SOCIETY SCANDALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2157, 27 June 1895, Page 50

SOCIETY SCANDALS.

(Fbom Ova Own Correspondent.) London, Apiil 20.

It is not likely that you will expect me to dilate on the details of tho nauseous case of which Oscar Wilde is the loathsome and most uuhsroic hero. He baa few who wish him well through the criminal prosecution which he is now undergoing, filcsb people think it will ba a grave misfortune to society if ever he rf gains that freedom which on his own showing ho has co vilely abußeo*. What everybody is commenting on in sbrorg teenss is the fact that such a creature as this Wilde should have been able to get Lord Queensberr y, or any deceut person, arrested and deprived of liberty for several hours for seeking to protect his son from the contamination of Wilde's company. Clearly there is something out of joint here. It seems now that Wilde's notorious and d^test^ble story "Dorian Grey," when it originally appeared in " Lippinoott's Magazine"— without any fault of Messrs Lippincott themselves, it is only fair to say— encountered a most slashing slating from the Sfc. Jame/s Gazette, whereupon Wilde threatened a libsl action, but did not bring it. Much surprise has been expressed that in spite of the horrible dife'osures in the Wilde casg Lord Doug'as of Hawick and Lord Alfred Douglas still take park with Wilde against their father, and that the elder of the two brothers should have penned and published the grcss falsehood that "every member of out family except our father disbelieves absolutely and entirely the allegations of the defence " (in the Queeu6berry prosecution), a statement which was promptly refuted by the R<;v. Lord Archibald Douglas, Lord Queensberry's brother, who wrote : •' We do most certainly believe those allegations and repudiate any sympathy with the statements of my nephew." The Marquis's sister (Lady Florence Dixie) and his mcther take exactly the same view as that put forth by Lord Archibald. Assuredly they have the sympathy of all deceDt people. The two younger Dougla?es must have been completely hypnotised by that satyr Wilde. Unfortunately this has not been the only unpleasant "society" scandal that has been occupying the law courts. The Countess Russell's euit against her husband the Eirl, for restitution conjugal rights, is very far from savoury reading. Lady Russell's conduct seems inexplicable. She was separated from her husband, having made the grossest and most revoking charges against him, charges which she now admits had not a particle of foundation. These charges she never retracted or Apologised for up to the lime of her appearance in the witness box in this action, »ud j«t

she wants her itl-usod huebknd to take her back ag*in ! Lord Russell very naturally pleaded that as the serious charges she nude against him, and more too, at tho time of her petition for a judicial separation from him was tried had never besn retracted, this should be a bar to hsr obtaining restitution cf conjugal rights. He contended that the present suit was not brought bond Me, but solely with tho object of extracting money from him. Further, he urged that the promulgation of those charges— as also tho accusation of cruelty, ill-usage, and bad language on which her former petition was based— amounted to moral cruelty on her part so gross as to disentitle her to tho relief prnyed for. It w«8 pointed out that no precedent existed for a woman who had obtained a jadicial separation from her husband on her own petition coming forward and seeking to have him compelled to take her back again. Lady Russell's examination was a long and curious one. She admitted her belief that there was no trath in the vile charges elia had made and sworn to against ber husband, but set up the slightly thin plea that flhe did not understand its nature when oho so made and swore to it. She further declared that at the previous trial she was "bullied into making ib" —a statement which created considerable sensation. She Lad written to her husband before the separation begging him to till her all about his past life, as "ib was worrying her to death"; but Ehe declared she could not remember what she referred to. Sko did not kuow what she meant, or why she said it. Some friend of the Couutcs? who evidently depircd, for reasons of her own, to mike mischief between the couple, and who has very undeservedly been ipivred duriog the trial by bring alluled to only as "Lady X," had evidently iosfc-Iled into tho silly Countess's weak mind tbe idei that her husband had done something very dreadful. Lady Russell tried to fix the onus on the Dowager Countess, but tho Utter emphatically denied the truth of this. " What charge waa that you were ' bullied into making'?" asked Sir Henry James. "The charge of neglect," replied Lady Rasiell. "Do you really mean to say that you were bullied by the present Lord Chief Justice into making a charge of neglect ?'' The Countefs began to whine and whimper. "I do nob know, really, Sic Henry," she nid; "I am bo dreadfully nervous !" I wonder what would have happened to Susan, the slavey, if she shoffled like this in court. Do you think the judge would have instantly begged her to sit down and offered hor his own private bottle of smelling sa'ti? Hardly, I fanoy. But that's what happened to Lady Russell. In the cud Lady Rusnell said : " I have since learned the real meaning of the charge I was supposed to make, and I do not believe it" ; and when Sir Henry Junes asked her whether her object was now to go back to her husband, as sbe believed him to be a pure and virtuous msn, she replied " Yes ! " Her mother seems to have acted a strange parb. She admittei that she was a bankrupt and was sometimes dependent on her daughter for food. Y«-t fcha had spent large sums on deteotives to trump up a case against Lord Russell. At the same time she was sending him gushing letters wishing him every happiness, while she was writing to one of her detectives, "Dear Mr Dickinson, if you have any good news write me oae line to ease my mind." She confessed that by "goorl news" she meant proofs of her son-in-law's guilt ! She admitted that "Mr Dickinson was a moßt disgraceful man," but that nevertheless she omplojed him. She "did not know, and really could not say " what she meant by sayiug to Dickinson, "I am sure jou have not got the right man." When further pressed she said, "Dickinson told her some little things " She admitted writing to Dickinson, " Anyone who proves anything will nob only get my thanks but enough to start them in life." " Did you think that was the way to get true evidence oc false ? " asked Sir H. Jame*. "Fake," replied Lady Scotb. "Is that your answer?" asked the judge, sternly. "I consider all detective* are false," was the witness's inconsequent reply, which apparently was allowed to pass. " Bub why," asked Sir H. Jamef, "did you give him enough to start him in life for simply doing his duty ?" The witness started on a now tack. " Because he used to write me letters working on my feelings, and because he happened to be a brokendown gentleman and a cousin of mine." It is nob surprising that this admission elicited roars of laughter. Thea counsel reminded her she had wnbteD, " Though we have enough to hang any ordinary man, it is not quite sufficient for our purpose," and asked hot how Bhe explained that. " I suppese I was in a passion," she said. "Does your angor, macUm, produce falsity P " asked Sir H? nry, sternly. " I have never told a falsehood ! " answered this veracious womsn. "Is this letter of yours trus ? " persisted Sir Henry James. "No, I have not gob enough to hang him," wag the reply. " Theu it is false I " exclaimed Sir Henry. " Yes, false," confe-ssd the wretched woman. She next alleged that her objects in these atrocious attempts at subornation of evidence was lo enable her daughtsr to obt»in a divorce or else return to her hutb.ind". " How could evidence of guilt cause her to go back to hor husband," was naturally atked. "Lots of women go back to guilty men," was the response. " What was evidence enough to hang an ordinary man ?" "I can't tell you ; it happened years ago." "What was the evidtnee?" "I don'b know that there was any." "What was the guilt P" "I don't, remember," said the truthful woman. "I can't tell an untruth, can I \ " After more miserable shuffling, the woman eaid ehe apologised now to Lord Ru?s^H for her Iks about him. She coi>f es*ed that Bhe hvi employed 10 detectives, yet had failed to obtain evidence against her son-in-law. Sfae admitted she bad not yefc set anybody up in life as she promined because she "had nob the money." "Ladies often promise things aud doa'fc keep their promise," she explained with perfect unconcern. She admitted that ehe had paid nothing yet to her creditors in the bankruptcy, and that the detectives cost a good deal, but she declined to enter into the question whether or not this sorb of thing waa very gratifying to tbe people who had supplied her with flowers and dresses : " I don't think that matters," she replied calmly. An attempt had been made to sugjfciit that Lord Russell had been " sent down" from Oxford for some act of gross immorality. Ido not say that this witness had suggested it, bub ab all events she admitted now that »he believed the'" sending down" was merely for practical jokiDg. When she was told she might leave the box this excellent woman began an independent address to the jury. "Gentlemen of the Jury," she said, " I tru3t"— bub here counsel abruptly interposed and requested her to leave tho Bpeeehifyicg to her daughter's legal representative. So she retired, amid laughter in which she did not join. The judgment will not be given until next week. Meanwhile, ib teems to me that the evidence strongly points to desperate efforts having been made by somebody to foment differences between the husband and wife, and to trump up a false case against him for the sordid purpose of reaping a pecuniary harvest oat of the alimony wtuob. vat sure to in

awarded to the wife. It is a disgusting *nd ffef testable case. I will nob do my readers' aoumwa tbe injustice to imagine for a moment thas they fail to discern whom I suspect as tha •' first Tillain " of this rascally plot. It was a casa ef koave working fool. I believe those terms are common to both sexes.