The herald., 1895-07-06
FOR BREACH OF PROMISE
A Prominent Philadelphian Arrested
for Duplicity
DR.. PaIen Loved One and Then Another With
the Result That His Heneymoon
Was Spoiled


ing Bulletin publishes the following: DIR.
Gilbert Joseph Paten, one of Philadel-
phia's most prominent society men. was
arrested Tuesday on writ charging him
with breach of promise of marriage. The
plaintiff is Miss Margaret May Thompson.
DR.. Paten is son oe DR.. G. H. Paten
of this city and a nephew of tile late Jay
Gould. June 11th he was married to
Mary Eleanor Adamson, daughter of
William Adamson, of Hegley's hall, Ger
mantown. The wedding was an unusu-
ally swell affair. Among those present
were Miss Helen Gould, Mr.. and Mrs.
Edwin Gonld, Il. Jay Gould and others of
that distinguished family.
Thus far everythi ng had proceeded as
merrily as the proverbial and appropriate
marriage bell, but there was disaster in
store.
Young DR.. Palen had met and loved
MisssThompson, young and very attrac.
tive professional nurse, and according to
this young woman's story he promi sed
her marriage and let it be known far and
wide it was their intention to become
man and wife. This understanding con-
tinued, says the plaintiff until her eyes
were suddenly opened by intelligence
that DR.. Palen was wooing another. This
was finally confirmed by his marriage to
After consulting with her friends an
attorney was instructed to institute pro-
ceedings in breach of promise, and a week
or SO ago they were begun in the court of
common pleas. The result was that Judge
Sulzberger directed a capias to issue for
DR.. Palen's arrest, the bail being placed
at $1,000.
In the course of their honeymoon wan
derings, DR.. Palen and blide finally
stopped at Ocean City, N. j., and there
the doctor was watched by officers repre-
senting the plaintiff until he lett for Phil
adelphia on Tuesday last.
Upon bis arrival home the writ was
quietly served and the bridegroom accom-
panied the officer to the sheriff's office,
where two friends became his bondsmen.
1t had been DR.. Palen's inteEtion to go
abroad this summer, and he hastily com
ple!ed arrangements today for immediate
departure on the steamer Southwark at Z
o clock tomorrow morning for Liverpool
He exhibited surprise when asked tonight
for an explanation of the suit brought
against him by Miss Thompson. He
said:
II am greatly surprised to learn that
this matter has been made public. But
it is as we'll now as later. In reference to
Miss Thompson's suit against me, l wish
to say that her charge is false in every
particular. / not only did not promise to
terms of intimacy with her as to give her
the slightest ground to suppose that a
marriage between her and myself was
either remotely possible, or even to be
contemplated for moment. 1t is case
OF blackmail. pure and simple"
The elder DR.. Palen, who was standing
beside his son, said:
''We understand this case perfectly.
This young woman thinks, in view of my
sons connections and his recent mar
riage into prominent family, there is a
chance for her TO get little money.
believe she is poor and money would be
an object to her. She will get no money
flom my son.
Taking up his fathers words, the son
said:
Il am sure my reputation is such that
credit will be given to my word. ] be-
friended this girl and attended her in her
recent illness. She has taken advantage
OF my kindness TO make these charges"
. John f. Keator, attorney for DR.. Palen,
SAID:
a"This is case of poor but res pectable
young girl being dazzled by the gentle
manly attention of a rich young man. or
rather OF young man whom she believed
to be rich and highly connected, after
chance had given her an opportunity to
be on somewhat friendly terms with him.
! say attentions, but you must not under
stand from that term that any degree of
social intimacy existed between DR..
Palen and this young nurse girl. The
story of their connection has been: While
DIR. Palen was pursuing his medical
studies he was assigned for practice to
the Philadelphia lying-in hospital. There
he made the acquaintance in purely
professional way of Miss Thompson. He
considered her a bright young nurse.
efficient in her duties and possessing
many engaging qualities , being pretty
and educated. While DR.. Palen was st
tending the lying-in hospital Miss
THOMPSON was taken i'll with typhoid
fever at her home in this city. She sent
for young Dr. Palen, desiring him to
tend her in her illness. He consented
and called frequently TO see her, for she
was very sick woman. This started a
correspondence between them, which was
carried on quite innocently on DR.. Palen S
part