AN EARL'S PECCAOILOES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15252, 15 March 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN EARL'S PECCAOILOES.

THREE 'TIMES A CO-RESPONDENT. ERRING WIFE'S VISIT TO PARIS. »' Henry Arthur JIonNJNGTON Wem.ksi.kt t (Earl Cowley), made his third appearance s as co-respondent in the Divorce Court re- - cent-ly. Tho petitioner on this occasion f was Mr. Geoffrey Charles Buxton, ol i Beverley, Yorkshire, who sought a divorce, , on the usual grounds, from his wife, Clari , Florence Mary. The suit was undefended. i Mr. Barnard stated that Mr. and Mrs. 1 Buxton were married in April, 1902, at St, [ Peter's. Pimlico, and there was one child. . They lived happily until last. year. In - April they were on the Riviera, and Lord r Cowley was also there. After their re- ' turn Lord and Ladv Cowley were invited r to pay them a visit, and during this visit e it was noticed that the earl paid a good i deal of attention to his hostess. Mr. Bux- ,. ton spoke to his wife about it, and re- ' quested that Lord Cowley should not be . asked to the house. again. During last summer, as a result of information that ' Mr. Buxton received, he consulted Sir ' George Lewis, and it was ascertained that ' in November Mrs. Buxton and Lord Cow- | ley were both staying at Claridge'a Hotel in their own names, but ; . in different suites. The wife returned home and admitted they were very fond of one another. .'The husband left home on November 13, and the wife left 'on the foli lowing day. Apparently she went to I Claridge's" Hotel, where Lord Cowley was k staying, and on November 18 Mr. Buxton i. received the following letter from his > wife:— ' , Dear Geoffl have coma to the con- [ elusion that our life together is quite imf possible. So, after due consideration, I , have decided to throw in my lot- with , ' Toby ' (that was Lord Cowley, Mr. Bar- , nard explained). — Your affectionate . Clark." 1 This letter was taken to Sir George Lewis, and Mr. Lister, one of Sir George s ', clerks, took rooms in the Hotel Bristol, , Paris, and found that Lord Cowley and , Mrs. Buxton were staying there. Mr. Buxton, who gave his evidence in . quite a matter of fact manner, is a man '. of almost youthful appearance. He was ' not in the witness-box many minutes— ' t all he had to do was to corroborate counI sel's opening statement, and this he did chiefly by brief answers. Mr. Barnard read the affidavit of the manager of the . hotel, showing that Mrs. Buxton and Lord Cowley stayed at the Hotel" Bristol from ' November 17 to November 29, and that they returned on December 3, staying \- until December 7. ' Sir Samuel Evahsj the president, , granted Mr. Buxton a decree nisi, with costs against Earl Cowley, and gave Mr. j Buxton, the custody of the child. ■ 1 Lord Cowley's Career. Lord Cowley, who has just entered his ' 47th year, was first married in 1889, his » wife being Lady Violet Neville, one of the > beautiful daughters of the Marquis of Abergravenny. He then bore the title of Viscount Dangan. Lady Violet obtained a divorce in 1897. Five years later Lord Cowley was co-respondent in the suit I brought by Sir Charles Hartopp, seeking a divorce from his wife, Mfllicent, daugh- ' ter of the first Baron Nunburnholme. * There was a cross-petition, and after a * protracted hearing both were dismissed. Sir Charles Hartopp brought a fresh suit ' m 1905. and as neither Lady Hartopp nor ' Lord Cowley entered any defence. Sir ' Charles was granted a divorce decree. ' Soon after the divorce Lady Hartopp was : married to Lord Cowley at Colombo. As L Viscount Dangan Lord Cowley was sued 1 > for breach of promise of marriage by Miss ' Phyllis Broughton, the famous Gaiety ! actress, and mulcted. in . £10,000 \ damages. i