Arizona republican., 1922-06-02
vALENT NT|NO'S s
BRIDE FEARED
LEGAL STATUS
Of MARRIAGE
fRepublican A. P. Leased wIre1

TRepubican A. p. Leased Wire]
LOS ANGELES, June 1--Rodolfo
Valentino, screen actor, did not learn
today whether he must face jury on
a charge of bigamy. His preliminary
hearing was begun but was continued
until tomorrow or possibly Saturday
A desert foreign customs. and a lot
Of flowing robes in purple and other
eve filling colors were the somewhat
appropriate setting and features that
surrounded the marriage of Rodolfo
Valentino Guglielmi better known as
Rodolpho Valentine and Miss Wfnl-
fred De Wolf Shaughnessy-H y-Hudnut-
Rambova The colorful tale of
Mexican marriage was repeated with
embellishments today in the court of
J. Walter Handby, justice of the
peace where Valentino was hailed
to answer to the complaint charging
him with bigamy. The complaint
was based on records here and at
Mexicali. They showed that Valen-
tino divorced Miss Jean Acker IN
January. Those at Mexicali showed
he wed Miss De Wolf -Shaugnessy-
Hudnut- Rambova there on May IL.
The authorities here held that the
Mexicali marriage was bigamous be-
cause Valentino had received only an
interIocutory degree in his divorce
which will not become final until next
January. and hence. they explained
he still was married to Miss Acker.
The courtroom of Justice Handby
was jammed by flappers and femini-
tv and scores of eager eyes centered
on the tall young actor, as he slumped
1z,ar NsrNrJI rry1 1slN Ir1 q
a nervous finger as he listened to the
evidence. The prosecutions first
witness was Miss Acker who answer
ed TO the call Of Mrs. Jean Acker-
Valentino" When the clerk request
ed her to state her name, she turned
to her attorney and asked what is
my name?p
The court record was made to show
that her name was Mrs. Jean Acker-
Valentino Guglielmi.
Married at Mayors Home
She told of meeting Valentino
three years ago and their marriage
Nov. 5, 1919 The marriage never
has been annulled, she said.
After a clerk had read the plead
ings in the Valentino-Acker divorce
case, certified copy of the Valen-
tino- DeWolf marriage record at Mex
ieali was introduced in evidence over
the defenses objection. This showed
that Rodolfo V. Guglielmi, IS. and
Miss Winifred DeWolf were married
May 13 at the home of Otto Moller,
mayor of Mexicali. The record also
recited that the bride was the daugh-
ter of the late Michael Shaughnessy
of Salt Lake City, and Winifred
Shaughnessy. the latter now being
Mrs. Richard Hudnut Of New York.
Valentines father. according to the
record was DR.. Giovanni Guglielmi.
In contrast with the legal recital of
the marriage as shown by the record
was the testimony of William Clay
Silver. newspaper man or Calexico.
the California town across the border
from Mexicali who told of the we'd
ding ceremony and party at the may
or's home. 1t was witnessed by more
than 10 persons, including several
Mexican officials and was followed
by a banquet given by the mayor.
The mayors ice box was full of wine
which was distributed freely to the
guests Silver testified and that Off
cial hired an eight-piece orchestra in
addition to calling out the govern-
ment band. Mexican officials unable
20 attend sent their greetings.
Bride Doubted Legality
Just prior to the wedding the bride
showed some reluctance to go ahead
/ with the wedding Silver testified and
asked the witness If he thought Va
Ilentino was violating the laws of Call
Iifornia The ceremony finally was
performed after Silver and Valentino
had assured her that the marriage
was perfectly valid. the witness said.
4 The prosecution then called several
witnesses who testified that Valen-
4 tino and his wife returned to the
California side of the boundary, 60
4 ing to a cottage at Palm Springs
4 Riverside county, at the northern end
+ Of the Imperial valley. The cottage
was described by Mrs. Ramalda Lugo.
. .housemaid. as containing a living
room and two bedrooms. On at least
one occasion, she said, she saw Velen-
. sino and his wife at breakfast at
5tired in pajamas. Carol Lynch. a
s deputy sheriff at Palm Springs, testi-
fled that his attention was attracted
: TO the couple one morning as they
We're leaving the cottage in an auto
mobile because they both were wear
ing purple pajamas.
Other witnesses testified to seeing
Valentino and his wife on the streets
# Palm Springs and around the cot
age from May 13 to 16, inclusive.
The hearing was adjourned when
the prosecution announced that 1t
HAD received word from deputy sher-
#lIfs that two witnesses had been sub
poenaed at Big Bear Lake in San
Bernardino county. that they could
not reach Los Angeles today. These
witnesses are DIR. F1oretta White, a
woman physician of Palm Springs,
and J. L. Hart, superintendent of the
water system of Palm Springs.
A continuance was granted until
B o'clock tomorrow afternoon with
the understanding that If defense at
orneys then were engaged in another
ease as they believed they would be.
the Valentino hearing would go over
#until Saturday morning.