Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-17
Case Declared MistriaI Be-
cause of Attorneys Attack
on Wife of Defendant.

NEW YORK, Oct 1T will show,
L. Erlanger swore in a judicial proceed
ing that his wife, whom now he says he
loved and wished to chivalrously shield,
was a bigamist, a perjurer, a vandal
and"
This statement made before Supreme
Court Justice Page by John V. Bouvier,
Jr., counsel for Miss EDITH ST Clair, the
actress, in her suit to enforce a $685.
600 contract against Klaw & Erlanger,
abruptly ended the trial of the case.
A juror was withdrawn and mis-
trial. declared because of Bouvier's at
tack on Mrs. Granger. This does not
effect the merits Of the case, but simply
DELAYS the trial The action will again
be placed on the calendar and tried be-
fore another jury.
Immediately after granting the motion
to withdraw q juror, Justice Page fined
Attorney Bowler $50 for contempt of
court The contempt" was charged be-
cause Lawyer Bowler asked a question
in line with the subject matter of an
other question which had just been ex-
cluded from the evidence by the court.
Miss ST. Clair In Tears.
Miss ST. Clair, who is suffering from
ill health, was on the verge of tears
until Max .. Steuer, her personal attor-
ney. informed her that in due time she
would have her day in court. Mr. Steuer
is anxious to have the day come soon
because F;rlanger has answered Miss St
Clair's suit with the charge that Steuer
"blackmailed" him into signing the SIS
900 contract.
Attorney Bowler, who has been en-
va ged bv Mr. Steuer to try the case, be-
gan the session with a summary of Miss
St Clair's side Of the case. He eX-
blamed that in 1908 she claims, MIR. Err
LANCER promised to pay her s15 week
for life in consideration of her services
as an actress The payments were made
regularly. he said, until 1903, when they
ceased.
Then Miss st Clair consulted the firm
of House, Grossman e. VOrhaus, and was
told that she had a cause of action
against Klaw & Erlanger. Because this
firm of lawyers handled good deal Of
theatrical litigation. they referred her to
Max D. Steuer Steuer was introduced to
Mr. F,rlanger by Big Tim" sullivan, a
friend of Erlanger and Steuer
Refused Second $500.
AS a result of this conference with
Steuer. the firm of Klaw & Erlanger
TO pay Miss St. Clair $4,000, in ten
annual installments, IN release for her
claim that they had agreed to pay her
SIS week for life. The first install
ment was refused. Miss St. Clair brought
suit to recover the 81 500 and have the
court decree that she IS entitled TO the
other instalments when due.
The opening skirmish in court yester-
day made certain the fact that AttOr-
news Steuer and Bowler are going TO
make a determined effort to uncover all
the Interesting events" in MIR Erlan-
gers past life The evidence in Mr.. Err
hangers divorce action. which was tried
secretly year ago, was referred TO yes
terday, and the mysterious suit OF AIDE
laide l.. Erlanger against Abraham l.. Err
LANCER, and Ruth Lift was mentioned
This latter case was withdrawn last No
Vember before trial
Miss St clair was born in 1892, and
was fifteen years old when she entered
the employment OF Mr. Erlanger" Mr.
Bouvier told the jury. she had been in
Mr. Erlanger's employ only about three
weeks when certain things changed con-
ditions between employer and employee
Miss ST. Clair had talent and ability and