The sun., 1919-10-16
PRESTON GIBSON TO
WED MRS. B. B. PRATT
Engagement of Wealthy Cou-
pie Announced in Washing
ton Not Confirmed Here.
BRIDE-TO-BE IN NEWPORT
Her Parents, Mr.. and Mrs. w.
E. Benjamin, Say They Have
Not Heard of 1t.
speoiar Despatch to The suS.


WASHINGTON, Oct 15.-The Washing
ton Times published the following in its
society column to-day
Announcement was made to-day that
Mrs. Beatrice Rogers BENJAMIN Pratt
of New York and Newport viii wed
Preston Gibson of this city. The we'd
ding will take place in New York within
few days
MIR. Gibson. prominent IN society
here, was known in the literary and
dramatic fields before the war. He
made an enviable record for his work
in the Ambulance Corps in the war be-
fore the United States entered 1t. and
afterward for bravery. He returned
in the spring from France.
1.-The bride is also known in Washing
ton society. She is a daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. William Evarts Benjamin OF
New York, a granddaughter of the
late H. II. Rogers and the heiress to
many millions She is young, great
favorite IN New York and Newport
society, in both of which cities she has
handsome homes. She has two chill
dren"
The report that Mrs Pratt. who is the
divorced wife of Alexander Dallas
Bache Pratt, was to be married to
Preston Gibson has been current in New
York social circles for several months,
but heretofore has been denied by her
parents. At the Hotel Devens, 10 West
Fifty-ffth street. where Mrs. Pratt has
been living for some time, It was said
last night that she had left early yes
terday morning for Newport. Her father
and mother, Mr.. and Mrs. William
Evarts Benjamin, are living at the
Plaza Hotel. When asked last night
about her daughters wedding Mrs. Ben
jamin said:
This family knows nothing about it.
1t was said at the Plaza that Mr.. Ben
jamin had been Ill for several days.
Mrs. Pratt brought suit for divorce
| from her husband while he was in the
army, Lieutenant assigned to instruc-
ton duty in California. and won de-
cree in the Superior Court in Newport
on June 10 of this year. She charged
non-support and desertion, and TO her
| was granted the custody of their two
| children. Cynthia Ann Pratt and Dallas
Bache Pratt I'd.
| Mr.. Gibson has also been married be-
fore. His first wife was Miss Mlnna
| Field. daughter of Mrs Thomas Mel
| son Page and a niece of Marshall Field
of Chicago. He was divorced from her
in 1907, and in 1908 married Grace Nc.
|
late Senator James Mcmillan Of Michi
| gan.
Mr.. Gibson Is a son of the late Sena-
tor Randall Lee Gibson of Louisiana
and a nephew of Chief Justice White OF
the United States Supreme Court. He
was educated at Fordham College ana a
Yale, and turned his attention to literary
and dramatic activities soon after leav
ing college. He has written number OF
plays. several of which have been pro
duced on Broadway. and one OF which
was considerable of a success. In one o.
his dramatic efforts, however, he was
charged with plagiarism, and admitted
that he took some OF his material from
the plays OF Oscar Wilde. file served
In an ambulance unit in the Francl
army during the war and was decorated
with the CroiX de Guerre and twice
cited for bravery. Later he was Cap
tain in the Signal Corps of the United
States Army. but resigned and becam'
a Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, will
work in the recruiting service.