New-York tribune., 1912-03-13
T0UCHARD A BANKRUPT
Champion Tennis Player Seeks
Relief from Gambling Debts.
FOUR CITED IN HIS PETITION
Creditors Pressed "F'rail Wizard
Of the Racquet" After His
, Marriage Last Fall.

Gustave f. Touchard, the champion
tennis player, filed a petition in bankruptcy
yesterday in the United States District
Court. citing liabilities of s3.033 and assets
of S12 In cash He said that creditors whom
he named held gambling debts over him.
Touchard has been known almost five
years as an expert lawn tennis player, and
it was through his skill at that game that
he met his wife. He was married on Octo-
her II to Miss Emmeline w. Holmes.
daughter of Jabish Holmes, of No. ll6 East
5Sth street. She was Cne of the bridesmaids
at the wedding of Vivien Gould and Lord
pecies, and she was the third OF those
bridesmaids to marry within a year after
that wedding.
Mr.. and Mrs Touchard have made their
home since with the brides parents, in
18th street.
The creditors on the gambling transac-
tions. as cited in the bankruptcy petition,
are s. Emery, Of No. East 44th street,
81 800, on March 10, 1911; Edward ]. Helm,
1898, on March 13. 1911: John Loud, New
port $500, in August 1911. and w. T. Peck
ham, of Newport 800. in August, 1911.
Mr.. Helm Is supposed to be acting for
Jimmy" Keller. to whom Touchard gave
a check for 500 last fall, stopping payment
on It before II was presented. Keller In
dorsed that check over TO Helm. and Helm
won a suit on 1t in spite OF the fact that
Touchard argued that it was gambling
debt The Judgment on II, however. was
returned by the Sheriff's office. with the re-
port that the Sheriff had found nothing on
which 10 levy. Touchard testified on De-
cember in that suit that he had been ad-
vised by his lawyer TO stop payment on
the check on the ground that II was a
gambling debt.
Touchard's fondness for games or
chance has been the worry OF his friends
at many times. and particularly during
national tournaments at Newport. when
they wanted him to keep In training.
He was in the restaurant business for
short time when he came here from Call
fornia about five years ago. but 1t proved
IN be a losing venture. He rose rapidly
into prominence as a lawn tennis player
and soon was in great demand at prac-
tically every tennis club around New
York and for a time was member OF a
great number Of them.
He won the national indoor tennis
championship in 1910 and last year in the
national championship "A Newport, the big
event Of the tennis year. he won the ma
tional doubles championship with Ray
mond D. Little as his partner.
About two years ago he went TO work
as clerk in a retail sporting goods house
and some questions were raised concern
ing the validity OF his claim at remaining
an amateur.
He met Miss Holmes in the tennis set at
Newport. and almost Immediately after
they were married, last fall. Touchard's
creditors began to press him for settle
ment Jimmy" Keller's claim for 500. on
which Edward j. Helm instituted suit. was
the one which was pushed the hardest
against him, and when the Judgment
against him on that was found to be
worthless, on the Sherif's report that ne
had nothing on which 10 levy. his other
creditors held off. apparently in the hope
that his debts would be settled by his rela-
tives or friends.
Touchard has been described by the ten
mis- experts as a "frail wizard" When
playing at his best he weighed little more
than a hundred pounds. but his skill made
up his lack Of avoirdupois. In and around
Newport when the national championships
have been in progress there were always
stories that Touchard was not In the best
Of condition because OF late hours devoted
TO gambling, and last summer. when, with
Little, he won the national doubles cham
pionship, defeating Alexander and
Hackett, who had held the title for num-
Der Of years. 1t was reported that
Touchards friends literally had TO drag
him out Of gambling house late on the
night before the final match.
L. F. Mahan, Of No. lis Broadway, Is
Touchard's counsel.