DIVORCE IN HIGH LIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 40, 12 March 1909, Page 4

DIVORCE IN HIGH LIFE.

Jl'lXjiJi'S SUATII iNU KLAlAJilvy. "SIiUUSU, JJDLIi LIVKS." {By Cable,—JPwsa Association.—Copy right.) London, Alareh 10. in the Court session* at divorce wins granted to James Alex. Stirling, but was refused to his wife in her cross action against tlie husband. Lord Cutlirey, in delivering judgment, alluded to tlie sclUsli, idle lives, especially those led by Airs. Stirling and Miy. Atherton, upon both of whom he was very severe.

Lord Northland, tl\»' eldest son of the late Governor of New Zealand, the Karl of Hau'fuily, figures in the above cawe. The case opened in Edinburgh on lUth January, when Airs. Ulara Stirling's petition for a divorce from John A. Stirling, Lard of Kippendavie, Perthshire, was heard. Airs. Stirling accused her husband of misconduct with Airs. Alabel Atherton, a Jady well known in Loudon society. Tliero is a cross petition by Air. Stirling against his wife, alleging misconduct with Lord Northi land.

The friendship of Lord Northland for Mrs. Stirling was referred to in the cross-examination, of Airs. Stirling on 20th January, lie was present in court, and was represented by counsel. AJr>. S'lirliiig, who is a jn-tite and pretly woman, with a very pale complexion, was accompanied by her mother, All's. Taylor. She was dressed in black, i audi won- a black picture hat with silver trimmings, and a brown inr mull'. She gave her evidence with remarkable selfpossi'ssion. but when replying to some of the ipu'stioiis in cross-examination she tipoko in vibrant, indignant tones. Airs. Athi-rton, a strikingly handsome •woman, occupied a seat at the solicitorstable. She was attired in a elose-litting dark-brown velvet costume, and wore a j black fur toque with a large osprey aigrette. Lord Ranfurly sat beside hie son on one side of th& court, and Air. Stirling sat with his solicitor on the opposite side.

'(Jrois-examiiK'il by Mr. Clyde, K.C., Mrs. .Stirling said when she was married she was on the stage at the Adelphi Theatre in "The Earl and the tJirl.'' She had not a speaking part, but she was nut in tlu- i linrus—"she was lietwixt amL between.'' She \vu- living in a llat when lirst introduced to her husband hy a lady ami gentleman in April, 100-1, when she was just twenty years of age. Her father, who was in America, was a Government official. She denied pointblank 'that she was living under anyone's "proleelio-i'' at the time. Her

salary in "The Earl and the Girl" was air least ,U4 10s and then <CS a week. Witness denied that her extravagance had caused constant quarrels with her 'husband. Counsel read a list of bills amounting to £I!H3 which her husband paid in 1007-8. AVitness said Mrs. Atlierton was '"a very beautiful woman," and witness went shopping and spent much time with her. Mr. Clyde suggested that another friend besides Mrs. A'therton appeared in the Stirling circle about May, 15)01. Witness said, she met Lord Northland at supper with her husband, about a month before she was married. She next met Lord Northland in 1907, when he was brought ito a theatre- party by someone, aiad the next occasion was in May. 15)08, when he dined' with them at Ches-ham-s'treet at her husband's invitation. Lord Northland had some interest in insurance matters in the city, awl her husband was concerned. Witness admitted that she saw a great deal of bird Northland after that, and lhai Lord Northland was the fourth member of a party which went to Paris, the other three being Mr. Stirling and herself and Mrs. Athertou. The "barrier'' between willies and her husband she had mentioned had nothing to do with her feeling tor Lord Northland "at that time." Wa* it later?— Yes. When? Just before I weni to America.

Asked to explain this, witness said that early in July her husband and she had a quarrel over Lord Northland. She aidiuitted she told her husband she. w.\s in love with Lord Northland. "I don't say I was not fond of him before, but I did not realise I was really fond of him till then." When they arrived at the Hotel Westminster, in Paris, witness and Mrs. Atlierton found that a suite of room's had been taken on the top floor. Ijord Northland l arrived next day, and Mr*. Stirling on the day after thai. AVitness picked out the biggest room and. said, "You mustn't think it piggish, but that will do for Jack and I." She denied absolutely that she ever suggested to Mrs. Atlierton that there was not room for her husband in that .suite, and that he must have a room elsewhere in the hotel. She admitted that she and Lor-d Northland wcut out from the hotel and did not wait for her husband's arrival, but it was at "Mrs, Albert oil's instigation."

Do you mean that you were clay in her hands?—l was very much so. .My husbaml came on with Mrs. Atheriton and joined me and Lord Northland at a restaurant about two o'clock in the morning. On Sunday, 14th June, they went to Longchamps for the Grand Prix. On 16th June her husband asked if she was in love with Lord Northland. She did not ask him what had le.d him to put tlie question, because she knmv Mrs. Afcherton had been evidently talking to her husband. She said "Certainly not, ,; but that if hp lei't her alone with Lord Northland all the time she probably would be. "It is," said witness, emphatically. "an absolute lie." Mr. Clyde produee'd and handed to Mrs. Stirling a letter written by her hi; tended 'for Lord Northland. It was given. the counsel said, by Mrs. Stirling to a person for delivery to Lord Northland. hut the instructions were subse<|iteiil!y cancelled and instructions given to destroy the letter. The person liad found it in an old dress since fche came to Edinburgh to give evidence. Mrs. Stirling acknowledged that it was i'i her handwriting. Its contents, she said, were tine, but whether or not counsel interpreted the terms rightly she did not know. (Laughter.) Mr. Clyde then read the letter as follows:—

"I have just talked to Jack, and he isn't cross; only, what's more distressing. saj. 1 feel such a dreadful rotter, for he asked me straight out if I was in lovct with you. and t simplv couldn't tell him that I wasn't, lie asked me what f wanted to do; and 1 am so miserable with Hit whole thing that i fed the sooner t Jwive this world the better oil' all of you will be.

' '"Jack say>, what possibly may (>»• true, that you would most likely leave me on, the mat. 1 wonder if you' would. 'I hero is no danger of him following me, 'for he is past that stage, and now only 'feels that soniethi'ng must be arranged. He has made mo feel so uuudi "worse 'than I ever imagined 1 could. " 1 here is ne use of' you saying (lint if J don't <ee you for some i'tuie thai 'he will be all right, for he simply knows, 'and nothing dse matters. Jie has offered to go away at once and leave me alone down here. All this is said and '(tone in the nicest way possible, and I'm sure he will never be haslv or watch 'me.

"! >aid in liim ihal | M > lnu^tn't blame >'«"> lor it's my twill. ami only mine. Jly «lcar ;m> \<m really "fmul of 'me, awl <lo von 1 hink it worth your 'while to go oi|.v ( [ j ulVu always put ilio "worst aspect on I lie w.hole ihing. Do *\'cmi think it worth it? 1 cairt play the Totter always. | van't write all I fet-l, •so will arra'age Lit have. a talk. ! .somehow feel it won't be fair oil you, ami ] 'am not worth spoiling your life fur. ".Have a good think, and always rc'member that whatever you do I will always love vou.

"(Signed) CLARK." \\ I'-iUtm in |)i )u-il. eounsel said, «a« the following jiddition:— "I don't know what'* up, but I opened your wire to .htek. 4Hml< you are having another interview in the morning. You are not to piomise him not to see me aga.iii. \ on ca.ii promise him not to follow me when I am away, but evidently I can't go, as there is no room in any of the Iniats to America. I will ring you' up between- \'> and 1.30 at Tall Hail to-*morro-\v. ] must see. you, as this wispense is too dreadful. Jf you are tiled of the. wliole tiling, yon. and you only, eau .end this tiling. Ueing powerless an<| knowing what is to happen is awful. "(Signed) CLAUK." r i\Jr. Clyde handed a, further letter to 'Airs. StyiYlhig, written by lier to lier husband, which contained the following: '•1 van- only ,;u>k you to forgive me for writ-king (jvi'rythin». Vou will soon find something wllo will make vou happv. As soon as- things are; arranged I will leave England. You can go ahead and divoroe mo, and there will be no fighting ill the (vise. "Nun Jiad better do that, a? bein<r t:ed together and vet apart is silly." 'lhis eh»-ed (he erosv+ examinatio;!. Mr. Stirling in the witness-box denied hia "wife's allegations legarding !Mrs.

Atherton, and enlarged upon the intimacy between bi's wife and Lord XovtWaml. At Henley ri»gatln, he s;iid, Airs. 'Stirling and Lord Northland invariably bad a punt to tlieniselvcis, and Airs. Atlicrloji accompanied any others

of the party. Airs. Stirling and Lord Northland used, to go diown to the boat* lirsl and get their punt ami go oil'. Near the end of Henley Week he again apoke to hi* wife about Lord Northland. Jle also said he was surprme.dat Lord North-

laud'rt conduct after the latter had gi'ven him his word in Talis that jle would keep away from Mrs. Stirling, lie told hi=> wife it would lead to trouble, and that she bad better stop. Airs. Stirling was very angry at him far insinuating or suggesting that she was doing anything stupid. She did not hint at retaliation, and he did not think Mrs. Atherton's name wa* mentioned, lie wanted to separate his wife and Lord Northland, and he thought possibly two month*' absence of his wile in America would, be tlie best plan. That was why Mr* Stirling went to America. He had a conversation with Lord Northland on the same subject. Wit-new wrote a letter to Lord Northland in which ho refunded the latter of tliat conversation, ji'he letter was dated (.'heshnm-Mroet, iothJuly, andstated: "T have forbidde i tny wiiti under any circumstances to see jyou. Remembering our conversation' in (Paris, 1 believe. 1 can rely on ynu to javoid conunuuicaliion with her in any May." At tliat time he neither noticed nor 'suspected anything wrong about Airs. Stirling's apparent preference for Lord Northland. He said it wasciot true that he had paid marked attention to Airs. Atherton. He only performed the ordinary acts of courtly to her. As to the nicknames. Air. Stirling said, "Nancy dear" was> a fabrication of the servant! He called his wife "Kiddy." His brother Douglas was called "Kitten," and Lord Northland "Fatty." (Laughter.)