The New York herald., 1921-04-12
PEGGY HOPKINS IS
BIGAMlST, HE SAYS
J. S. Joyce, Third Husband,
Wants S500,000 Back and
Freedom With 1t.
NOTABLES NAMED IN SUIT
Friends Say Lumberman Gave
S1,O00,000 to Wife, but Will
Charge Half to Tuition.

speciol Despatch 70 TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
CHICAGO. April i'll. Stanley Joyce,
third husband Of Peggy Hopkins, be-
gan his long deferred annulment suit
to-day in Superior Court, charging his
actress wife with bigamy. cruelty and
misconduct with dozen notables on
both sides OF the Atlantic.
In addition Mr.. Joyce intimates that
when she starred in 1T Pays to Flirt,"
his wife was playing something be-
sides a part, admitting that she had
acquired more than 100000 Of his
fortune since their marriage. Friends
Of Mr.. Joyce say this amount may be
doubled to a million without exaggeIa-
ton.
Mr.. Joyce. a Yale graduate and lum-
herman, married Miss Hopkins at Mi
ami In January. 1920.
At the same time, he charges, she
was still the legal wife OF Phiibrick Hop
kins, to whom she was married in Mary
land. September /. 1919. Mr.. Joyce
says his wife harriedly obtained d.
vorce when he came In sight. 20 possess
herself OF his greater fortune. and to
this end reached an agreement with
Hopkins by which he sued and she filed
a cross bill and won the suit. The de-
cree was granted January Il in Texas
She married Mr.. Joyce January 23.
His contention is that the marriage
was Illegal for the reason that insult
flcient time had elapsed between her
divorce and renarriage. according to
Texas law, and that the decision was
not flied until several days after she
became Mrs Joyce. during which time
she was still the w.fe OF Hopkins.
The Bill of complaint saye that after
the honeymoon in France Mr. Joyce re-
turned TO this country without his bride.
as she had an engagement IN Paris
theatre That was in August, 1920. Mr..
Joyce's bill mentions Barton French OF
New York and Henri Letellier. proprie-
tor OF lie Journal OF Paris, whose wife
was called the most beautiful woman In
Europe by Paul Helleu. the etcher. and
who has been the central figure in
dozen duelling events and affairs Of the
heart. Miss Hopkins IS charged with
accompanying NJ Leteliier on excur-
sioas over tho Continent, principally to
Venice and the Riviera.
The bill also mentions "one Maurice,
said 70 be q dancer, man known as
IL. James" and Evans Spauiding OF
New York.
AS for the money. Miss Hopkins is
said to have been as successful in other
directions as she was with her nus
band. so that all her transportation is
In private palace cars and Rolls-Royces
tra a
priceless pearls and other gems, her
prosperity enhanced by securities and
properties $4,000 OF which Mr.. Joyce
wants back. His friends say in de-
mandirR this settlement he is willing
to let the remaining half million go as
tuition.
The money and properties, he says.
she obtained from him as compensa-
ton for her obligations as a wife, which
displaced her theatrical ambitions to
some extent. But instead OF behaving
as a wife Mr.. Joyce charges that she
had fits or bad temper, when she was
guilty OF extreme and repeated cruelties
toward him. using strange and unheard
OF profanity aud striking. scratching
and otherwise maltrcating him.
Mr.. Joyce says he has not lived with
his wife since the summer Of 1920, when
he left her in Paris. And he wants his
money and freedom back.
Miss Hopkins was Ziegfeid Fol
lies" girl when no met her few months
before their marriage. and has been the
more recent star Of "A Sleepless Night"
and 1T Pays 10 Flirt." She has re-
peatedly denied rumors of estran1ement
between herself and her husband, and.
when they became definite last year,
intirnated divorce action was being
started b. her.