The New York herald., 1921-09-27
COCHRAN Will AVER
MARRIAGE IS ILLEGAL
First Husband of Polish Bride
Never Divorced, to Be Con-
tcnti0n in Suit.
SINGERS PAST is TRACED
Nine. Gamma Walska Said to
Have Been Plain Hannah
Puaoz of Obscure Family.
SINGERS PAST is TRACED
Special Gable to TIE New York HERALD.
Now York Herald Bureau.
I

Special Gable TO TIE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, sept. 26.
Some of the details OF the shattered
romance of Alexander Smith Cochran,
the wealthy New York yachtsmar. and
Nine. Gamma Walska. his Polish bride,
have been secured by THE SEw YoRK
HERALD Bureau in advance Of legal
action, but from sources regarded as
authentic.
1t is still a matter OF speculation In
the American colony here whether
| Mime. Walska will institute an action
before Mr.. Cochran files papers. The
the lawyers--Samuel Untermver in
New York, acting for Mr.. Cochrau. and
Dudley Field Malone. Nine. Walska's
attorney, who has sailed for New York
This much Is known, however. It
Is Mr.. Cochran's intention to challenge
the legality Of his marriage tc the
Polish singer on the ground that she
was never legally divorced from her
first husband. Capt. Archadie d'Ein-
gorn of the Russian army: that he was
still alive at the time OF her marriage
to Mr.. Cochran. Friends OF Cochran
have said that the Russian officer is
alive yet.
Nine WalslSa's second husband was
Dr. Joseph Fraenkcl. a prominent New
York physician. whom she met and mar
ricd in New York In 1915. while she was
appearing as "Ma'msellc Nitouche" at
the Century Theatre. He died In April.
1920.
The legal action between Mr.. Cochran
and his wife. however. will rcvolve
around Mime. walska's first marriage
ard subsequent separation from Capt.
C'Eingorn. to whom she was married In
Poland when she was II. Her argu-
mcnt, 1t is snld. will be that she obtained
an ecclesiastical divorce on the grounds
or drunkenness in April, 1914. through
the Synod OF the Holy Russian Church.
TIE NEW YORK HERALD Bureau Is adj
vised, however. that no such grounds for
d decree exist. that the only grounds
that do exist for an ecclesiastical divorce
In the Russian church are the same as
the statutory grounds for divorce In
New York state.
The story is that Nine. Walska at
the time Of her first marriage was none
other than plain Hannah Puaoz, member
of an obscure and humble family Of Siel-
dec. She Is said to have one brother,
Leon Puaoz. Capt. d'Eingorn. instead
Of being a baron in his own right. is now
said to have been "the descendant OF
baron"
The Cochrans were married here In
September, 1920. following romantic
courtship when both were eastbound
passengers aboard the Cunardcr Aaui-
tania. In April OF this year they sep
arated. Mr.. Cochran goine to London
and his wife to Dieppe. where she joined
4 party of which Harold Mccormick OF
the Chicago Opera Company and his
daughter also were members.
AZ about this time. THE New YORK
HERALD Bureau Il Informed, Mr.. Coch-
ran cent word to his wife that II was.
lis intention to sell the home he fitted
up at IA Rue Lubbock. and at the same
time Instructed her that she must not
return there. Nine. Walska upon re-
eipt Of his nlcsragc returned TO Paris
from D.cppc and took quarters al the
Hotel Crillon She then. the story goes.
accompanied py a lawyer. forced an
entrance to her former home. This
action. it Is said. is what determined
Mr.. Cochran 10 seek legal recourse.
IT Is affirmed here by Mr. Cochran's
friends that oven II II ie shown that
Capt d'Eingorn was dead at the time
OF the marriage OF Mr.. Cochran and
Nine walska the New Yorker will
nevertheless press his auit for divorce
o. cthcc grounds.
ts.ags