Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-05-01
NOTED ACTOR is
SUED FOR DIVORCE
Mrs. Dustin Farnum Didn't Like
Howard Gouid's Charges
OF Intimacy.

New York. April 25.-Dustin Farnum
the young actor. who was mentioned
by Howard Gould in his answer 10 the
suit brought by his wife. Katherine
-Clemmons Gould, for separation, is be-
ing sued by his wife, Agnes Johnson
Farnum, for absolute divorce. The pa
pers were handed 20 Justice Bowling in
supreme court late yesterday.
Every possible effort to keen the mat
ter quiet was made. the style OF suit
being:
"A. Johnson Farnum VS.. ID. Lam /:
/: cey Farnum." :
The young leading mans middle name
may be Lancey, but no one ever called
him by it. "A. Johnson Farnum' is
not at all suggestive of Mrs. Dustin
Farnum.
1.-THE Virginian."
Farnum first came irto prominence
on the stage in The Vlrginian, in
which he took the title role. Being n
new star on Broadway he became M
what of a matinee idol. That was in
1905. He played IN buckskin trimmed
cowboy clothes and carried revolyers.
In the life of the bounding West he
was letter perfect and he spent several
summer months in Virginia learning
the Southern dialect.
In 1907 Farnum appeared in The
Rangers at Wallack's. In this play he
also ~impersonated Western characters.
A sort of Davy Crockett. This year he
took a long jump frCn buckskin to
broadcloth. appearing in THE Rector's
Garden at the Bijou theater last
month. Il closed three weeks ago.
CouId's Charges.
Howard Gould's answer to hls wife's
divor petition is understood to be the
last straw which broke the back of
the Faraun,s' marital relations. This
document. fraught with extraordinary
statements, was loaded with charges of
Improper conduct" with Mr.. Farnum,
as well rs charges of Mrs. Gould's
foudness for intoXicants, beginning, as
alleged, with two or three cocktails be-
fore breakfast, a pint Of Hook at lunch
con. brandy highballs and unlimited
supplies Of champagne at dinner.
whereby on one occasion, 1t is alleged,
che fell from her chair to the floor.
MI. Gould, with great minuteness.
alleged that at the Hotel st. Regis in
this city; at the Bellevue-Stratford in
Philadelphia, and at the marlborough
Blpnheim N Atlantic City. his wife, the
former protege Of Buffalo Bill" was
guilty II improper and immodest con-
duct" with Dustin Farnum.
Followed Farnum.
Mr.. Gould went even further. lie de-
clarcd Lnat in September, 1906, his wife
became ~"eDaHlored and infatuated"
with Dustin Farnum; that she attended
each Of his theatrical performances and
followed him on the road to Brooklyn
and throughout New England, taking
him to and from the theater in her
automobile. Mr.. Gould says his wife's
oHd IN this respect became n pub
lie scandal and was a matter of gos-
company, much TO Mr.. GouId's humilia-
ton.
Mr.. Gould further claimed that his
wife followed Dustin Farnum to PhiIa-
delphia in october, 1905, when his COM
PAM was there playing, and that she
and the actor both stay>d at the Hotel
MISREPRESENTATION ana later went TO
Atldntic City together. putting UP at
the Observation-Disclosures Mr.. Gould
again accuses his wife of improper con-
duct at Atlantic City. bu. he In no
case makes any charge that his wife
Farnum.
Farnum's Denial.
Mr., Far1um, at the time Mr.. Gould
fled these statements, entered an en-
phatic denial that he la been intimate
with Mrs. Gould. He admitted that he
knew Mrs. Gould.
"Rut i know her only casually" he
said. - met her in a social way; L
think il was at a party two years ago
Mr.. Gould's charges are simply pre-
posterous'" he Is said 10 nave declared
dramatically.