Evening star., 1944-11-10
Doris Duke Accuses
Cromwell Of Seeking
7MiIIion for Himself
~ the Associated Press. .

b u
RENO, New, Nov. l0--Heiress
Doris Duke, seeking to validate hel
December divorce from James H. r
Cromwell, testified by deposition to-
day she was prepared at the time
of their separation in 1910 to set ur
trust fund for her husband, former
Minister to Canada.
But" she added, "his demands
were so exorbitant that I refused tc
meet them. and will not be fright
ened into meeting them"
The statement was read into d.
vorce court records as the tobacco
heiress attempted to attest her
bona fide residence and to force Mr.
Cromwell's New Jersey Chancery
Court counter proceedings into the
Reno action.
Her deposition, taken in New York
City August % before she left for
Alexandria, Egypt, to work for 81
a year with the United Seamens
Service, was corroborated by w. r.
Perkins, counsel of the Duke to-
bacco interests.
For Cr0mwelfS Benefit.
Mrs. Cromwell testified she dis
cussed with Mr.. Cromwell $7,0OO,-
600 settlement plan, but there was
never any mention made to me of
philanthropies or public works"
The plan was entirely for Mr..
Cromwell's personal benefit to give
him $4,000 year or more II pos
sible." she said.
This entire portion of his testi-
mony, including all the malicious
insinuations is utterly false"
Il cannot say I am surprised that
Mr. Cromwell would thus falsely
testify" she added, "as he had prior
to and at the time of my separation
repeatedly made false charges that
I was unfaithful to him, and
had threatened that If I did not
accede to his wishes in regard to
settlements he would make these
false charges public, and by this
testimony was only carrying out
that threat"
Denies Monroe Caused Separation.
She denied that John Monroe,
who allegedly accompanied her on
= West Coast trip, was responsible
for their separation
''It was Mr.. Cromwell's conduct
and that alone that caused the sep
aration."
She said she attempted to keep
their separation quiet in the in
terests of Mr.. Cromwell's political
campaign.
Mr.. Cromwell, appointed Minister
to Canada January, 1910, resigned
the following May % to campaign
for the Senate.
The 3l-year-old heiress denied a
statement made by Mr.. Cromwell
before the New Jersey court that
they had discussed divorce Septem-
ber 19 and November s, 1910, the
year he was an unsuccessful Demo-
cratic candidate for Senator from
New Jersey.
IT have had no talks whatsoever
with Mr.. Cromwell since July S,
1910. No such conversation as Mr..
Cromwell testified to ever took
place." her deposition said
Purpose Of Cables.
She explained she attempted to
give evidence of their marital hap
piness during his campaign by at
tending his birthday party, postpon-
ing her resignation from the Jersey
State Board of Control of Institu-
tions and Agencies, and sending Ca
bles from Honolulu.
The cables from her and her sec
retary were "for him to show Mayor
Frank Hague and other people, de-
signed to make them believe there
was no separation"
She testified that she denied a re-
quest by her husband for a 100000
campaign contribution and use of
her extensive ranch, Duke Farms.
N. j., as his headquarters.
Her deposition added: II con-
tributed generously to any sound
and worthy charitable cause sug-
gested by Mr.. Cromwell. So far as /
know Mr.. Cromwell had no means
of his own which he could or did
use for our common good"
Evidence on Residence.
Evidence was presented in court
here yesterday to show the 49-year-
old former minister to Canada was
staying at the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel in New York at the time he
claimed New Jersey residence when
filing his own petition for divorce.
Newark and New York hotelmen
testified in dispositions that he was
staying in New York and had given
his home address as 2300 Foxhall
road, Washington, the home of his
mother. Officials of New Jersey
also related in dispositions that Mr..
Cromwell had never paid State
taxes or Federal income taxes there.
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