A CAUSE CELEBRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19761, 12 April 1926, Page 9

A CAUSE CELEBRE

RUSSELL CASE AGAIN. CLAIM ON BEHALi OF INFANT. (Brest Association —By Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, April 10. ' (Received April 11, at 5.5 p.m.) A sequel to the famous Russell Case is promised next law term when Geoffrey Russell, the baby boy on whom the case centred, will apply through his guardian to have his claiinestablished as the legitimate son of Mr %ugo Russell who is heir to Lon’ Ampthill. After two years’ litigation, involving £40,000, the Russell’s are still .legally man and wife. Geoffrey was never a partner to the action, but it is understood that the coming action is being brought to establish the baby’s claim for all time. —A. nd N.Z. Cable. The Russell case has been one of the most remarkable and costly divorce actions on record. It was twice before the Divorce Court. On the first occasion, in the jury dismissed two co-respondents who were named from the suit, but disagreed concerning a man unknown. At the second trial, in March, 1923, Mr Russell alleged adultery by his wife with two co-respon-dents, one of whom was named and one was not. The jury acquitted the wife of adultery with the named co-respondent, who was dismissed from the suit, so that what was left was the question of adultery with a man unknown, and that rested solely upon the allegation that Mrs Russell had a child which Mr Russell said was not his child,- and could not be. After 10 days’- hearing the jury dismissed the named co-respondent, but found Mrs Russell guilty of misconduct with a man unknown. It was against this result that Mrs Russell successfully appealed in 1924 to the House of Lords, hence the subsequent withdrawal of the divorce proceedings.