A COMING CAUSE CELEBRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 January 1909, Page 7

A COMING CAUSE CELEBRE.

LORD NORTHLAND. CO-RESPONDENT.

.'A; lady, who was. formerly an actress in tho musical ' comedy, . "The Earl' ' and .-.the Girl,"; figures in, impending .counter actions, for divorce; 1 'which have aroused tho. greatest interest 'in Society ; circles, - both in London and in Edinburgh.. 7 : \ -

: The parties , chiefly (concerned ate Mr.;: John' Alexander ■: Stirling. ? 'ofPerthshire; ;:, ; lato ;liaaitenant' in the'.-3rd Scots ; and...his ! wife,:. Clara Elizabeth Taylor Stirling', staying afc the British Hotel, Jermyn Street, London. The 'suits were mentioned recently' at Edinburgh Court, of Session, when ; the -judge" was asked to..dccide. tion's should be heard. The.';; hearing .. will begin on January.;l9,,and,it.is . exT)ected that: the case will last' a'■.weet.-';,Counsel for Mr. .Stirling' incidentally:'mentioned, .ihiit 5 .his client had:placed;6n.the record that >n August 30 Mrs..Stirling unexpectedly.' called' on him and confessed -that;:she, ' had'ih'been' guilty of misconduot with Viscount Northland (eldest son of tho Earl of Ranfnrly, and who was formerly, a .lieutenant in tho Coldstream Guards).', She asked ,Mr. Stirling' to postpone, legal proceedings' pending certain A financial arrangementsj .in which Lord, Northland was interested, in connection: with : the Irish Land Purchase Act, as these arrangements would be stopped' if the action were brought at. once. Mr. Stirling would be-put in the ■ box - as the first witness,. and would. put i i.>e : , Court' in'the possession of .the faraily history,., ..which would ,1)6 the;groundwork-or 'the' two actions,and would be mad© to .apply to .both: , Mr.- MacMillan, for Mr.;. Stirhno;, carved out" a period .where he : specifically .-made averments which ' were diiforent. from Mr. Stirling's,' and.gave, a, different 'aspect, to:the same' facts; In a letter, on August 28 Mrs,. Stirling said sbo thought it best .-to . get the whole thing .over. She -asked- her. husband' to '. forgive ■!, her / for ; ■, ."wrecking '.every-. thing,.and that as soon as -things.swere.:;ar-. ranged she would' leave' England. >2t'.You can go ahead and divorce me, and there, will be no fighting the case." : Thatj -said ;■ counsel, was an intimation to Mr. Stirling that: he could take proceedings,' and; that they, would' not be defended. : His avorment;-uiwn: that was that tho lady.saw; him and: asked'him,to; postpone., proceedings',,'bccauso .L'ord Northland was heavily in debt. . ' : - From further, statements made.during the arguments it appeared that.Mr. Stirling has been carrying on business in- London as a stockbroker,' and- was probably,;making about £2000 a year. . He was the owner. of the esfcito of Kippendaire, Perthshire, .but,, like many other , ostatesj.; the,, income.;', just,: metthe outlay. 'Mrs. Stirling was living in' aflat in London, for which /she . : \vas' paying £5 a.week, ■■ and',ho submitted,lthat not. bound to supply her with such & residence. - , .

; Lord Guthrie: Five guineas a week would keep her comfortably nt any London hotel.. Mr. MaoMillan .said she . could livo comfortably for four- guineas a week, and bavo r guinea pocket money. . Lord Guthrie, said that, there was something on both sides which he did not understand. In those circumstances ho must take the case first that was brought first, namoly, Mrs. Stirling's action. His Lordship allowed Mrs. 'Stirling £75 and expenses in the action brought .b,v her,;and,.£2s in-her husband's counter-action, and aliment iat .the; rate of £500 per annum. -