New-York tribune., 1911-04-21
AMERICAN BARONESS SUES
Tries to Set Aside Conveyance
to Her Noble Husband.
LIVED APART FIVE YEARS
De Graffenried Once Charged
Her with Malicious Deser.
ton and Grave Injury

IA aroness De Graysnried. wife OF Baron
Raoul De Graherrled. who was Mss Ger
trude van Cortlandt. and later Mrs Schuy-
Ier Hamilton. ,r. has brough. suit In the
Supreme Court 20 set aside conveyarce
% her noble husband OF one-half interest
IN the Empire Cour. apartment house. at
West End avenue and a5th street
The oaron aad baroness were ma rrtec In
1901 In Paris The husband, who is
Swiss. IL now in Geneva, where he has
been Ar invalid for two years. In the sa'ns
year they were married Baroness de Graf-
fenried executed an instrument which
laced in trust certain securities left her
by her rrst husband from which the baron
was 10 receive the income as long a. they
lived together Il was agreed that on the
death OF the wife the trust ceased and the
husband was 20 receive all OF the secur-
ties. In case they parted The trust was -
end
subsequently, Baroness De Granenred
sold her personal property, and with paf
OF the proceeds and with other funds shs
bought tie apartment house. The baron
Protested that he was humilsted and that
IL was contrary TO the customs OF his coun-
try 10 have il appear that he was receiving
money directly from his wife He suggest
Cd that ne be permitted personally 10 col
lect the rents. AS Baroness de Granen-
rled says In her suit. and by earnest So
licitation and continuous opportunities" hs
induced Influenced and persuaded her 70
convey 20 him one-half interest N the
properrv. The baron agreed, she says, 20
pay one-halr OF the running expenses Of
the household. IL beirx further agreed thSt
he would make p will or otherwise provide
that on his death his interest in the prop
crry was 90 revert TO his wife and her three
children The latter are Schuyler V. c.
Hamilton. Gertrude Pay Hamilton and vio-
let Loring Hamilton. The conveyance was
made IN 1903, but the baroness says the
baron failed 70 i've VI 10 the terms Of the
transfer, which she also says was made
without consideration.
The couple have not lived together sincs
1906. and that fact is also set forth a. .
reason why the husba nd's interest In his
wife's estate has ceased. In 1903 Baron dc
Ora renried sued the baroness IN switzer-
land for malicious desertion and grave
injury" Baroness de Grafenried made a
counter claim Of grave injury" The case
was tried last December. the action Of the
nUSOhDC pelIE GisHlloScN df'A tuS vic rS~
ceiving divorce.
T-nder the Swiss laws tho husband 10 ac-
countable FOR al the property transferred
and must return al thaA the wife has
contributed. Baron de Graffenried haa
made answer 20 the suit that he did con-
tribute all that he could 10 the household
exrenses of the family. and also that be
lent money 70 his stepsUn. He said that IN
1906 his wife wrote 10 him from Paris sign
ing herself as YOU devoted wife" and
also saying THAI she was not only his wis
but his good friend. He said that she
wrote that she hoped that he would como
ana see her. and that II he ~isnec she
would 20 and see him some time. The
baron added that the baroness need have
no apprehension about his transferring his
interest In her property.
The case came before Justice Hendrtck
on a motion OF the plaintiff for permission
to amend her complaint TO include the fact
that she obtained 4 divorce, which was
granted. and the defendant received per
mission &c amend his answer 10 make
genera. denial of the complaint.