New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-16
CUSTOMS NEW EARL
ujs impending Succession to the
Dukedom of Grafton.

Right 1912 by the Brentwood Company
c-Iaa1 Lord Alfred Fitz-Roy, formerly Of
relas,ream Guards. and a man of six
wv ,.ears now becomes next heir 10 the
len of Grafton through the recent
~ his chidless elder brother. the
o'NU = Fuston. 10 whose courtesy title he
bS'' ready succeeded. His elevation TO
no srtedom cannot he long delayed, his
,' the duke. being ninety-one years
:. and in poor health.
w. -,a late Lord Euston was we'll known In
,o,ntrv. having visited il on several
'Hl .,ons 10 represent Edward VII at great
o.'o.,o Gatherings. the late King UP to the
- his accession having been Grand
UNI n the Free Masons Of the United
Msor, colonel Alfred Fitz-Roy is mar
Nh - the daughter Of Eric Darlington
~ and has several children, being FAR
'''-., ,orturate In his choice Of wife than
nv his elder brother. whose whole life was
We hv foolish and misguided mar
- when he was a mere boy.
onte Young and inexperienced. he went
Ugh the form of a wedding ceremony
II ono OF the most notorious demi-mon-
&c in London a woman dozen years
u o.. ,bsr himself. When he recovered
-. senses and realized what he had done
- gas Mortified. gave up all his money to
80 woman and left her going to Australia
= order 10 get as far away from her as
.assible and begin life anew. He did we'll
:. the Antipodes. securing employment end
,.,uitting himself IL a most creditaole
.
Meanwhile his friends at home were OK
LING themselves in his behalf one day
=. vas overioyed at receiving word from
,1sro that they had been tracing the ante
..a.nts of his wife" and were convinced
cha, his union to her was invalid because
.hs had husband living al the time she
rant through the marriage ceremony with
,ord Euston Full Of hope. he made haste
:, return 10 London and began suit TO get
I'D OF the woman. Search was mace Tor
csoree Nlarlev Smith, the womans nus
IND He was found in New Zealand. and
Nth considerable difficulty and at great cN-
,snss was brought 10 England. His mar
,,,ge 70 the woman was proved; there was
~ divorce from him. and the terrible IN
enbus was about TO be removed from LORD
Euston
Put unexnectedly and at the very last
,oDn,en,. the case took new turn. Cross
examination brought to light the fact, hith-
.rra unknown by Lady Euston and her
LAWYERS. that at the time she went through
The form OF marriage with George Nancy
smith ne had d wife living, whom he had
Nsdded three years previously, and that
therefore there was no impeachment TO the
marriage OF Kate Walsh-Lady Euston-
"a Lord Euston. So Countess Of Euston
sre remained until her death, in 1903
For the last ten years of her life she was
rentally unbalanced and not responsive
for her actions. a state OF affairs which
Lord Euston from obtaining any
redress for her extravagances Of conduct.
When Al last Lord Euston was free lie
had reached the age Of fifty-five, and prob
ably deemed himself too old 10 form sec
ond and more worthy alliance. II he had
survived his father and had taken seat
n the House Of Lords ne would have been
one Of the most imposing members OF that
august body; for ne was very tall. stand
Ing over six feet four in his stocking feet
4 course. Lord customs conduct was
highly ceusurable for contracting such an
.nsavory alliance.
His behavior throughout, however, though
oolish, was free from any faint Of dis
!onor. IT, indeed, the whole truth were
Inovn, it might perhaps be traced to Il
Ort Of misguided chiyalry. such as that
which led 70 the second marriage OF his
lister. Lady Eleanor F1tz-Roy. The bestowal
I her hand upon Major Harbord. younger
roiher Of Lord Suffield, furnished strik-
ne demonstration OF the folly which
women are likely to perpetrate when they
How their compassion TO get the better
I their common sense from motives Of
rofound pity and impel them TO throw
themselves away upon men who have
hown that they are unworthy Of such
scridce
Il was nearly forty years ago, In the
arly part of 1919, J believe, that Major
Walter Hartford an officer Of the 7th Hus-
ars, wss caught in the act Of cheating L
ards at the Cercle de la Mcditerranee
Il Nice and elected by the servants, after
having been beaten By the men whom he
lad defrauded and the clothes almost torn
:om his back The scandal was Of the
most public character and furnished col
INNS OF sensational comment TO the Con-
mental newspapers.
Or course. he was forced to leave the
iImy and all his London and Paris clubs.
i was then that Lady Eleanor Fitzroy,
lnly daughter Of the Duke Of Grafton, was
moved by pure compassion to offer the out
asst her hand IN marriage y man. Will the
mallest atom of hon or or ChIvalry left IN
Vim would have declined 10 permit a Wom-
sl 70 make such q sacrifice for his sake,
b., Z his ScrUples were overcome. deep
'enSe Of gratitude would have caused him
% show the utmost tenderness and cOnsld-
ration for a wife who had done 50 much
or him. NIt with this Major Hartford
The bOvcOtting 20 which he was subjected
by society perverted his mind, and he re-
enged himself on the last person IN the
world h. should have raised his hand
against. For long time Lazy Eleanor
,ore his cruel and humiiating conduct, no.
wishing 70 revive an old scandal Al last
nis behavior became 50 outrageous that she
sued for and obtained divorce. aft"rWard
nlsrryiuc Major Herbert Richard Magniac.
She died In 1905.