New Britain herald., 1930-06-21

Duchess had quarrelled and he had decided to leave her. And this is the statement, given by Williams to the police, which greeted the eyes of May fair next morning:
 I'm glad once more to be back with my wife. 1 had already decided to return to her Monday night before the Duchess and l had our dispute. When 1 got to Hythe and told my wife what had happened she made me as welcome as if I'd only been on 8 hollda! and said if l cared to stay with her slfe was quite willing, as she still cared for me as much as ever.
 She could see the condition I was in and she told me to be quiet for few days and pull myself together un- til l could get job. I'm a chef by trade and l used to be able to tackle anything, even heavy laborer's work. 7"
 Now, it might be supposed that the petty doings of Stanley Williams and his reconciliation with his wife had nothing to do with the strange case of the Duchess. But certain words in the mans statement seemed to stare out in gigantic type at the members of Lon- don's exclusive society. A CHEF BY TRADE" HEAVY LABORER'S s WORK"
 Here. then. was the name of a woman who, technically, held one of the proud est titles in Great Britain, linked with that of a chef by trade and man who could do heavy laborer's work. May fair was outraged.
 Sill it rushed to the stuftv police court at Lambeth when the Duchess was brought up for a hearing. That hearing, mysterious in itself, came to a7 abrupt end When the name May Fitzgerald" tthe family name of the DUchess's hushand) was called. May Echerdge walked into the dock and sat Stonily while the police evidence was given.
 Police Inspector Curzon told how he found her near death. After fifteen minutes she rerained consciousness. he said. and was taken to Lambeth Hos pital, where she was examined by q doctor, who certified that she was sui fering from
 Suffering from what? It was never publicly learned For at that moment in the testimony the Magistrate inter that"
 The Inspector, resuming his testi- mony, said he had searched the room and on the mancel found two post cards, written in pencil, one of which said
 Said wbato Again the Magistrate interrupted, declaring the cards could not be admitted as evidence.
 The Duchess was remanded in bail of S250 for a further hearing. But she did not have the S250. she said. and there was no hope of obtaining 1t. ' cry well, then, sad the magistrate, she must go to la.l.
 T. was then that society stepped in. 4 Duchess in iail for attempting to kill herself? That was not good. It was not a matter of the welfare of May EtheTdge but of the prestige of the Premier Duchess, and therefore of society itself.
 The bail was provided and the Duchess was released. Once more she went into retirement and obscuritv. And Mayfair after taking a 6een breath so 70 speak settled back. hapnv that a duty was done and that an un- fortunate episode among members of its ranas would be forgotten.
 But q few days ago t became ap- parent that the do.ngs ot the unhappy Duchess were not to be erased from public attention. For the Duke of Leinster himself announced he IS plan ming to bring a divorce action against lis wife.
 And as a climax to her troubles. when the trial of the duchess on charge of attempted suicide came into court, she was found guilty.