Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-06
Gaseh 10 Lose
Of All
-Four Children
Grandparents Win
Older Boys, Wife's
Sister Gets Others

figure, whose wife last July "a
took her own life, yesterday lost
custody Of all four Of his chill
dren.
Prince Georges County Circuit
Court Judge j. Dudley Digges
awarded custody of the two
older boys. Frank. jr.. Is. and
Elroy. II. to their maternal
Mr.. and Mrs
Andrew F. Crawford. Of ,147
Forty fifth place Sc.
The two younger children
Gordon Lee, 8. and Joan Ellen
S, will live with their late moth
er's sister, Mrs. Leroy Ritenour
and her husband in Hollywood
Fla.
Visiting Rights
Judge Digges issued strong
warnings that he would remove
the children from their new
homes If he heard of any dis.
paraging remarks about theil
father being made by their Gus.
todians. He added the father
will be permitted to visit the
children often.
The DEGREES came after a two
day court battle over custody OF
the children, in which Mr.
Gasch accused his late wife's
parents of causing him marital
troubles.
At one point he pointed FIN
ger at his father-in-law and
shouted that he "tormented the
living hell out of me-"
Judge Digges said he felt Mr.
Gasch would be unable to care
for the children properly.
Mr.. Gasch, shortly before the
decree. told the court he will
marry Mrs. jeanne Myers. whom
he admitted he had been escort.
ing and visiting at her Hamilton
Manor apartment since last Oc-
tober.
The woman had been nance
by Mr.. Gash's son as his com,
panion on a number Of occasion.
after the Gasches' estrangemen
last year.
Renowned Father
The two older boys had re.
nounced their father at the frs
day of the custody hearing an.
said they wanted to live will
their grandparents.
Both boys had testified theil
father was more interested il
politics than in his family. Mr.
Gasch was an unsuccessful Re
publican candidate for registe,
Of wills last year and later wa
defeated in a close race TO
Mayor Of Bladensburg.
Mr.. Gasch yesterday denie'
accusations Of his sons that h
had beaten them and his wife
He admitted he had suggests
to a Silver Spring psychiatris
that his wife be committed to al
institution but said he was toll
her condition did not warrant II
Later, he said, she was takel
ito George Washington Hospita
for shock treatment" and wa
kept in quarters that could b
entered only through locket
doors.
j Mrs. Gasch filed suit agains
her husband early this year TO
a limited divorce and custody o
her children. The suit was slate'
for hearing last Tuesday. but il
the meantime she had kille'
herself at the Gasch summe
home in st. Marys County.
Threatened Suicide
| Mr.. Gasch said his wife ha,
threatened, on several occasion:
to take her own life and that
as a result, he had removed al
his guns from his home at 400
Forty-eighth avenue, Bladens
burg, and the summer home.
He twice declared. Il didn'
kill her." as he emphasized J
was not his gun she had usec
to take her life
The Bladensburg man said hi
lfather-in-law had warned him
when he asked to marry Mrs
Gasch, that you'll marry hel
over my dead body" He sale
that his wife's family had spent
"a week ends in one year witt
him and his wife either in Bla
Idensburg or at the summel
home.
Mr.. Gasch admitted takint
Mrs. Myers to his summer hom'
the night after his wife's sui
eide there. He said they wen
because he had been INFORMED
the place had been ransacked
Forty items were missing. IN
said. ....
Other witnesses yesterday sale
Mr.. Gasch always seemed II
care for his wife and was in
Iterested in the welfare Of hi
children.
In the first days testimon,
other witnesses said Mr.. Gascl
used tricks on his wife to max
her feel she was losing her mind
Assault Case Pending
Last July 4 Mr.. Gasch. Mr.:
Myers and another couple be
came involved in a roadside
fight with Mrs. Gasch and other
of her family near Leonard
town. Mr.. Gasch and his part
we're found guilty Of assault
charges. but have appealed.
Judge DigRes. in his closinI