Imprisonment of a Peeress.

Manawatu Herald, 22 April 1893, Page 2

Imprisonment of a Peeress.

♦_ In the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, on April 18th, the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland appeared to answer the charge of having seized papers from Stafford House, St. James' Square, from theadministrator of the estate of her late husband, and burned them. She explained that she had destroyed a letter from the late Duke written before their marriage. The Judge, Sir Francis H. Jeune, refused to accept an apology from the Duchess for her conduct, and inflicted a fine of £250, also ordering that she should be imprisoned for six weeks, for contempt of Court. The Duchess of Sutherland uwore feho tettw w&9 f Hnett hf lite lute

Duke to herself, in 18 ; 86.. Jt .related partly to -ati unpleasant oßciirreiice between the steward of a yacht and a maid, and, being specially private, she thought she was at liberty to destroy it. She believed its presence among the Duke's papers was accidental; anct that ik,was not infeiufled iti tlie ortler made by the Court, There was nothing in the letter in reference to herself that she objeeted to publish. Justice Jeune said the aefc was without parallel; and looked as though it ., had . been deliberately planned. The Duchess hacl acted with violeiice aHd deceit, having apparently concealed the letter in her hand until she had a chance to burh it. He wa§ unable to accept Her stjat.etiiehfc that she was not aware of the real effect of the order of the Court. The sentence upset the Duchess, who was allowed to go home upon giving an undertaking to surrender herself at Holioway Gaol, Where, as* a first- class misdemeant; she will be allowed to furnish her own cell; Her solifcitprs lipjie to obtain ri, partial remission of her sentence. It is rumoured that a. writ of habeas corpus will be moved for on the ground that a peeress cannot be arrested in civil cases.— Press Association.