The Washington times., 1919-12-21
from Her, and is
Estranged from
Own Mother
and Father After:
Marrying a Man
Already Twice
Divorced

M almost daily to the many which
have befallen the beautiful Mrs.
Beatrice BENJAMIN Pratt as a result Of her
impulsive marriage to the fascinating
Preston Gibson.
Her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. William
Evarts Benjamin, have petitioned the
Supreme Court to be relieved of the care
of trust fund of 100000 for her two
children, Dallas Bache Pratt and Cynthia
Pratt After declaring that she married
against the wishes and in spite of the pro-
test of all the members of her family"
the petition states:
"As a result there Is an estrangement
between the plaintiffs and their daughter.
which will be permanent and will not in
the future permit Of the cooperation and
confidence which should exist between
the trustees of trust estate and the
representative of the bene6ciaries."
At the same time Mr.. Benjamin has sued
his daughter and her husband for $4,000,
loaned to her, while she was still Mrs.
Pratt, on her notes, which she allowed to
be protested.
As the marriag, In the brief space OF
a few weeks has caused an estrangement
between herself and her parents and may
cost her fortune Of $2,000,000 and the
custody of her own children, 1t il reason
able to speculate whethey the new Mrs.
Gibson will find Mr. Preston Gibson worth
all she paid for him.
Many other inconvenience besides
those mentioned have come to her as the
result of the marriage, and past expert.
ence suggests that more are likely to fol-
low.
Mrs. Gibson is a granddaughter Of the
late H. H. Rogers and draws her wealth
from the inexhaustible Golfers of the
Standard Oil properties. Endowed not
only with great wealth but with beauty
and a romantic. capricious temperament,
1t is not surprising that she should have
picturesque experiences.
Her first marriage, to Alexander d. B.
Pratt, was quite surprise, the outcome
of q yachting trip. Young Mr.. Pratt was
very popular in fashionable society and
the son /of wealthy parents, but 1t is un-
derstood did not have a large fortune OF
his own. Still 1t was rather a surprise
when, after a few years of married hap
piness, his wife asked for a divorce on
the ground of non-support and desertion.
The complaint Of non-sppport by lady
with at least 100000 year OF her own
seemed a trine humorous.
At any rate she obtained divorce last
Summer and no sooner had she obtained
1t than she announced her much opposed
engagement to Mr. Preston Gibson.
And here 1t must be said that Mr.. Pres
ton Gibson is exactly the type of man
who exercises an irresistible fascination
over many women and leads them to
make every imaginable sacrifice.
He has already been divorced by two
charming and wealthy wives, who mcde an
interesting variety Of complaints against
him.
The knowledge that a man has been
much favored by their own sex unQuestion-
ably exerts a fascination over many
women. He possesses a prestige that Is
overwhelming. This fascination is felt
particularly by the best and most innocent
of women, but 1t is also felt by those who
are experienced and sophisticated.
But because a woman is fascinated by
a man with a record it does not follow that
she will find permanent happiness with
him, nor does it follow that she will not
History records many cases of girls who
have settled down to domestic happiness
with men Of varied experiences.
Reformed rakes make the best hus-
sands" goes the old saying, but that say
ing is not particularly popular at the
present day. 1t appears that the girls
who made a success of such marriages
must have been very patient. devoted and
self-sacrihcing girls Of the Patient
Griselda" type. Those characteristics are
possessed in an extraordinary degree by
many women, but it is said that our
wealthy American girls have not culti-
vated them especially. After all. why
should 2 woman sacrifice herself for a
man!
From the moment Mrs. Beatrice Pratt
announced her intention Of marrying her
present husband she met with the most
outspoken opposition from her father and
mother, Mr.. and Mrs. William Evarts Ben
1amin. Probably the fact that Mr.. Gibson