A DUCHESS ROMANCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 10

A DUCHESS ROMANCE.

MARY OF SUTHERLAND DEAD.

FIGHT FOR A FORTUNE AND TERM IN PRISON. Tho (loath, of Mary Duchess of Sutherland, widow of tho third duke, and wife of Sir Albort Rollit, is aimounced (says the London "Daily News" of liny 28). Bora in 1818, she was the daughter of tho late Row Dr. Richard Michell, Fellow of Hertford Collcgo and Public Orator and Professor of Logic at Oxford. Her career, ns told by last night's "Star," was of a romantic character. In 1872 she married her cousin, Arthur Kiiiderslcy Blair, of the 71st Highland Light Infantry, who was the factor or agent to the third Dnke of Sutherland at IJimrobin. Captain Blair's tragic death from a shot from his own gun caused a great sensation at tho tinio, as it was much disputed whether it was accidental or intentional. At this time an affection had, been formed between the duko and Mrs. Blair, which led to hiis completo estrangement from his first wife, tho famous Duchess (Countess of Cromartie in her own right), who was the intimate friond of Queen Victoria. Her Majesty naturally sympathised with the Duchess of, Sutherland, the Duke was entirely excluded from Court, and when bis vacht appeared in the Solent it was by Royal ordor entirely ignored, Tho Duke resided at Trentham, his palace oil the verge of the Potteries, and the Duchess was unable to live there owing to tho presence of Mrs. Blair. For the sake of her children the Duchess took no divorce proceedings, although her husband went off on yachting expeditions to all parts\>f the world, always accompanied by Mrs. Blair.

An American Marriage. On returning to England from ono\pf his> yachting tours the Duke of Sutherland was seized with an illness which appeared fatal, and tho Duchess, forgiving the past, went to his bedside. However, ho recovered, and went away on a fresh cruiso with Mrs. Blair. On November 25, 1888, the first Duchess died, and the Duke, who, was (hen in New York with Mrs. Blair, went to Dunedin, Florida, a beautiful spot amid the orange groves, where he owned a house and 10 acres of land called Sutherland Manor. In tho village church of Dunedin on March 4, 1889, the Duke was married to Mrs. Blair by Bishop Weed and Archdeacon Noyle, of the Amerioan Episcopal Church. Mr. E. F. Knight, tho wellknown yachtsman, traveller, special correspondent, and novelist, gave tho bride away. Tho wedding breakfast took place at the small hotel kept by County Commissioner Jones, and Bishop- Weed proposed "the health of tho new Duchess of Sutherland." Ho said that she had come among them as a stranger, but had made herseif beloved by her charity.and goodwill. • Later in the year they were in the Highlands, the Duchess examining Echool children and writing to the , master to express her satisfaction, and the Duke presiding at ,tho half-year rent audit dinner.

Litigation Over Death-bed Will. At the time of his marriage to Mrs. Blair tho Duke was 61 years of nge, his t-ldeSt son, the present Duke, being then .83., After his Teturn home, tho Duke disentailed as much of his Scottish estates as he could. In August, 1892, he made a will, with a codicil, signed on tho very day of his death in September, 1892. He .left hia widow a legacy of .£IOO,OOO, payable within a year of his death, with a further ,£50,000 by the codicil. He also left her a jointure of ,£SOOO over the English estates and an annuity of jGiflOO over the Scottish estates. Hβ gave her a leas© of Tittensor Chase, Staffordshire, for life, tho use of the family diamonds for life, a life interest in all his collieries, an nbeolute bequest of tho Sideway Estate near and a. legacy of £12,000 to Miss Irene Blair, Iho Duahess'e only chrid by her first husband. Under this will tho whole of the furniture at Stafford House, Trentham, aiid ■ Dunrobin, with the plate,- china, pictures, and a number of objects of art would have cd to the Dowawer Duchess. Naturally, '.this; willi frras opposed by • th* Duko's eldest eon"and : tho whole of''the Sutherland family. At tho "funeral the new Duke and tho Dowager Duchess ignored each other, and immediately it was over the former left Trentham and resided at Market Dray ton. When the Dowager Duchese sent Tepre.sentatives to tako possession of Tittensor House, tho Duke refused to admit them. Litigation was started to contest tho will on tho ground that tho late Duke was a Scotsman, and could not deal with his personal property under Scottish law: It was. also alleged that the Dowager Duchess had been guilty of undue influence.

Luxury in Holloway Pris6n. t ln A *& ??T 9 °L tM Htisation. the Mβ Lord Sst. Hilher (then Sir Francis Jeune) made tui order in the Probate Court which directed that certain tables and boxes containing papers should be removl Ff° m Stafford Honso and transferred to .the offices of the solicitor of the administrator, to be there opened in the presence of tho duchess and of the solicitors to the parties in the probate suit. ?""«*.&? renloTft l of tho papers a bundle of them from one of the tables was produced.. The dowager duchess took possession of the bundle, and, taking one,of the papers in her hand, crossed the room and placed the document in tho firo, causing it to be destroyed.. She apologised, and was. ordered to pay a fino of .£250 and'to 1)0 imprisqned in Hollowny for six weeks for contempt of Court. The tipstaff called on the dowager duoliCS3 at her home—tho Willows, near Windsor—a few days later, and formally tookher into custody. Accompanied by her doctor and her maid and a nilo of luggage, she drove to Holloway Gaol. There she had a "ce11,"..a roomy apartment 25ft. long by 15ft., which had been upholstered, by Messrs. Maple. The chairs were in blue plush, and tho "cell" had tapestry hangings, carpeted floor, a brass bedstead, bright fonder and fire-irons. She was nblo to receive visits from her friends, her food came in from outside, and she was;alloiyed her own plate and wines. Tho litigation over, the duke's will ended (in 1891) jn a settlement, the "dowager duchess receiving. ,£500,000 down, and an annuity' of .£SOOO. .Two years later sho married_ Sir Albert Rollit, then member of Parliament for. South Islington. In 1901' Sir Albert and the duchess decided to live apart, but without any formal feparation; Their married life wan marked Tjv tho sensational robbery of the. jewels of thp duchess at a Paris Tailway station in '• 1898. They wero valued at .£20,000, and after several weeks they were recovered from tho thieves in a iiouse in Fulham I?oad.