New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-05
Annulment Granted Five
Years Ago Declared
Void by Court
HUSBAND FORFEITS
$4,000 AND FREEDOM
Wife He Lived with Few
Days Charged Fraud AT
ter Runaway Match

Louis Marshall Ream, who inherited
one-sixth of the s5.6OOO00 estate left
by his father, Norman B. Ream, one
Of the organizers of the United States
Steel Corporation, learned definitely
yesterday that he was not again care
free bachelor, as he has believed for
about five years. lie still is the hus-
band OF Mrs. Eleanor Davidson Ream,
who used to be known in the chorus
as Eleanor Pendleton.
The marriage of the chorus girl and
the young son of millionaire, like
many others Of its kind, was Broad
way Hoboken affair. The couple met
on this side of the North River merely
as friends and returned from the other
side as husband and wife much to the
displeasure Of Ream's father. Through
The payment Of $3.50 Mrs. Ream was
induced to sue for an annulment Of
the marriage on the technicality that
they had failed to obtain a marriage
license.
The case was tried secretly before a
referee in Saratoga, Ream having been
sent to China by his father. The
referee found in favor or Mrs. Ream' s
action for a decree of annulment. SO,
after having lived together only nve
days, the Reams were again considered
free.
Fight an Annulment
But Mrs. Ream. or Miss Davidson,
changed her mind. She proceeded IN
the Supreme Court in Saratoga to prove
that the annulment was obtained
through fraud. Justice Borstln upheld
this contention and decided that Mrs.
Ream had established her claim for the
restoration Of her conjugal rights. That
opinion has now been unanimously sus-
tanned by the Appellate Division OF the
Third Department, from which further
appeal is unlikely.
The "rankest kind OF hearsay," said
the court. was admitted as evidence be-
fore the referee in the annulment ac-
ton. Nothing has been said about the
s3S. 900 which Mrs. Ream received when
she relinquished the family name ana
| relationship, but il is likely that 1t VIII
remain in her hands. On the othe'
hand. the decision Of the Appellate
| Division will make 4 greater difference
TO Ream. for it has been reported that
believing himself again a bachelor he
/ had a second matrimonial venture m
/ contemplation.
However, the Reams will not live to-
gether. Apparently sure OF her ground
/ after the decision Of Justice Borstin
I setting aside the annulment, Mrs. Ream
| last November brought suit for sep
aration against Ream in Saratoga,
which is her home, in which she al
/ legged abandonment.
Court Censures Ream
Lindloy NJ. Garrison was counsel for
Ream in opposition TO the wife's first
step TO undo the snnulment proceed
ing. and ex-senator Edgar I. Bracket
appeared for Mrs. Ream. In announc-
ing his decision holding the annulment
invalid Justice Borstin scored Ream
for his abandonment Of his wife after
five days Of married life. "A wife of a
few days" said the court, cher husband
left her side with expressions Of love
and a promise for a speedy return.
Suddenly she was confronted by his
LAWYER mot MIR. Garrison) with a
statement that she was a deserted and
repudiated wife. The record shows
that prior TO the trial of the action de
PENDANTS attorney in the annulment
proceedings carefully schooled her in
the evidence she was TO give before the
referee and which was 70 lead TO her
own undoing.'