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Show IT IS YERY NASTY. COUNTESS RUSSELL TELLS OF HER HUSBAND'S CRUELTY. The Earl, However, Seems to Think It Ter j Funny and Can Rarely Kostrain His Laughter During the Kecital of His Brutal Conduct. Loxdox, Dee. 2. The trial in Countess Russell's ?uit for divorce is developing some very nasty testimony. Some outrageous allegations w ere made in regard to Earl Russell's relation with a man named Roberts. The countess was the first wituess. She was attired in an elegant blue velvet dress. She wore an expensive boa about her neck and a large hat, which 6et off her beauty to great advantage. She displayed much modesty, and was greatly embarrassed by some of the j questions. To most inquiries she responded in a meek and almost inaudible voice. In appearance the earl is a great contrast to his handsome and stylish young wife. He is a weak-eyed, youngish-looking man, has hair of ted tinge, and is what is known in slang parlance as "washed out." His ap-pearaucc ap-pearaucc was not improved by the spec tacles which he wears. During the recital of the incidents of their married life, Earl Russell, Mho was sitting in court, frequently buried his face in his hands to hide his laughter. His actions showed that he felt no compunction for his treatment of his wife. He seemed to think that the whole was a line subject for mirth. When the countess took the stand Sir Edward Clarke, her counsel, asked regarding the presence of the man Roberts in the house, and the earl's visits to the room occupied oc-cupied by him. The countess stated, in reply, that she had remonstrated with the earl because of these, visits. Being asked if the earl gave any reasons for going to Robert's Rob-ert's room, the countess made no reply, but the earl was more unkind to her when Roberts Rob-erts was in the house. Replying to other questions, the countess said that the carl had told her that he kept a loaded pistol eonven- I ient, and would shoot her if she annoyed him. When she left the earl she asked him to kiss her, and he refused with an oath. Describing De-scribing the quarrel that occurred between herself and the earl, the countess stated that the latter rushed about the room yelling yell-ing and striking the walls with his lists. Continuing her evidence, the countess testified that when she was unwell, the earl summoned her to his study, called her a "barren brute," and threw her to the floor. Upon conclusion of the direct examination the witness was cross-examined by !?ir Charles Russell. He opened by asking the countcs3 if she meant to make any imputation imputa-tion against her husband or Roberts. Witness replied: "Yes." This answer, given with a snap and vim, cr a ted a sensation. Witness added that she had never made a direct charge against either the earl or Roberts. Rob-erts. She admitted that she had written a letter to Harry Marriellier, who was the best man at her wedding, assuring him that she brought no charges against Roberts, adding that she was in the hands of clever men, and would bring no charges against the earl unless un-less fully a We to prove them. Witness admitted ad-mitted that she had a former engagement to marry before her betrothal to Russell, and it was broken oil owing to the condition of her health.- Sir Charles asked the witness whether she wau not attended by two doctors in 188 for a.ccrtain complaint. The countess replied that the doctors mentioned had give-T medicino from time to time. Witness Rtntr-d thsit tlie earl had shown her a letter he had written his solicitor about her extravagance. extrava-gance. She asked him not to send the letter and to let her take a copy of it. She hejd the letter in her hand while making these requests. re-quests. In reply the earl forced her to her knees on the floor and took the letter from her. He used so much strength that he forced the bangles on her arms into the flesh until the blood flowed. She showed her bleeding arms to her sister. She further said that, at the. final interview with her husband, she asked him for .". He threw her half a sovereign, saying: "That is-all you will get." After separation she wrote, offering to return if the earl would offer her an ample apology for his neglect and cruel treatment. If the earl had met her half way, the countess said, she would have returned to him. She made no mention men-tion of Roberts iu this letter, but the earl knew that she objected to having Roberts in the house. She thought it very strange that the earl always left her for Roberts. SV Chnrlfs Jtnsiull Do you not know that your representative stated that no imputation imputa-tion against Roberts was meant, but that the allegations regarding him were to show that your husband cultivated Roberts' society by neglecting you? Wrinfsx I have forgotton. Sir Charli Did not you break off the al-tempts al-tempts to arrange the troubles between yourself your-self and your husband really because of money affairs? TV'rtiicss I thought his dishonoring me iu the eyes of the world by dUhonoring mv checks showed that he was not regardful of me. Besides, I was told that if I were to go back to him I would be treated worse than before. Sir Charles Is it a fact that within a few months of your marriage you were found indebted to the extent of 1200? Witnrss No! Sir Charles here read items from a number num-ber of bills from various tradesmen. The countess admitted that her husband had remonstrated re-monstrated with her about getting into debt-She debt-She never ran in debt after marriage. She could not remember that her first quarrel arse from her debts. AVhen pressed to remember the circumstances circum-stances of the first quarrel, the couutess burst into tears. "I'm sorry I'm unable to remember, but I'm not well." In answer to questions regarding her health, prior to marriage, the wituess said that it was always good, except that she suffered from a specific, female complaint, which was given as a reason for breaking an earlier engagement. She denied that the complaint in her case was associated with hysteria. She never had been hysterical or given to exaggeration. Witness declared that she had no remembrance of her mother coming into her room and Imploring her to make friends with her husband. She was not hysterical on that occasion, nor after leaving the room did she lose her self-control and begin to tear off her dress. She never got in that state. AVhen Sir Charles began in probe into the relations between the earl and Roberts, the interest became intense. Witness, however, made her replies in such a low tone that only those close to her could catch thrm. She said that the earl and Roberts had been friends in college. After the earl undressed to go to bed, he told her he was going to see Roberts. Sir Chnrlr Then, do you make the charge against Roberts in a way? IVitnt-xs I cannot make the charge; still I know my mind on the subject. Sir Charks Did you intend to make a charge? W'UiiitiS Yes. Continuing, the countess s.aid that after the separation she heard things from members mem-bers of the family pointing to improprieties. Sir Chnrlfs What matters? Witness replied that it was much against her wish to mentiou them, but she heard them from the Dowager Countess Russell, Lady Agatha Russell and Honorable Rollo RussellT She also received a letter from Lord Carlisle. The letter from Carlisle was read. It contained con-tained no allusion to uuy misconduct. Witness Wit-ness admitted that there was nothing in the letter to justify the charge of misconduct a&rainst the earl. Recurring to the alleged cruelty of her husband the countess said that the earl often shoved her away when she attempted to kiss him, and had struck her when she had tried to make up quarrels with him. She said she was certain she never boxed his j cars. |