A Tragic Career.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 21, 18 November 1908, Page 10

A Tragic Career.

The death last Tuesday at Maiden head, .of Mabel, Countess Russell, a.t the early age of 36, removes from this world a woman whose adult life was one long tragedy. Mabel Scott was the daughter of Sir Claud and Lady Selina Scott, £nd years ago’ shared with her sister considerable notoriety as the most charming of up-river sirens. “Babs” an.l ‘’Giddy” Scott were experts in managing boat, punt, or canoe, and were prime favourites in the boating world. Mabel was quite a girl when she attracted the notice of Earl Russell, grandson of the famous Lord John Russell, who subsequently married her. Never was a more unfortunate hiatrimonJal venture made. On returning from the church the bride was taken ill and had to take to her bed, and whilst on the postponed honeymoon she was again stricken down, and for a time her life was in danger. The Earl and his Countess proved an ill-assorted couple, and before many months had elapsed, the Countess was petitioning fer a judicial separation, basing her suit upon charges against her husband of such a character that they were never made public. The Earl strenuously denounced his wife’s allegations, and the petition was dismissed. Four years later the Countess gave point to the Court’s dismissal of her petition by asking for restitution of her conjugal rights. Her petition was met by her husband by one for judicial separation on the ground of his wife’s cruelty, which consisted of the charges the Countess had made against him in her first petition. Again the Earl was successful, but the matrimonial troubles of the unhappy couple were by no means at an end. In 1897, Earl Russell prosecuted his mether-in-law and three men at Bowstreet for criminal libel. The case yas sent for trial, and while the proceedings were in progress one of the prisoners, a man named Kast died. The others were convicted by Mr. Justice Hawkins, When next the Countess came before the public eye it was as a.n actress in Mr. George Edward’s “Runaway Girl” touring company. From the, provincial ; theatres she came to Mie- London,variety.’ halls, and appeared at the Tivoli in coon songs. Her stage career, however,, was a brief one, and as soon as . it was ended the youthful countess obtained a divorce

from her husband, the earl having meanwhile divorced his wife in Nevada, and married Mrs. Molly Somerville. ' ! Earl Russell was tried by his peers for bigamy, and sentenced to a short term ‘of imprisonment, after which he re-mar- ' lied Mrs. Somerville in England. The Countess was now free to marry again, and soon became infatuated with a young man who posed as Athrobold. Stuart, Prince of Modena. Tn reality tiie “Prince” was simply William Brown, the son of a coachman. This, however, the Countess did not discover till after she had married him at Portsmouth. •‘The Prince” was another “bad bargain” matrimonially, for he deserted his wife a week after the wedding. He was arrested later and imprisoned for making a false entry in the marriage register. But Mabel loved him still in spite of his ""deception and desertion, and on his re* lease from prison joined him again. But Brown proved an unmitigated brute, and., life cruelty and unfaithfulness drove the Countess into the Divorce Court once more. She had no difficulty in obtaining the desired decree. Broken in health and impoverished by years of litigation, the Countess now sought for some healthy occupation, and finally decided to go in for poultry farming. and established a small farm at Bray. Her intention, if the scheme proved successful, was to open a shop in the West End for the sale of the produce of the farm, but the undertaking did not prove so lucrative as had been hoped, and the business seems to have been confined to the sale of poultry and eggs for the market. Three months ago the Countess developed symptoms of consumption, the fell disease rapidly developed, and finally ended her tragic career.