New-York tribune., 1921-03-03
Steichen Says
Jealousy Was
Cause of Woes
Painter Asserts Wife Even
Taxed Him With Loving
His Mother More Than
Her, Which He Admitted
Defends Miss Beckett
Testifies That Defendant i'm
100000 Suit Posed for
Him, but Never Alone

Unjustifinblc jealousy, according to
Edouard j. Steichen. noted American
painter and colonel in the A. +. f., was
the cause of most of the troubles in
his marital life with Mrs. Clara S.
otelchen, who is suing Miss Marian II.
beckett, an artist and daughter of a
former Surrogate. for 100000 dam
ages for alienation of affections.
Mr.. Stelchen testified yesterday as
witness for Miss Beckett He said
every time he mentioned a woman or
talked to one his wife seemed to resent
1T and acted as though she feared her
husband thought more of all women in
general than he did of her The wit
ness testified that Mrs. Steichen had
even taxed him with loving his mother
more than he loved his wife, which he
admitted was the case.
II answered that ! did love my
mother said the artist. CAS- far as
knew, ! loved my mother moro than
any other women. | had never found
any one to replace her"
Miss lsadora Duncan, the classic
dancer, who knew the Stcichens in
France, where most Of the scenes in the
dom estic drama we're enacted, again
was mentioned in the testimony yestcr-
day. MIR. and Mrs. Steichen and the
artists mother went to see Miss Dun
can dance in Paris. The senior Mrs.
Steichen spoke in laudatory manner
OF the dancer, while the wife of Mr..
Steichen had only words of reproach
for her.
Praised the Dancer
~ told her that Miss Duncan was a
splendid woman Mr.. Steichen testi-
ned; "a fine woman, a fine mother and
potential figure in the art world"
TO this, said the witness. his wife
replied: "Evcrybody's fine except my
self Everybody's children are fine cx-
cept mine"
Further on in his recital Of his family
woes Mr.. Steichen said:
1T was an eternal repetition OF that
song she has told here. There was
never any charge OF immortality.
though my wife was jealous Of every
BODY who was good looking, wealthy or
talented
Because of her attitude toward him,
said the artist, he was afraid to 20
home to Noulanges for week ends from
ms studio In Paris. There we're fire.
quent quarrcls, and he remembered
standing at the gate of his home, won
derlng, NV hat is it going to be this
time? One wcel. it was Miss Dun
can, Are you in love with her or not o
and the other Miss Beckett"
One evening after dinner" Mr.
Stelchen continued, II gave Miss Beck
cit magazine on architecture and
horticulture, subjects in which she was
deeply interested. There was a picture
OF OF blue poppy on one of the pages.
1t vas so beautiful that Miss Beckett
exclaimed, "'Oh.'' Then Mrs. Stcichcn
raised her voice in protest:
m sick OF it. You pinched Mar
ian,' she said
Did Not Pose Alone
Mr Steichcn said Miss Beckctt hal
posed FOR him in 1913. but had not
posed alone.
How much did you see of Miss
becHett. alone? % the witness was asked.
mere was no such thing as our
meeting alone he replied
lhc artist told Of an occasion when
hls wife came into his photoyranhir
dark room, where he was developjn~
some plates. In the exchange of words
that followed Mrs. Stcichcn became so
excited that She drank the contents Of
q vlai standing near by. In his own
e%cilcment Mr' Stcichen drank of an
other vial. No harm was done. as thn
contents were only some harm less "
crystals. Another time Mr.. Stcjchcn
IN moment Of desperation. iumpcd
INTO a cistern, and his wife jumped in
after him.
Mrs. Charles H. Beckett. mother Of
the defendant, testified of the friend
snip existing between herself, Miss
Beckett and the Stechens. "I'm Ger
tam she said, that there was nothing
improper about the attitude of either
my daughter or the colonel during the
long course of our acquaintaince.
Mrs Charlotte Paddock, sister Of
Mrs. Steichen. said the late Surrogate
Beckett father of the defendant, had
asked Mr.. Steichcn to 60 back to his
wife after they had separated, and the
husband replied: "But | won't. She's
damned old fool
The case will 90 to the jury to-day.