Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-02
Denies Kissing Lord NorthIand
While Sitting on Stairs.
Il AM NO HoUsEMAID"
Guilty of No Misconduct With
Fatty" Although Indiscreet.
MADE OPPORTUNITY
Blames Him and Mrs. Anterior for
Causing Situation-Letter
Found in Old Dress.

EDINBURGH. February III am no
housemaid.' was Mrs. Clara Elizabeth
Strings indignant declaration on the
witness stand of the assize court. where
she was compelled to pass three siren
uous and fearful hours yesterday. testi-
flying in her own defense against her
husbands charges. during which she was
asked if she had kissed Lord Northland
while sitting on the stairs.
She frequently burst into tears when
pressed to answer certain questions
about her love for Fatty" Northland.
but she categorically denied all allega-
tions of improperly with him. She
weepingly admitted she had fallen in love
with Lord Northland. but asserted that
no wrong conduct had followed this af-
| lection.
| She blamed her husband for permitting
| the creation Of opportunities for bringing
her and Northland together-opportuni-
ties which. coupled with her husband 8
neglect. wrought out the love between
her and Northland.
What She Meant by "Rotter."
When her letter to her husband, written
on board ship while she was going to
Washington, was being read she wept
| Historically. She explained that when
she wrote don't think me an absolute
| rotter' she meant she was a "rotter''
only in the sense that she had fallen in
love with Northland. but she denied hav-
ing confessed to any misconduct.
Examined about row when the
Anterior and Lord Northland was in
Paris. she said:
my husband said to me: I believe you
| are in love with Fatty.
Il said: am. Do you object to my
| being with him?'''
| She explained that she then thought
that her husband was trying to blame
| her in order to find an excuse for Mrs.
| Atherton's conduct.
She denounced as "venomous les the
stories told by servants about finding her
under suspicious circumstances with
| Lord Northland at Amberly cottage and
the Strings London residence. She also
denied the famous incident testified to by
and found her with Northland in the par
| lor with the chain of the front door up.
| Her husband had testified that he had
| threatened Lord Mortified, who said, Il
think I'd better CO." to which the husband
| had retorted, You had darned we'll bet
| ter get out
| No Row Between Men.
Mrs Stirling denied this incident. as
serting that the interview had closed
peacefully.
Mrs Stirling roundly accused Mrs.
Atherton Of intriguing to throw her in
company with Lord Northland, so that
she could monopolize Mr.. Stirling.
| Mrs. Stirling said. among other things,
that at the time of her wedding Mr.. Stir
ling gave her $4,000. but at the end of
| 1907 her husband was In financial diff
culties and she handed him the entire
amount back. She now had nothing.
This case throughout has been notable
| even among divorce cases for it's extreme
dience sat through without wincing. Yes
| terday. however. the questions were SO
| intimately delicate that counsel would not
proceed until every woman had been
| cleared out of court.
| In her testimony as witness I'm her d.
rect SUIT for divorce Mrs. Stirling admit
| ted that she had told her husband July
| IL that she was fond of Lord Northland.
but added that hev domestic relations
were not doomed by him.
Letter Found in Pocket.
| 1t was also shown that she was re-
markable for an epistolary fondness for
the term "rotter.'' Questioned regarding
a letter which had been given to another
witness to deliver, but had not been de-
livered, and which had recently been
found in the pocket Of an old skirt, she
acknowledged the letter as in her hand
writing. In the letter she stated that she
had talked to Jack but he was not cross,
only distressed. The letter went on:
| II feel such dreadful rotter for he
asked me straight out If 1 was in love
with you, and l simply could not tell
him that i was not. He asked me what
| I wanted to do. and / am SO miserable
with the whole thing that 1 feel the
sooner I leave this world the better of
all of you will be.
| Jack says what possibly may be true
| that you would most likely leave me on
the mat. 1 wonder If you would.
There is no danger of him following
me- for he is far past that stage. / am
sure he will never be nasty or watch me.
! / said he must not blame you. for it is
my fault and mine only. My dear thing.
are you a little fond Of me, and do you
think it worth your while to go on?
can't write all / feel, so we will arrange
to have talk. l am not worth spelling
your life for. Have good think. l will
| always love YOU.
| Inspite Of the fact that Scottish law
yers work for much smaller remunera-
ton than their English colleagues. the
| Stirling cases are costing upward of $1,000
a day in lawyers fees alone.