LAPSE BY PRINCESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18348, 14 March 1923, Page 8

LAPSE BY PRINCESS.

INEBRIATED ON TRAIN.

SOURCE OF ANNOYANCE.

"A DISREPUTABLE SIGHT."

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ABHBURTON. Tuesday. From her grand palaces at Moscow and Petrograd, and her lovely little villa at Monte Carlo, the Grand Duchess Princess Ivanovitch, or to use her numerous English names, Harriet Rushford Henrietta Southall Fuller, was a visitor to Ashburton yesterday, as a first offending inebriate, and was the guest at His Majesty's local lock-up. Mrs. Fuller arrived at Ashburton yesterday by the Christchurch-Dunedin express, in a state of drunkenness, according to evidence at the Court this morning, when a charge in accordance with hor condition at the time of arrival was preferred against her. It was stated that on leaving Christchurch, she indulged in liquid refreshment, namely, whisky. So generously did she treat herself, that she rapidly became a source of groat annoyance to her immediate lady travellers.

At Rakaia, the guard decided that the " Princess " had overstepped the mark, and relieved her of the whisky. Her indignation at this knew no bounds. She achieved a remarkable state in mind, manner, and untidiness. Her clothing was terribly disarranged, her loots found rest in another part of the car, and her stockings flapped about her ankles.

Mrs. Fuller, who is an English woman, allegedly married to a grand duke, who awaits her in California, became altogether too unladylike in her every action for her fellow passengers.

Constabio O'Grady listened kindly to complaints when the train reached Ashburton, and invited the princess "to come along." Fortunately, she was under the impression that she was to be motored to Timaru. which, i;he thought, quite /ice on the part of her Ashburton friends. The journey ended abruptly at the Mona Square lock-up, where the Princess was lodged. ' Mrs. fuller had the modest sum of about £8 in her possession, but also possessed an elaborate looking passport and much correspondence. This morning the Senior Sergeant allowed her out on bail, in the sum of £3. There was no appearance at Court, and the few interested spectators listened to the facts surrounding the simple case of drunkenness in a railway carriage. The Senior Sergeant surprised "the justices when he said that " this woman is supposed to be a great princess, who was touring the country, and who had been extensively interviewed and written up in city papers." Constable O'Grady described the appearance of accused, laying emphasis on the fact that her boots* and hat were off and that ■ her stockjngs were hanging down. " She was a disreputable sight She was m a beastly state of drunkenness, said witness.

-5" It is a very bad case observed the « ench ; ct » e wiU convict and inflict a tine of £3.