THE COUNTESS OF CATHCART RETURNS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17854, 24 May 1926, Page 4

THE COUNTESS OF CATHCART RETURNS

SAYS SHE WAS WELL TREATED IN AMERICA. (Special to the “Star.") LONDON, April 7. “Americans, particularly American women, have been simply wonderful to me,” said Yera Countess Cathcart, whose experience at Ellis Island brought her into the limelight ly“l have never been so feted in my life as I was in the period subsequent to my release from Ellis Island,” the Countess added. “People simply could not do enough for me. What has moved me more than any r thing is the sympathy I have had from the ordinary American woman. “The costs of the defence of my case against the deportation order ran into thousands of dollars, and were practically all paid by subscriptions from the American women’s clubs. I do not believe Englishwomen would have done so much for me. “Then American society has shown me every kindness and consideration. In New York and Washington I was asked everywhere, and I did not receive a single slight during the whoie of my stay'. “All the publicity I obtained through my detention on Ellis Island had, however, an unfortunate side. Wherever I went I was stared at. If I left my car outside a theatre people crowded round to see me, and if I attempted to walk down the street, or enter a shop, crowds of people followed me.” With regard to the failure of her play, “Ashes,” in London, Countess Cathcart remarked, “I believe it was due to the story that it concerned my life with the Earl of Craven. Of course. I should never dream of doing such a thing. Lord Craven and I parted the best of friends. The character in the play, is that, of a cad. Lord Craven i$ not a cad In fact, he treated me very' well. “In America the play was ruined by the champagne bath incident. I can bring four wrtneSses. including Mrs Gordon Carr and Lord Henry WilSons son, to prove that I was not at the theatre when the incident is supposed to have occurred; but the story' killed my play. . “Since I have been in America I have written another play called The Strange Set.’ It is a comedy of modern Society, bringing in many of the queei characters one sees about to-day. 1 shall produce this play myself and appear in it personally*