The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-02-12
''SWEETUM" LOSES HER
CASE IN ATLANTA COURT
QUESTION OF VALIDITY OF
RENO DIVORCE DECIDES
Ss,OO,OOO BREACH SUIT.
WON CLEAR MORAL VICTORY
She Declared Upon Departure For
Home-New Orleans Society Beau
ty Expresses Surprise at The Yer
. dict of The Jury.


ty Expresses Surprise at The Yer
dict of The Jury.
ATLANTA,-Po Possibility of an ap-
peal from a verdict of jury in the
federal district court by Mrs. One
lima de Bouchel, who was denied her
petition for 100000 damages from
Asa G. Gambler because she said he
broke his promise to marry her, was
seen in a conference between Harry
Gamble, Mrs. de Bouchels New Or
! leans attorney and Albert Howell, Jr.,
/ OF her Atlanta counsel.
Mr.. Gamblers attorneys attacked
the validity of the Reno, New, de-
cree of Sept. 81 1921, which granted
her a divorce from her husband,
! Adolph Rocquet of New Orleans. The
Atlanta capitalists lawyer declared
that the decree was invalid because
Mrs. deBouchel did not establish a
domicile in Nevada The decree be-
! ing invalid, they contended, she could
not become engaged to marry Mr..
| Gambler and therefore any engagement
existing for that purpose was not
legal
Divorce in Issue.
The soft drink manufacturer at
torney declared that Mrs. de Bouchel
was the legal wife of Mr. Rocquet
when she became engaged to Mr..
Gambler and that she still is legally
married to the New Orleans man.
Mrs. de Bouchel through counsel,
upheld the validity of her divorce
decree and said she had in every way
complied with the laws of the state OF
Nevada. The New Orleans woman,
they contended. had determined to di-
vorce Mr.. Rocquet before she met Mr.
Gambler in Atlanta during the Conted-
crate veterans reunion in 1919. She
had offered to release him from the en-
gagement, they continued, when it be
came apparent that there was Oppose
ton to the marriage on the part OF his
family but that he refused to listen
to the offer and insisted on the mar
riage. The wedding plans were all
arranged the trousseau Tor the-brIde-
to-be had been made, announcement
cards printed, Mrs de Bouchel had
shipped her furniture to Mr.. Gamblers
home in Atlanta and the wedding
itinerary agreed upon, and passage tor
the future husband engaged from At
lanta to Reno when two days before
the wedding, her petition declared,
she received letter from the Allan
! ia millionaire saying he could not mar
nv her because it had been told him
that two men had visited her room at
hotel in Atlanta while she was attend
/ ing the Confederate reunion in At
lanta in 1919 at night for improper
/ purposes.
Mrs. deBouchel said she demanded
/ the names of the alleged two men,
but Mr.. Gambler declined to give them.
! She came to Atlanta finally she as
serted, in an effort to learn their
names. but he steadfastly declined to
make them known. Finally she said,
she entered suit for $500000 to force
the information from him.
On the eve of the departure OF
Mrs. deBouchel and her party from
Atlanta she said she would stop. in
/ New Orleans for short visit before
proceeding to Reno, New, where she
said she had established her home.
Before her departure she made for-
NAL statement, expressing her disap-
pointment at the verdict.
while / freely confess surprise and
disappointment" Mrs. de Bouchel said,
that the validity of my divorce de
/ cree. which was rendered in Neva-
da and recognized by the courts of that
state, may be affected by the verdict
4 in this case nevertheless / am con-
soled by the fact that this defense was
first made by Mr.. Gambler asa techni-
! cal defense II months after he had FL
red his answer in court admitting I'M
der oath substantially every asser-
ton OF my petition sustaining my
character.
"The jury in the case for technical
1 reasons was afforded no opportunity
i to condemn Mr. Gambler and punish
/ him for his inexcusable attack upon
my character. An attack so inexcus-
able that upon the trial of this case he
offered no witness to sustain his rea-
sons for breaking our engagement and
/ his counsel openly admitted that no
attack of any kind could be made on
me-
Will Fight for Good Name,
"While | have had no opportunity
to consider further plans with refer
2 ellCe 10 lily uGNlCE WILL Vi NOAt ~
give this matter such prompt con-
sideration as may be necessary for my
own protection
TN bringing the form OF suit which
/ brought | was advised by my
counsel that it was my only recourse
and hope to develop the source OF
the rumors upon which Mr.. Gambler
had broken his engagement; and it is
my chief regret that the nature OF the
defense was such that | was cut off
then, and | suppose lforever, from
exposing the utter want OF founda-
ton for them"
During the trial of the case NUM-
erous love letters which passed be
tween the principals were introduced
in evidence. Several of those from Mr.
Gambler to Mrs de Bouchel began with
my Dear Sweetum," and numbers
OF her letters to him were addressed
to MY Darling" and signed Sweet
One" They covered a period from
1920 to the fall of 1922.
From the petition in the case 1t
developed that the two became &C