Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-04
COUNTESS
SUES EARL
FOR DIVORCE
HARRY THAW'S SISTER SEEKS
DECREE
YARMoUTHS UNABLE TO LIVE
HAPPILY TOGETHER
Great Secrecy Is Being Maintained
and Neither Husband Nor Wife
viii Discuss the
Trouble

BY Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 3--The countess OF Var
mouth, sister of Harry Thaw, awaiting
second trial Tor the murder of Stanford
White in New York, began suit for
divorce today.
The Yarmouth case was entered in the
defended list for trial at the coming sit
tines of the divorce court. 1t will be
heard in camera.
The strictest secrecy regarding the de-
tails of the suit of the countess is MAIN
tanned. Reports that the couple disagreed
have been current, and a legal separation
has been Anticipated Neither the earl
nor the countess could be found in Lon
don this morning. kilograms sent to
their country home remained unanswered.
Notoriety Distasteful
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 rumore 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 K. 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
the proper course to follow, but 1t was
noticed that he left for southern Europe
before his wife sailed for America, and
while the countess was in deep trouble
he was enjoying the gay life or Monte
Carlo and other resorts.
When the countess returned to England
after the trial of her brother she received
a cold reception, not only from the earl,
but from all the members of his family
except the marchioness of HEREFORD his
mother, and the couple have seen little
of each other since that time.
on what grounds the countess bases her
claim for the notification of her marriage
is not stated in the papers thus far filed
with the court. but there has been much
talk of the earPs doings on the continent,
where he spends the greater part Of his
time.
Neither Talks About Case
The countess of Yarmouth is staying
at Parkhall, near Evesham Worcester
shire a magnificent country seat, which
she has leased, decorated and refur-
nished with lavish expenditure. She de-
clines to comment on the case.
The, earl of Yarmouth could not be
found IN MS usual 1oilbOh W
night, and IL is supposed he is on the
continent where he spends much of his
time.
Il has been well known for two years
that the domestic affairs of the Var
mouths were most unhappy. The earl s
COMPANIONS and his manner of living
were such that he could not give his wife
the position in society she had a right to
expect She supplied immense sums to
defray her husbands extravagances, and
her friends say she has conducted her
self with dignity throughout the troubles
resulting from the unhappy marriage
and her brothers difficulties
The Hartford family, the head of which
is the earl of Yarmouth's father, and
TO the head of which he is heir, he being
the eldest son Of the sixth marquis of
Hartford is one Of the oldest and proud
est of the British nobility. The notoriety
brought upon the family through its
indirect connection with the Thaw muir
der case was CALLING, and this climax
to the eldest sons marriage to Alice
Thaw is a bitter pill.
Mother-in-Law Frustrated
The marchioness of Hartford, who has
stood by her daughter-in-law throughout
her troubles and has eXerted herself to
reconcile the couple, is Frustrated with
grief.
The counters 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
divorce proceedings, but the countess de-
sires to return to the United States for
her brothers second trial, and is I'M
decided which course she will pursue.
Last summer, on the advice of Mr..
and Mrs. George l.. Carnegie, her broth
er-in-law and sister who were with her
two months, the countess decided 20 seek
the aid of the divorce courts. 1t was
intended to defer this action until the
second Thaw trial in New York, but the
delay in bringing the case to trial led
TO a change of plans.