New Britain herald., 1915-06-18
LOVE. AND lMARRIAGE
 REFORMS ". THAW.
Bridgeport Girl Proves Heroine ill
 Noted AViatOr'S Case

love striumphed over the old song Never Marry a Man to Reform Him. -is the graphic story anent the mar riage some three years ago of Gladys Virginia Bradley. a former Bridge port girl. to William Thaw, 3rd, of Pittsburg. While in this city, the former Miss Bradley resided on Clin- ton avenue. Bridgeport folk, in common with the rest of the world, have been watching with interest the outcome of this romance that began at ttWateh Hill, Mass, at time when this scion of Pittsburgs elite was looked upon as another talented and fortunate one due to hit the toboggan in society's scale and drink it's bitterness to the very dregs.
 Rivals Uncle's Escapades.
 At the time of their meeting Will. liam Thaw, 3rd, was looked upon as a hopeless inebriate, bound to, sooner or later, rival the escapades of his uncle, Harry K. Thaw. His eccentricities both here and abroad, brought him into the 1imelight Tn a not altogether favorable way and his family. to protect his estate. valued at two million and half, took steps in court to have him declared ha- bitual drunkard. 1t was at this stage of his career that, in disgust, he hied. himself to the solitude of Watch Hill.
 He had run the gamut of exceses into which his surplus energies seem ed to carry him. Stolid Pittspurg, was shocked when in gleeful voice he marched down the most fashion able street arm in arm with a. day laborer. His capacity for liquor seemed to know no bounds. One day at the Allegheny club he con sumed sixty eight brandies and sodas, drinking his companions under the table so to speak, though they drank in relays.
 Strong for Chorus Girls.
 At another time he conceived tho idea that New York chorus girls were underfed and gave a $5,000 dinner Ato them at the Waldorf At another time he became incensed pe-
 
 curist fifty cents He proceeded to have his nails polished and gave the astonished girl $100. She was un- able to work the next day.
 ~ His family suffered keenly from the annoyance of an Egyptian girl who insisted that William had married her while he was. travelling through that seductive land.
 The climax seemed to come when William is said to have lost $20o.0O0. at poker to "Doc's Owen aboard ship sailing out of New York.
 Meets Bridgeport Girl.
 This was the William Thaw that the then Miss Bradley first looked upon and it was the lovely Miss Brad ley that curdled tthe mental estacy that drink gave him and put in it's stead an overwhelming love that has withstood every. test for in those three years, Thaw has not only been just merely good"---he has been 2 useful m ember of society; a doer of things worth while. ,#
 Appeals to Mother. 6
 Tn estacies of delight William went to his mother with the proposition. The latter wrote this note to Miss Bradley: S ITO Miss Gladys V. Bradley. bride to-be:
 '.I hereby promise that if you marry my son. he will be good model hus- band; that he will not return to his former bad habits; that he will not drink intoxicants, and will be good member of society,"
 Previous to this note William had promised to stop drinking for six months. Then at the suggestion Of Miss Bradley he decided to make it t'unanin ous"--to wit: for good.
 Married in 1910.
 MT. Thaw and Miss Bradley were married December 1, 1910, and Mrs. Thaw presented them with a home valued at $250,o00. No sooner was the honeymoon over than William started right in to prove that his re- generation was complete. He has .honored the faith that was placed ir him by the Bridgeport girl by bring ing fame and respect from every uuar- ter where bravery, genuis and man. hood Is admired. Word has reached this country that he has been award 1 ed medals for gallant service as a | pilot in the French aviation corps. 1 He has been decorated with the mil- 1 itary cross and has been promoted l to sergeant. He has also won fame as an inventor-all this in the five l months that he has been enlisted in l the American corps of the Foreign legion He invented stablizer that l has all but made the aeroplane as l safe to ride in as New Haven road passenger train.
 Hero in France. During his activities in the French corps, he made several daring trips 1 over the German lines, gaining val uable information regarding the post