The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-04
American Heiress, Who
Weddedthe Earl lofYar-
mouth, Seeks Divorce
SPECULATION AS
TO CAUSES OF 1T
Hearing Will BE Secret Because
Of Nature Of Evidencc---Earl,s
Absence from Tl,aw Trial
and Insanity Plea
Figure in the
Aftair.

LONDON. January 3.-Thc failure of
mother alliance OF tile English nobility
with an American woman OF wealth
became public this afternoon. when the
Countess OF Yarmouth. who was Alice
ThaW. OF Pittsburg. daughter Of
Mrs. william Thaw. aud sister Of
Harry K. Thaw, whose second trial
for the murder OF Stanford White Will
4 begin next Monday In New York. APP
piled to the divorce court for an an.
nulment OF her marriage 20 the Earl
OF Yarmouth. The court has ordered that
proceedings be held in camera. The
only inkling obtainable OF the charges
preferred Is a statement to the effect
that the nature OF the medical evil
dcnce to be given makes public hear
ing it1advisablc.
The Countess OF Yarmouth la staying
u, Park Hill. near Evesliam. Worcester.
shire, n magnificent country xeat. She
Esrl OF Yarmouth liz supposed to be OH
the continent, where he spends much
OF his time.
Have Long been Uyhappy.
IT has been we'll known for two
years that the domestic affairs of the
iarmouths were most unhappy; The
earl's companions and his manner OF
living were such that lie could not
give his wife the position in society
she had right TO expect.
She supplied immense sums to de-
fray her husbands cxtravasances, II
IS alleged, and her friends say she has
conducted herself with dignity through
out the troubles resulting from the
unhappy marriage and her brothers
difficulties.
The Hertford family. the head OF
which IS the Earl of iarmouti's father
and 10 the head of which the earl Is
heir. he being the eldest son OF the
sixth Marquis OF Hertford. is one OF
the oldest and proudest OF the British
nobility. Tbs notoriety. brought upon
tho family through it's indirect con-
uection with the Thaw murder case
was calling. and this climax to the
eldest sons marriage to Alice Thaw
Is a BITTER pill.
3Iother-in-Law Ia Grieyed.
The Marchioness OF Eertford who
has stood by her daughter-in-law
throughout her troubles. and has ex-
etted i1erselfto 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. They have ad-
vised her to remain In England until
after the divorce proceedings, but the
countess desires to return to the United
states for her brothers second trial.
Last summer on the advice of Mr..
brother-in-law and sister. who were
with her two months. the countess de-
clded to seek the aid of the divorce
courts.
Causes OF EhtrmnEcnent.
PITTSBURG, PA. January a.-The
news from England to-day that the
Countess of Yarmouth. formerly Miss
Alice Thaw, of this city, had Begun
proceedings for the notification of her
marriage did not create much surprise
here. 1t Is said here that the estrange-
ment results from two causes. The
first cause is said to be the action OF
the Earl OF Yarmouth during the first
trial OF Harry x. Thaw. a half-brothcr
OF the countess. IT Is said when the
trial was about to begin Yarmouth
went to Egypt and lived In secIusion in
the select colony OF English folk whu
reside there during the winter months
The second cause Is said to be the
action of the Thaw family in determin.
ing upon an insanity plea for Harry
Thaw.
From reports received here from
London in the past month, it is said
Yarmouth objected to insanity hgurins
In the New York Tllaw trial on the
ground that 1t would have a direct in.
fluence on the succession Of the Var.
mouth estate in the event there wa,
q Issue from the marriage.
Wedding Was SenAa tI0unl.
The wedding of Lord Yarmouth ant
Miss ,Thaws was an event In Pittsbure
s society. 1t was planned that her eldcs
brother, Harry, should give her away
but he was absent. The ceremony wa!
DELAYED several hours TO await ILL
coming, bit he did not put in an ap
pearance. Joseph G. Thaw anothe
brother, acted in his place, 1t was ais,
reported that the delay in the cere
111nn n, f,,,,f -
with regard to the marriage settle
ment from the Thaw family. The ear
isFdeclared to have insisted upon al
increase and the papers had to b,
drawn up before the marriage proceed
ed. shortly after the marriage 1t wa
reported that the sun of $1,000,e0
had been settled upon the earl, All,
that all the debts: of Iarmouth's Eng
lish estate l,au been paid by tl.> youn
wife.
In "a letter to the Associated Pres
at the time, however Mrs. Williar
ports, branding them as absurd
Enrl Was Once Actor.
NEW YORK, January 3.--Alice Cor
nclia Thaw daughter of the late WI
liam Thaw, of l'ittsburg. was Marie
10 George Francis Alexander Seymour
Earl of Yarmouth, in Pittsburg, o
April 81, 1908. The marriage followe
o rather brief courtship and put
stop to the earl's stage career. Var
month8swas starred In light comedie
by q. New York manager, his title be
Ing thinly veiledf in the programs an
announcements Lady Yarmouth ha
always been the favorite OF the fan
lily withblher brother, Harry Ilenda
Thtlw. She returned from England
where she had made hergllome sinc
her marriage and was present durin
the entire three months of the tlrs
trial OF her brother. Tho former Mis-
'3iB Thaw has always been very populu
M amonG her associates, both in Pitts
burg and New York., and marie
lie has been followed With q gret
aeal Of in terest 5t