The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-12-31
STRANGE DIVORCE SUIT
Marriage Mix Up in With Frank
Gardner Is Leading Figure.
TWO WOMEN ARE AFTER HIM
Suit Brought to Have Divorce An
nulled, Fraud Being Alleged-Re-
markable Romance OF Poor Show
man After Fame and Fortune.


man After Fame and Fortune.
Philadelphia. Dec. 20. - Common
pleas court No has made absolute
the rule taken by Annie Graham or
Gardner. To compel Mrs. Caroline
Madeline Gardner to show cause why
the judgment entered against her
should not he stricken on and she be
permitted to file demurrer to Mrs.
Gardner's equity suit for the annul-
ment OF the divorce obtained by Annie
Graham from Frank l.. Gardner. In
this city two years ago.
The suit of Mrs. Gardner, which
also includes as defendant Frank l.,
Gardner. who, she says, is her hus'
band. revealed romance OF a poor
Snowman. whose adventures after
fame and fortune are most remark
able.
From an under-paid man Of tho
stage. Gardner, who is native Of this
city. rose 10 a position of fabulous
wealth before crowned heads OF Eu
rope. He was the partner in daring
and riches of Barney BarnatO. and
when the latter tragically committed
suicide. Gardner took up the golden
reins that the King of Mines had
dropped.
His matrimonial ventures. with
which the present suit has to do, be
gan in 1873. when he married C.emen
tine Derringer. The bride was desert
ed In less than two weeks. and she
procured divorce two years later.
In 1886 Gardner married Carrie VI
Swain. the plaintiff in the suit The
couple went TO Australia, met the dia
mond king. Barnato. speculated. had
success with their theatrical enter
prses. and in a few years amassed q
fortune estimated at SSO.0O0O0O.
In France Gardner transferred his
admiration to a Partisan beauty. Mrs
Gardner called for a settlement The
husband agreed. hut the agreement
was delayed. In 1901 Gardner came
to Philadelphia. and found Annie Ora
/ ham. an actress friend. calling herself
Mrs. Gardner. She was in poor straits
as was her son. named after his father
Frank l.. Graham. She had brought
suit for divorce from Gardner. while
he was in this city, and, encounterinl
no opposition. won.
Gardner returned to Paris with the
certificate of divorce In his pocket
/ Annie Graham purchased a house on
South Broad street. paid her debts
bought a tine turnout, sold the Broad
street house and purchased a finer on'
at 1906 North Fifteenth street She
[ lives there now.
When the Wiie OF Gardner. over In
/ Paris. urged that he settle with her
according to agreement. he Is said tt
have showed her a certificate of di
vorce containing his name and hers.
Then Gardner married the French
woman. Although possessed OF mil
lions in her own right, the woman
who had been superseded was not con
tent. She engaged lawyers, and the
/ charge was made that the decree a
divorce had been altered and the name
Caroline Madeline" had been substi
tuted for that OF Annie
This forms the basis Of the strange
suit now pending in the Philadelphia
courts. The issue IS that Annie Ora
ham in her suit for divorce two years
ago testified that she had married
Gardner in 1873. Gardner was not di
yorced from Clementine Derringer nm
III 1875. Therefore. it is contendet
/ that he was never married to Annie
Graham. and the proceedings in di
vorce we're farCical.