Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-03
Sons of Suicide Mother
Renounce Their Fother

Two tccu-dse pOyS TeuOunCeO
their father, Frank e. Gasch, 40.
Of Bladensburg. in Prince Georges
County Circuit Court yesterday
during q hearing to determine
the best home for themselves, q
brother and sister.
The Gasch uoys, Frank, jr.,
IA and Elroy. II, recounted for
Judge J. Dudley Digges expert
ences of beatings dealt by their
father TO both themselves and
their now deceased mother. They
also told Of renoezvous the ia
tner had with another woman
following his eStrangement from
his wife last winter.
Mr. Gasch, Bladensburg
heating contractor. is seeking
custody Of his two youngest
ek,lldren. Gordon Lee, 8, and
Joan Ellen. S. adopted about
four years ago. His wife, Mrs.
Nellie c. Gasch. 81, killed herself
with q shotgun on July "A at
the family's summer home at
Colton's Point, st. Marys Coun-
". A1d.
Defeated at Polls
Mr. Gasch, o Republican, lost
al election last fall to become
county register of wills. In May,
he lost by six votes his bid to
be mayor Of Bladensburg.
Relatives Of the family also
have petitioned the court for
custody of the children. Mrs.
Leroy Ritenour. Of Hollywood,
va. sister Of the dead woman,
and her husband want the two
younger children. Mr.. and Mrs.
Andrew F. Crawford. Of HAT
Forty-iifth place Sc, parents
Of the late MRS. GaSch, have
asked for the two other boys.
al are staying at the Crawford
home.
Both the Ritenours and Gram
f0rds have stated they will take
al four children if the court
fishes.
In addition TO the boys
testimony, yesterdays all-day
session consisted Of q parade Of
witnesses-relatives or friends Of
the Cranfords and Ritenours, in
Guiding Mr.. Gasch's brother,
~ho disparaged the fathers
ability to rear the youngsters.
Mr.. Gasch will have chance to
testify at Fridays session.
Frank echoed his brothers
distrust for his father when he
Iold the court: "If he gets them
Gordon Lee and Joan ELEM f,
I'm going, too, because I want
70 stand and watch over them. F."
Says Family BuIlied
Both boys, emphatically de-
elaring they want to live with
the Cranfords, said Mr.. Gasch
bullied and struck them and
never seemed to show any per-
sonal concern for individuals in
his family. He was more inter-
eSted in politics, they agreed.
Elroy testified:
L told him, Politics will be
the ruin of your family and all
he said was, If that's the way
Il has 70 be, 1t has to be-"
The two added that their ia
ther always had provided good
furnishings for their home.
which their mother kept in q
very neat and tidy fashion at
4O02 Forty-eighth street, Bla-
densburg. The boys gave her
fun credit for bringing them UP.
Several witnesses testified that
Mr. Gasch, when he was with
Joan Ellen, had always been very
loving and kind TO her. Others
brought out that. while Mr..
Gasch drank considerably, he
could consume q large quantity
q alcohol without becoming
drunk.
Elroy said his father beat Mrs
GaSeh and that his talk and
swearing kept her in such a
state Of nerves that hospitali-
Zstion was necessary.
Commitment Sought
Mrs. Ritenour said the family
threatened TO reveal Mr.. Gasch's
conduct 70 the newspapers Just
nefore the elections II he didn't
visit has wife in the hospital.
Ne then consented TO the visit.
80 added.
Additional testimony revealed
NJ Gaseh reported he had
called On the States Attorneys