New Britain herald., 1930-12-20

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 7
 
  On This Brief Note,
 inc Investigation of
 Gibbs on His
 Wedding Eve
 Hinged-UntiI
 Doris Runs, Who
 Was to Have Been Young Gibbs Bride
 Declared That She Wrote It-to
 Some Other Girl Named Doris, M /HEN scorching Summer Sun w lifted it's ruddy face above the
 horizon of the sleepy little town of Clyde, Ohio, only few months ago, all the beating hearts among the populace tapped out rhythm of joy. Something was in the air.
 That omethng was the nuptial atmos- phere-church bells would soon be ringing, church organ would soon be peallng, and a delightful young girl and handsome young man would be joined in the bonds of marriage.
 In town of somewhat less than four thousand inhabitants an impending wedding makes itself felt. Everyone knows everyone else, and the emotions of happiness, sorrow or the sheer joy which comes but once in a lifetime touches everyone.
 On the morning of July 28, 1880, Russell Gibbs was to meet Doris Runs at the altar of St. Paups Lutheran Church. He was 22 and she was year younger. They were childhood sweethearts. They had graduated together from Clyde High School and had together attended business col lege in Sandusky.
 ol oOIiudy lIltS pal lSu " llll kisses. And what day Sunday had been, with Monday the day of their wedding! The last day as boy and and blessings and fervent declarations of love were aired! One who has not been through it can only imagine the pure ecastacy of it.
 Then Russell drew Doris close to him and kissed her good night. She went into the house, gave her trousseau a final inspection and went to bed.
 But what did Russell do?
 That question has as yet not been answered.
 Russell Gibbs was the son of a prominent Clyde family, and part proprietor of large garage in the Toledo suburb. Doris Runs is the daughter of one of the most prominent food product packers of middle Ohio, and had been a stenographer in the office of the food association controlled by her father.
 On the morning of the we'd ding Doris Runs was waiting al her home for her childhood sweetheart to arrive and ac company her to the church for the ceremony.
 Then came the first startling report that her prospective bridegroom had been found murdered in his automobile just three miles from her home. The car had been set on fire to hide the identity of the slain man, but 4l II. Gibbs Masonic ring and spec tacles found on the floor soon enabled Sheriff Tom Pask to identify the burned body. Miss Runs fell in dead faint when she was told about the tragedy. Weeks have now passed since the murder without de- tectives finding the slayer, and the girl who was to have been a bride broods day by day over the gifts and over the bridal veil nl, n. she was cheated from wearing. ..' D A few days after the date on Hn '1l which the wedding would have ,o ,o been held young Gibbs was " buried Ordinarily the funeral would have been held in St. Paul's, but the unfortunate fiancee sobbed out a protest against this. Don't let him be buried from there! Oh, please, don't! Please. oh, please" And Gibbs's parents, moved to pity for poor Doris, arranged with the pas tor of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Clyde to read the services in his edifice. He agreed, and practically everyone in Clyde and surrounding towns tnrned out for the unhappy flu neral service.
 An air of deepest mystery still sur rounds the death of the young bride proom-to-be. Even with the expert as- sistance of Detective Frank DeLora of the Toledo police force. there have been no clues. Who could have killed this upright,