Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-09
She Had Been iii in Hospital
Saw the Pictures of Her at
the Venetian Ball. Well! That
Was just the Last Straw That
Broke the CanneI's Back!

LSOR more than Il year private detcc-
lives. process servers, attorneys. and
even the sheriff Of New York County.
had been trying TO serve Il summons upon
Mrs. Preston Gibson. Mrs. Gibson is now
the wife of the wel-known playwright and
social leader. BEFORE that she was The wife
Of Captain Alexander Dallas Bachc Pratt,
whom she divorced. She is grand-iauEh.
ter of Henry n. Rogers. the Standard Oil
capitalist, and Il cousin Of Mrs. Caruso
Mrs. Pratt is very beautiful aud, OF course
has the entrec into the highest circles
everywhere
Not at all the kind Of lady. you would
say, to he the objective OF scores OF de-
tcctivcs and process servers. and even the
sheriff Of New York County. And not Mt
all the kind Of light that could hide under
= hushel aud play hide and seek with them
fol over Il year.
Yet, so ii was. Just before Mrs. Pratt
became Mrs. Gibson she had bought some
jewels ana had given q promisnory note
for s2,5:9 for them. She had failed to take
'.p the note, suit had been brought and the
summons had been issued ordering Mrs.
self
And for over q year all this array Of
officers had failed to find her and hand her
that little paper.
Now, nj last. in mid-Novcmber, they had
closed in upon her. Serving OF the sum
mons seemed inevitable. Just then, OH
Tho morning of November %. Assistant
Deputy Sheriff William Lee received the
incest little letter from Mr. Preston Glib
son, the husband II had been written and
Nos,marked the day previous, and read:
Dear Mr.. Loo:
your letter To Mrs. Gibson reed.
81 am sorry but she has been quite
I'll II, the hospital and went to the
country Sat. for rest.
81 expect She will be in town Friday.
~Will lei YOU know.
Thank you for your courtesy in the
matter. Very truly yours,
"PRESTON GIBSON"
Immediately the attorneys for the prose-
.u,ion were communicated with They
were sympathetic. So were all the process
servers and detectives Wouldn't II be a
shame 10 harass any further beautiful
Mrs. Gibson when she had Just left the
hospital and must be at the hest weak and
depressed?
Indeed il would, they agreed. And so
they called the matter oil until Friday
November 2G.
On Tuesday night. Novembet g. the
Venetian Ball. ray rou of masks fin
which all fashionable society turned them.
.HNves l0ose, was given. And the next
'inotnIng all the New York newspapers
carr'ed news OF ii and pictures of notable
participants.
Attorneys for the prosecution, detectives
process servers and the shcrifys Office each
turned to their favorte paper-turncd,
sifrcncd and looked n, each other. daZcd
"impossihlr!" exclaimed all of them
VI; can't be-" they exclaimed again
And again they read carefully the cap.
ion under a most striking photograph of
most s;rikingly healthy and cheerful
lady in most striking costume.
Well. this is the limit they groancd
together.
For the photograph upon which they
ga2od was that Gf Mrs. Gibson. the sup
poSed!y poor. suffering lady who had jus.
come ou' OF the hospital! And the text
nh1er NE picture veIy'plainly stated that
'l!s was NEs Gibson MS she had appeared
~ me venetian l'aii me night before and
ile afncies all indicated that among those
present size had been one or the very