SOCIETY’S DOINGS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 March 1925, Page 5

SOCIETY’S DOINGS

RF.YET.ATIOXS IN COURT. THE DENNISTOUN CASE. PLAINTIFF’S ORDE A L. BY CAELE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT, Received Alarch 7, TO p.in. LONDON. March 6. Airs. Dennistoun, during a course of cross-examiiuatiou, stated that she inherited £IO,OOO from ner grandfather. She admitted that she accompanied Colonel Lillies and a- Lady on a motor tour of Spain for the purpose of collecting antiques for disposal in Lo-ndon, where she started business. She- explained that Colonel Innies and Major Paget sold horses to Lord Carnarvon, which were unsatisfactory. One was lame and the other bucked off the groom. Lord Carnarvon returned the horses, depriving witness of the eonumission. She stated that General Cowans, when, lie was dying, asked to see her.. She denied telling Lady Carnarvon that General Cowans was with her frequently at the AVar Office and dined with her in a private- room at Cafe Royal. She was Gneenal Cowans’ ’mistress 'tor four years. The liasou was well known in society. General Cowans was thirty years- older. “I think the sacrifice was on my si tie,” she said. —-Sydney Sun. LONDON, March 5. The case in which Airs Dorothy Dennistoim is claiming £IOB9 from her former husband, Lieut.-Colonel lan Onslow. the sum allegedly representing loans and moneys borrowed on his Dehalf for the settlement- of debts, was continued to-daV. Airs Dennistoun was subjected to a raking cross-examination as to her relations with men other than the late Sir John Cowans, who acted as Quar-termaster-General during the war. She denied telling a maid that she had a good time at Budapest with Prince Bela Odescaichi or that she made ia selection from her husband’s letters in order to put the screw on him. Sir E. Marshall Hall: “If your ‘claim is invented in the hope that- Lady Carnarvon will pay anything in order to stop the case, do you still say your claim is not disgraceful?”

Witness: “.But the claim is not invented.”

Witness denied telling her husband that she committed misconduct with a young officer who was killed in action in France. She admitted that she had become engaged in 1921. to a Spaniard named Bolin, who was connected with the League of Nations at Geneva. Her divorce at that time was almost through. Lady Carnarvon, who was a ctose friend, tried to dissuade her from marrying Bolin, who was five years ydunger. She had not lived with Bolin prio-r to 1921. There was no impropriety when Bolin stayed with her. A bungalow at Bexhili was provided for her by Sir John Cowans, who was then . absent. She did not stay with Bolin at Geneva as Airs Bolin. Her relations with Bolin began at a- Swiss mountain chalet in April, 1921. A long series of most indelicate inquiries followed, the witness denying a statement that she and her husband never consumated their marriage, or that they were detached while she was associating, with Sir John Cowans. Other questions related to her association with Bolin before her divorce; also her consequent condition. She denied that she told her husband that she- contemplated an operation. Her relations with Bolin caused no rupture with Sir John Cowans, Counsel: “Sir John Cowans bought you. The price was your husband’s preferment.”Witness: “I am afraid that this is rather true.” She added that she did not lay herself out to captivate Sir John Cowans. Her husband knew the position. She did not tell, him that she had committed herself .with Sir John Cowans, and that that was the only way to hold him. It was untrue that she deliberately became Sir John Cowans’ mistress and that her husbahd could not control her. She had no relations with Bolin before Sir John Cowans’ death. She- met Bolin in Barcelona on a business visit. When in Barcelona she received a telegram from the general saying that he was coming to see her. She wired back, “Do not come,” because she was expecting her brother-in-law. She told her husband that she wanted to marry the Spaniard because their life, was Ymliapoy and was better ended. Her husband agreed. 'Witness, who was fourteen hours in the box, displayed fatigue in the afternoon and sank into a chair. The crossexamination was then adjourned. ' The voung officer mentioned above was named Senhouse. He went to Australia before the Dennistouns left for Jamaica. Senhouse returned and joined the Coldstreams in France and was killed a week later. Plaintiff denied saying that she would elope with Senhouse to Australia if he had not been killed. She could not explain why he was devoted to her. COWANS AND' DENNISTOUN. The late Lieut.-General Sir John Cowans had a distinguished career in the British Army, which he joined in 1881. He was in India for five years, 1906-10. and for three years commanded the Presidency Brigade, Calcutta. 'On returning to England lie became successively Director-General of the Territorial Forces, Quartermaster-General of the Forces, and a member of the Army Council. Lieut.-Colonel lan Dennistoun, who is 45 years of age, served in the South African War, and reached his present rank in 1916. In 1910-14 he was private secretary to the Governor of Jamaica. His wife, the palintjff in this case, was Aliss Dorothy Webster. He secured a divorce in 1921. and two years later married the l Countess of Carnarvon whose husband died suddenly in Egypt after the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tom h.