The Washington times., 1923-01-28
s Regular Movie Thriller
Mamma Drags Innocent
rriage Annulled by Wife
ysterious Baby Produced;
Merry Little Photographs
drns Up and Explodes
the Whole Plot

woman's marriage annulment and bowled
over and out of court her million-dollar
damage suit against young Whitney.
In getting the history of those little
photographs, the lawyers secured an afr
davit from young Adair which is really
very interesting document. Like Cas-
wells revelations of his experiences with
the show-girl sirens. this affidavit casts a
very Illuminating spotlight on the habits
of life and methods of thought of this
particular "Follies' girl and her mamma.
When young Whitney's lawyers found
Mr.. Adair at home in Texas he was aston
ished to hear that his wife claimed to be
the mother of child and that she was
attempting to fasten its parentage upon
young Whitney. In sketching the story
of how he came to meet the Fontaine
woman and the subsequent episodes which
followed, Mr.. Adair explained that it was
in December, 1917, when he was in the
Great Lakes Naval Training Station, that
he obtained six-days leave of absence
to visit his home in Texas. 1t was in
the dining car on the express train to
New Orleans that he met Evan Fontaine
and her mother, Mrs. Fontaine. The afh-
davit then continues:
II saw young girl and rather young
looking woman. / started little f1irta-
ton and was given encouragement. Be-
fore they paid their bill she sent me
little toast by the waiter:
Here's to the navy, God bless them.
Their arms our defense, our arms their
recompense.'
When he had finished his dinner young
Adair looked up the two women in their
Pullman, introduced himself and learned
they were professionals" as the people
Of the stage call themselves
Also, he learned that they, too, were
from Texas, knew people whom he knew,
and that Evan was going to New Orleans,
where she was to dance at the Cave at
the Grunewald Hotel. He babe them
good-by at New Orleans-first making an
engagement to see them after his return
to the Great Lakes Station
But on his return from his little visit
to his home in Houston, Texas, Adair
missed connections at New Orleans And
what more natural and pleasant than to
look up the charming women he had met
on the train?
He telephoned the Grunewald, half ex-
pecting a chilly reception, no doubt
surely the lovely dancer would have so
many friends she would not care to bother
with him!
Ruf bo waS DIcoconf11, cYrDricoJ
"Come right over to the Cave and see
me dance. Come right to the dressing
room, won't you?" was her welcome.
They had nice little reunion in the
dressing room, until it came time for
Evan to prepare for her dance Then he
selected a table close to the space in
which she was to dance. His delight was
increased when she sent out to him a
sheaf of photographs of herself from
which he was to choose.
After the show Evan and her mother
joined him and they visited cabarets until
4:30 in the morning, when he took his
train for the Great Lakes Naval Station.
There was much correspondence during
the following weeks, and Evan sent. him
more photographs.
cat the time" says Adair 81 had no
intention of marrying her, but had become
with her"
Why should the dancer, who hunted
such big game as Sonny Whitney, the
son of Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, con-
slider it worth her while to bother with
Adair, the sailor? Or did she think
Adair also wealthy?
At any rate, when in March he wired
Evan that he had been ordered to sea
duty, she wired right back that she and
her mother would be in Chicago to see
him before he left When it was found
that there would not be time for this
Evan wired that she would go to New
York and telephone his ship
Shortly after he reported to his ship
Adair got word that his own mother was
at the Hotel Majestic. He secured
twenty-four hours leave.
At the Majestic, there were Evan and
her mother!
eve three sat in the room all night
and talked" says Adair in his affidavit.
During the conversation Evan and I
agreed we loved each other and l asked
Mrs. Fontaine for Evan"