Evening star., 1949-03-23
Charges Fantastic Mrs. Rogers Says
In Comment on Suit Filed by Navy Wife

rled life are fantastic" and
ridiculous"
THE whole thing is fantastic" "
the 67-year-old Republican Con-
gresswoman declared of blond Mrs.
Eilene Diana Latta-Lawrence's al
legations in a maintenance suit
filed at District Court yesterday
II can't imagaine what's be-
hind it."
Mrs. Latta-Lawrence, now living
at the Roosevelt Hotel, asserted in
the suit that her husband, Capt.
Harold Alexander Latta Lawrence,
AZ. told her his future prospects
would be ruined if they resided to-
gether here because the marriage
was "a cause of great misery and
suffering" to Mrs. Rogers.
Old Family Friend.
Capt. Latta- Lawrence, on the
staff of Admiral Denfeld, chief of
naval operations, was part-time
member of Mrs. Rogers staff be-
fore the war. He was described as
an old family friend of the Con-
gress member.
Mrs. Rogers repeated this morn
ing that she did not want to make
any further comment on the suit.
She indicated she may have her
attorneys look into it.
Mrs. Latta-Lawrence said her
husband told her his future pros
poets would be ruined if they
resided together here. because the
marriage was "a cause of great
misery and suffering" to Mrs.
Rogers.
The wife asserted the tall, dark
Navy officer whom she married
last April told her he had been
on "close and intimate terms
with Mrs. Rogers for 20 years. The
wedding twice was postponed. she
declared, in order that Mrs.
Rogers consent might be obtained.
Mrs. Latta-LaWrence said that,
about two days after the marriage,
her husband began telling her she
must not live with him in or about
Washington. because 1t would
ruin his prospects for advance
ment in the Navy and his expec-
tations for financial improve
ment."
The reason was quoted in the
suit as being that the marriage
was a cause of great misery and
suffering" to Mrs. Rogers.
During a Bermuda honeymoon,
the suit declared, Capt. Latta-
Lawrence told his wife she would
not fit into the society he knew
in Washington.
The papers. filed through At
torneys David Cobb and I. S.
Weissbrodt, said Capt. Latta-
Lawrence insisted his wife occupy
separate quarters at the Shore
ham, which she maintained at
her own expense.
The wife declared she became
discouraged and i'll over her hus-
bands neglect, abusive treat
ment" and "extravagant atten-
tions" to Mrs. Rogers. who lived
at the same hotel.
During Mrs. Rogers absence
from Washington. however. the
suit said, the naval officer pro-
fessed affection for his wife.
Mrs. Latta-Lawrence said that
while she was at her home in Los
Angeles temporarily in August
her husband did not commune
cate with her for 10 days. and
she found. by communicating with
the Navy Department here. that
he had been on leave.
The suit asserted the wife
traced her husband and found
that he and Mrs. Rogers were at
Saco, Me. Mrs. Latta-Lawrence
declared that after she tele-
graphed Mrs. Rogers to have her
husband get in touch with her
he telephoned his wife and said
he was "altogether through
with her.
The suit asks at least $500 q
month maintenance. and an &C
counting of Capt. Latta-Law-
rence's property and financial re-
sources.
Early this afternoon Capt
Latta-Lawrence issued this state
ment:
Capt. Latta-Lawrence states
that he has not been afforded an
opportunity to see the complaint
filed against him by his wife, but
that from what he has read in
the newspapers he can say with
out reservation that the charges
are fantastic and he denies them
categorically."
Mrs. Latta-Lawrence is described
as being "in her 30s."
When she was asked her age,
She replied: well, wasn't it Elsa
Maxwell who said a woman who
will tell her age will tell any
thing?"
However, it is known that
she was born in Chattanooga.
Tenn, the daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. John M. Gibson, but when
she was 5 she went to live with
DR.. w. E. Hammer, Los An
geles dentist. and the late Mrs.
Hammer. The Hammers then
were living in Tennessee and
later moved north and finally set
tied on the West Coast.
The stately blond was married
once before, but divorced in Cali
fornia some 10 years ago. She
said she came to Washington in
1947 at the invitation of Mrs. Nina
Lunn, the daughter of former
Senator and Mrs. Wallace White
of Maine.
The Latta-Lawrence wedding in
New York at st. Bartholomew
church was a social event.
High Officials at Wedding.
Many high-ranking officers Of