South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-07-04
LONDON DIVORCE
INVOLVES FIERY
INDIAN PRINCESS
Lionel Mander Tells Lord
Mersey Some Wild Stories
About His Squag.


LONDON. July 3.-An Indian
princess. the daughter OF the late
Maharajah OF Cooch- Behar, Is the re-
spondent IN divorce action now
being heard by Lord Mersey here
Evidence was given by the husband
or an incident he witnessed IN the
early morning through an open win
dow OF a fat in Knightsbridge. and
the Judge. who remarked that there
was a charge OF misconduct com
mltted in circumstances which ap-
pear 90 be almost incredible" has
adjourned the case for further evil
dence.
The petition, which was undefend-
ed. was brought by Mr.. Lionel Henry
Mander. OF Devonshire mansions.
Great Portland ST., against his wife.
Prativa Sundari. an Indian princess,
on the ground OF her supposed mis-
conduct with Reginald de Beer.
Unhappy Marriage.
II was married on February p.
1912, at the Register Office. Cal
cutta." said Mr. Mander. I'VE lived
afterwards at Buckingham gate and
other places. There are no children.
The marriage was not happy. be
cause tempermentally we were en-
tirely unsuited. and my wife is a per
son OF violent temper.
Il Joined the army In 1914. Ny
wife returned 10 Indian in 1915 and
came back to Englnad in 1919, but 1
did not live with her because heard
reports OF her behavior in India. She
has Independent means.
Il do not know de Beer except by
aght. believe ne is employed as
clerk at the Inland revenue office,
Cromwell I'd.
I was in a hotel in Curzon st. one
day Ny wife was living opposite in
Bolten st. and saw de Beer and her
leaning out of a window.
Il heard from a friend Of M wifes
conduct and I went last August TO
fat on the ground floor In yelling
ton CT. Knightsbridge. 1 rang the
bell but was not admitted I went
TO the back and climbed up some
ratings"
Everyone Talking.
The judge asked Mr.. Mander who
told him that his wife had been liv-
ing an irregular life.
'It was a friend Of mine named
Smallwood, who is a merchant in
Calcutta" said Mr.. Mander He told
me that che had not been behaving
herself out there and that everyone
was talking about her"
The judge: 1T must have been a
matter of great public interest If
everyone was talking about 1t. She
was a well-knOwn lady in India and
people knew OF and about her.
Was she a society lady? 1 do not
know"
Mr.. Mander. continuing the story
of his visit 10 the fat, said the light
went out in the room when he was
at the front OF the house, and when
ne went TO the back there was a light
in one Of the rooms.
The blind was drawn and the
window was OPEN" he said. II
climbed the ratings and saw my wife
and Beer. / went TO the road and
saw police constable whom 1
brought back 10 the fat with me-
asked him 10 look In at the window,
and called out my wife's name.
Pretty. what are you doing?' or
What Is the meaning OF thts?'"
The judge: Does she speak Eng
lish ?"
Yes. perfectly. She % an Indian
princess.
"An Indian princesses do not speak
English"
But she was educated in England.
She is the daughter OF the late Maha-
rajah OF Cooch- Behar."
The man came to the window and
think ne said: Il say, this is a bit
thick or something OF the kind"
Mr.. Mander added that he then
took taXicab and drove home.
Police Constable Gardiner said that
on August @. 1920. ne accompanied
Mr.. Mander 70 the fiat and saw a
woman and a man in the room.
II heard Mr.. Mander call 'Patsey.
or some name IKE that. The woman
made no answer, but the man got up
and said: I say old man. this is a
bit COOL or something OF the sort"
Sunrise
The Judge asked when the sun rose
that morning. and the assistant reg
lister replied that it rose at 400.
Il cannot understand" said Lord
Mersey. "this lady and gentleman ex-