LORD DURHAM'S WIFE OUT OF A MADHOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

LORD DURHAM'S WIFE OUT OF A MADHOUSE.

REMARKABLE RECOVERY OF REA. SON AFTER SEVENTEEN YEARS. HER HUSBAND'S CHARGE. London, March 11.—London society is as« founded by an even more extraordinary recovery of mental powers after long years of derangement than that of Lord Sefton. The Countess of Durham after 17 years of apparently hopeless insanity has completely regained her reason and is now staying at Iter husband's country seat. She was the heroine of ono of the most curious and exciting aristocratic divorce suits of the past half century. When she was Miss Milner the young Earl Durham, one of England's wealthiest peers, fell madly in love with her. She was in good society, but he was deemed one of the best partis of his day, so she was regarded as exceptionally lucky. Miss Milner was a very tall and handsome blonde, with peculiarly beautiful eyes. Within six months after the marriago Lord Durham became convinced that his beautiful wife was mad. She was entirely insensible to his affection, and passed most of her time in a state of complete abstraction. Everything was done to rouse her, but in vain. Once when a brilliant party was travelling in a special saloon train to Yorkshire Lord Durham made the daring experiment of kissing another lady, the beautiful Countess de Gray, before his wife's eyes, to see if she would take any notice of it. She was indifferent even to this provocation to jealousy, so all the party concluded there could be no doubt of her insanity. After that she got completely out of control and frequently went out early in the morning, remaining till late at night, having walked fast and aimlessly through the country lanes or London streets the whole day. She often returned exhausted with fatigue and hunger and her dress covered with mud. Finally at a grand ball at the Duke of Abercorn's Hampden house the unfortunate lady was undressing herself in the ballroom when her friends succeeded in coaxing her. away. Sue was then removed to an asylum, where she has since remained. Lord Durham instituted suit for divorce on the unprecedented ground in England that his wife was mad when she married him, but the Court held, after a protracted trial, that pre-marital insanity was no ground for divorce. Lord Durham and the Countess have not met since her release, and the Earl's friends say it is impossible for them ever to live together again after what has happened. Lady Durham shows no desire to appear in ' society, and will probably pass the remainder 1 of her days in seclusion. Her brother, Henry Milner, who married the late % Duchess of Montrose, and her sister, Lady .; Gerard, are with her. A report describes her as having retained her beauty and youth : : [ in a marvellous manner. V '-0U fii