The Washington times., 1937-02-16
GIBSON BURIAL
DELAYED TO
TUESDAY

AlUnOugn MS DOQy was due Gc
arrive at Arlington National Gene
terry today from New York city
Preston Gibson, whose 81 years
was crowded with war, social ex
ploits and playwrighting, may not
be buried until next Tuesday.
Officials at the National Gene
terry declared they had received in
StructionS to withhold burial ser
vices for the former Washingto
nian until a daughter, said to be
i'll in North Carolina, can come
here.
Only one person, another daugh
ter, was present at his bedside
when the colorful "playboy," who
was married and divorced four
times, died yesterday in the Vet.
erans' Hospital, New York. Miss.
ing were the hundreds and thou.
sands Of persons who had known
him as soldier, an arbiter for
the elite in the Capital and a sue.
cessful writer Of dramas.
Daughter At Bedside
The daughter with him at the
end OF a career, which brought
him the acquaintanceship of presi.
dents, kings and Broadwayites, is
Mrs. Gale Mclean, the former
Mary Preston Gibson, of Washing.
ton. She was born during his sec.
ond marriage, to Grace Mcmillan
Jarvis, granddaughter of the late
Senator James Mcmillan of Michi.
gan. They were wed in 1908, di.
vorced in 1915, and had one other
child, James Mcmillan Gibson, of
washington.
During his formative years Glib
son was known as an athlete, hav.
ing played on the varsity team at
Yale at the turn of the century.
While he was a Junior, Minna
Field, a student at fashionable
finishing school at Dobbs Ferry,
N. Y, eloped with him. She was a
niece Of Marshal Field, the Chi.
cago merchant prince. They were
divorced in 1907, having one son,
Henry Field Gibson.
Third Wife Oil Heiress
His third wife was Mrs. Beatrice
Benjamin Pratt, heiress to the
Rogers oil millions, who was al.
most disinherited by her family
but regained their affection after
a divorce from Gibson. She is now
Lady Cartwright, of England.
During this marriage, Gibson
went to France, Joined the French
ambulance corps and served
throughout the World War, part
OF the time with the American am.
bulance corps. He was awarded the
Croix de Guerre, for bravery at
Chemin des Danes.
In 1925 came his fourth and
final marriage, to Evelyn Spauld.
ing, socialite Of Haverhill, Mass,
She obtained a divorce in 1929.
Born in Washington
Born in Washington, the son of
the late Senator Randall Lee Glib
son, Of Louisiana, and Mary Mont.
gomery, whose sister married the
late Chief Justice Edward D.
White, Gibson is principally re-
membered for his creation of
Washington's only 400" list. 1t
was called the Dancing Fifty"
and was the most difficult social
body to crash" in the Capitals
history.
Gibson wrote many plays early
in the century, many of them be-
ing produced on Broadway. Nazi-
nova and Charlotte alker
starred in two of his playwriting
efforts. The dramas included The
Turning Point" Mrs. Erskine's
Devotion" Fate" "Cupid's
Trick" Success" "Derelicts, "
THE Secret Way" and several
others.
MRS. KATE DUNCAN CECIL
Mrs. Kate Duncan Cecil, widow
of Col. George Rusesll Cecil, u.
S. A. retired, died yesterday in
Walter Reed Hospital from in
juries sustained Friday in fall at
her home, 1888 Benton st. N. w.
Born in Detroit, Mrs. Cecil
came to Washington with her hus-
bano in 1915. Her father was the
late William Chamberlain Dun
can, eminent Detroit banker, who
served for two terms as mayor
Of that city.
Prominent socially in Washing
ton, Mrs. Cecil was a member Of
the Washington Club and the
Army Chapter of the D. A. r..
Active in charity work here, she
was formerly a member of the
women's board Of the Episcopal
Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, the
Episcopal, Home for Children and
tie House Of Mercy.
She will be buried Thursday
morning in Arlington National
Cemetery beside her husband.
Services will be conducted in her
late residence by the Rev. DR.. H.
H. Sterrett, pastor of the All
Souls' Memorial Church, offici-
ating.
MRS. LOUISE HARDNESS
Mrs. Louise Hardness, SO, widow
Of John W. Harkness, for many
years a clerk in the District as.
SCISSORS office, died yesterday
after brief illness at her resi-