| a divorce, it will be heard in the divorce
court. the sittings of which begin Janu-
and there are on the calendar 156 unde-
Tended cases which take precedence over
the defended suits. The Yarmouth suit
stands sixty-one on the list of defended
cases.
Lewis & Lewis, the famous firm of So
licitors, of which Sir George Lewis, the
best known, lawyer in England. is the
head, will represent the countess.
Case in Camera.
Insanity previous to marriage, non-con-
summation of the marriage relation. or
an existing marriage are the only grounds
upon which. under the nglish law, a
marriage may be annulled.
The court has ordered that the pro-
ceedings be held in camera, and the
papers are being kept secret. The only
inkling obtainable of the charges pre-
| ferred is a statement to the effect that
the nature of the medical evidence to be
given makes a public hearing inadvis-
able.
The Countess of Yarmouth is staying at
shire, a magnificent country seat she has
| leased, decorated and refurnished with
lavish expenditure. She declines to COM
ment on the case. The Earl of Yarmouth
could not be found in his usual London
haunts last night. and it is supposed he is
on the continnet. where he spends much
| of his time.
1t has been we'll known for two years
| that the domestic affairs of the Var
| mouths were most unhappy. The earis
companions and his manner of living
| were such that he could not give his wife
| the position in society she had right to
expect She supplied immense sums to
defray her husbands extravagances. and
| her friends say she has conducted herself
with dignity throughout the troubles re-
| sulting from the unhappy marriage and
| her brothers difficulties.
Countess Is Worried.
The Hartford family. the head of which
the head of which the earl is heir. he
being the eldest son of the sixth Marquis
Of Hartford, is one of the oldest and
proudest of the British nobility. The no.
| toriety brought upon the family through
its indirect connection with the rhaw
murder case was calling, and this climax
| to the eldest sons marriage to Alice
| Thaw is bitter pill. The Marchioness
of HEREFORD. who has stood by her daugh-
ynvr t6rN ,N,Yt lnv two lac
has exerted herself to reconcile the couple,
| Is Frustrated with grief.
The countess herself has suffered from
| the strain Of the past year. Her friends
| say she has grown thin rapidly and has
| a worried look They have advised her
| to remain in england until after the di-
vorce proceedings, but the countess de-
sired to return to the United States for
her brothers second trial. and is unde-
| cided which course she will pursue.
| Last summer. on the advice of Mr.. and
Mrs. George Lauder Carnegie. her broth
| er-in-law and sister. who were with her
| two months. the countess decided to seek
| the aid of the divorce courts. 1t was in
| tended to defer this action until the sec
ond Thaw trial in New York, but the de-
| lay in bringing the case TO trial led to a
change Of plans.
Earl Is Indifferent.
| Before Harry X. Thaw shot Stanford
| White in New York, thus bringing on
the family of the Earl Of Yarmouth that
notoriety which is so distasteful to the
English nobility. there were rumors that
the couple were leading an unhappy life:
but the action of the earl during this
crisis and his efforts to shield his mother
| in-law, the mother of, Harry Thaw. on
| her arrival and during her stay in Eng
land. led to the belief that he had re-
| formed and decided to treat his wife
| more kindly.
/ Then came the decision of the countess
| to go to New York and attend the trial
of her brother. 1t was said at the time
that the earl had agreed that this was