The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-07-13
GIBSON DIVORCE
GRANTED TODAY
IN QUICK TIME
Mother Retains Custody
of Child Nine Months
Each Year.
Husband Did Not Con-
test, and No Alimony
Is Granted.

CHICAGO. July 13-Mrs. Preston Glib
son was granted an absolute divorce
without alimony by Judge Honore to-
day. Three witnesses were heard, and
the divorce, on grounds Of cruelty, was
granted in record time.
Mrs. Gibson retains her present name
and the custody OF her child for nine
months IN each year.
Secret fling of the papers in the long
expected divorce case was preceded by
renewed and enlarged demand on the
part Of Preston Gibson for a financial
settlement, which he insisted must pre-
cede an uncontested decree for his wife
A long conference at the Chicago Club.
In which Gibson and his valet, as we'll
as Thomas Nelson Page. his wife's step
father, and her attorney. Judge J. NJ
Dickinson, took part Is believed to have
ended satisfactorily 10 the clubmaR, for
he took an early train back to Lake
Forest. and was playing lawn tennis at
the Onwentsia Club. while the bill in
which his wife charges him with ex-
treme and repeated cruelty was being
Fled In the circuit court. together with
his answer. formally denying the ale
cations.
First Asked S5Oo,ooo.
Gibson's original demand. It is alleged,
was s5000o but, it is said, they had
grown so far that the filing of the
papers had to he withheld while his in
creased demands were debated at the
conference. He is reported TO have
threatened. not merely to contest tho
custody Of their three-year-old son.
Henry Field Gibson. but to drag into
court certain matters concerning the
family and the social life in which he
and his wife have figured. and of which
society has had fragments
While Mrs. Gibson had planned to
plead for her freedom merely on grounds
OF extreme and repeated cruelty. he in
sisted that unless the financial settle
ment which he deemed proper would be
forthcoming. he would contest the
charge, and then go into court with
counter allegations OF a startling char
acter But, apparently. he secured all
he wanted. for at the close OF the con-
ference the original papers were hurried
TO the circuit clerks office. together
with his answer, and Mrs. Gibson's re-
piication to it.
Certain members Of Washington So
ciety have known for months, IN fact
ever since last Christmas, that Mr.. and
Mrs. Gibson were not living together,
and that their domestic troubles would
probably end sooner or later in an ap-
plicatiOn by one of them for divorce
Mrs. Gibson is twenty-four years of
age. and her husband is two years her
senior. Seven years ago she was vet
schoolgirl at D0bbs Ferry and Mr. Glib
son was a student in Yale. In January,
1850. they ran away from school and
were married
There is one child. Henry Field Gibson.
MIS-. Gibson, whose maiden name was
Miss Minna Ticid. has a younger sister,
Mrs. Thomas Lindsay, of Boston.
Wife Away, Home Sold.
The Chicago home Of the Gibsons was
sold this spring by Mr. Gibson while his
wife was on visit TO her mother. Ii
was known at that time that their mari
tai troubles would probably lead to d.
vorce- 1t was then thought, however.
that Mrs. Gibson would go to the sum-
ner home of the family, at York Harbor
Ne, and remain there until she secured
the divorce.
Mrs. Gibson Is now being entertained
as the guest OF Mrs. A. A. SpragIle. at
Lake Forest, Ill. and Mr. Gibson Is
stopping at the OnWentsia Club, which is
In the same fashionable suburb