The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-18
Charges Friends of Aged
Magnate Broke UP Romance
BY Slandering Her Name
BITTER TOWARD Ex-SUIT0R
Says Affection Turned to Hate
When He Failed to De-
fend Her From Enemies

tocratic family of Asa G. Gambler,
The multimillionaire Coca Cola
king, was the avowed purpose TO-
day of Mrs. Onezima De Bouch-
81, wealthy New Orleans beauty,
In bringing her half-million dollar
suit against the seventy-two-year-
old financier, bon vivant and phil
anthropist. !
The Southern beauty. who was
tilted by Chandler two weeks be-
fore their proposed wedding, will
not take a penny of the 100000,
IL she wins her suit, she said. She
will use it all for charity.
LOVE LETTERS TO BE READ.
Fervid love letters from Gambler
win be read into the court records,
Mrs. De Bouchel said, only if she
il forced to that extremity to vindi-
cate her good name.
Jealousy on the part Of Gamblers
sons and relatives, Mrs. De
Bouchelle asserts, is at the bottom
Of the broken engagement.
Mrs. De Boucher and Gambler
met at a festival at which Mrs. De
for her beauty, her grace, her
Southern charm. The aged soft
drink manufacturer became madly
infatuated.
A romantic courtship followed.
Letters from Gambler to his in:
tended bride breaIhed the fire OF
love. His family became concerned
lest he marry.
First he was told that Mrs. De
Bouchel was a Catholic and he,
being a Methodist, could never be
happy with her.
LEARNS OF HER DIVORCE.
Then he learned she was u
Divorce. But Gambler waved that
aside. He would make her happy.
Topping these came what MRS.
De Bouchel calls the mos sland-
erous lies. It was that she had
welcomed man into her apart
ment at the hotel while attending
Q Confederate Veterans reunion, of
which she was chaperon.
The old man was as one broken.
He bowed his head and wept. Then
he autographed his bethothed that
he could never marry her. s...r :,
Had he ever asked me to re.
lease him from his promise, ]
would have done so. quickly and
decisively," says Mrs. DeBouchel
In her declaration. Instead he
allowed his mind to be polluted by
interfering relatives with prepos.
ferrous insinuations of blemishes on
my character and undoubtedly he
believed them"
DEMANDS NAMES.
In direct manner the suit boldly
expresses doubt as to the existence
of the persons who were reported
to have told Gambler of misconduct
by Mrs. DeBouchel with a "trav-
cling salesman reports which
Gambler gave as his reason for
breaking his promise to wed her.
Her suit demands that Gambler
furnish her with the names of
those who made the reports re-
necting on her character,
He has deliberately withheld
from her the only simple means
Of promptly exposing the enornity
OF the outrage to which she has
been subjected" saws the petition.
She told of Gamblers pursuit of
her in Switzerland, New York, New
Orleans and California, and of his
request that she become his wife.
This request is backed up by Mrs.
DeBouchel in a number of let
tiers submitted with the petition. His
wooing. she said, inspired her with
an honest affection for Gambler. ST
believed a marriage with him
would not only insure my own
happiness but would enable me 10
render material assistance in the
remaining years of the aged mans
life in making them as happy as
they had ever been. 1 accepted his
offer OF marriage in good faith"
she said.
ENGAGEMENT BROKEN.
Plaintiff charges that unless de-
fendant was willing to resent and
refute said ISLANDERS against the
good name and character of his
ARRANGED wife when they were
made, it was his solemn obligation,
In decency and honor. to promptly
acquaint her with the names and
addresses OF the men alleged to
have been the authors of the re-
ports, to enable her to exposeR the
falsehood."
The announcement of the engage
ment of the beautiful woman and
Mr.. Gambler created sensation
in the South, where Mr.. Gambler is
known as the South's richest man.
It was even more astounded a few
months later when the New Orleans
beauty appeared dramatically in
Atlanta and announced the breaking
of the engagement by Mr.. Gambler
and her intention to press for Vindi-
cation Of her honor, which, she said.
had been attacked.
The date for the marriage, she
said, was originally set for Septem-
Der %, last. Mr.. Gambler was to
leave Atlanta on September /. An.
nouncements Of the marriage had
been printed, bouquets ordered,
Pullman reservations for a honey
moon trip from Reno 10 New York
made and costly trousseau order
ed by the bride-to-be.
On the day preceding the date of
Mr. Gamblers intended arrival in
Reno. says Mrs. De Bouchelle, she
received a letter from Mr.. Gambler
informing her he had been told by
two men in Atlanta they had been
invited to visit her in her rooms
AZ Inc PIEDMONT Hotel at night
while she was in Atlanta as chape-
ron general Of a convention of the
United Confederate Veterans He
asked that the engagement be ter.
minated.