DUCHESS AND CHEF

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17233, 12 April 1930, Page 7

DUCHESS AND CHEF

LONDON FLAT DRAMA WOMAN IN GAS-FILLED ROOM LONDON,- April 2. Tho Duchess of Leinster was found unconscious in a gas-filled room in a Brixton fiat at 3 a.in., and was taken to hospital. She had lived in the flat for three months under the name of Mrs. Williams.

The Duchess before her marriage was May Etheridge, a musical-comedy artist. She married the Duke in 1913. The landlady stated that the Duchess, who confided her real name to her, arrived a month ago with a man who gave the name of Stanley Williams. Tho couple said they had just arrived in London and liad luggago to collect from a railway station.

One" day an elderly woman asked for “Mrs. Williams,” and said she \vas her mother. After that she often visited tho flat, the occupants of which were very quiet. Many letters were received addressed to the Duchess.

Williams called at the police station, and said lie had found- his wife in the kitchen with the gas-taps turned on. It transpires that Williams is a chef, 26 years old. He met the Duchess at Hythe in October. At that time the Duke allowed her £9 a week, but the Daily News says that recently he cut the allowance down to £5 owing to her friendship with Williams, who is a Yorkshireman.

Williams said : “We quarrelled over a wireless set. I wanted to listen to Paris, and she to 2LO. We argued, and the Duchess became furious. I told her I was going back to Hythe, and she became very angry.”