KISSLESS BRIDE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3297, 16 August 1911, Page 8

KISSLESS BRIDE.

REMARKABLE SCENE AT COURT.

An excited crowd, roughly estimated at 3000, fought to enter a courtroom capable of accommodating a sixth of the number to hear Mrs Edith Russell Gambier, who has become famous during the last few weeks as “America’s kissless bride,” give evidence in her suit for separation against her husband, a stolid, •’ elderly banker,../who confesses he is devoted to business.

He has entered $ cross-suit for annulment of the marriage, alleging that during the two years of their union he has never lived with his wife. Public interest ip {jjVlrs Gambier’s narrative of her strange marriage was so keen that a cordon of police was necessary to keep order at the court door. _ Inside, Mrs Gambier, an attractive young Southerner in a smart blue linen frock, with a string of pearls, sat with a look of stern determination on her face listening to the conclusion, of her husband’s evidence as she waited to tell of his shortcomings. Mr. Gambier has already certified how after writing, “I love you” on his shirt front before their marriage and bidding .him keep the shirt as a souvenir, which he did. she refused to kiss him afterwards.

When he finally left her, hopeless of overcoming her coldness, she said that if he were “only a man and not an old woman” they would have got along like other married - couples.” Beside Mrs Gambier sat Mr Harvey Sickler, a young athletic man, head of the Fertiliser Trust, with whom, according to the evidence of the husband’s witnesses, Mrs Gambier took many late suppers, and motor-car rides, described by Mr. Sickler’s chauffeur as “joy rides.” On these rides, it was stated, _ Mrs Gambier returned Mr Sickler’s kisses. Mr. Sickler, though unnamed in the husband’s suit, has volunteered to go into the witness-box and deny this evidence. Before Mrs Gambier was called he gave evidence denying in detail the allegations that he had embraced Mrs Gambier. He said that he and Mrs Gambier were merely friends. Mrs Gambier, giving evidence, declared that she never repelled her husband. She proceeded to testify that the reason for her desire to testify that the reason for her desire for a separation from her husband was that the only caress he ever gave her was jn Paris, when he came behind her and gave her a little.pat on the shoulder. “Was it a hard pat?” asked Mr. Gambier’s lawyer . “No. It was just a nice little- pat,” said the witness, smiling through her tears. Counsel for the husband, arguing for the granting of an annulment, said that it was asked for on the ground of fraud. Mrs Gambier induced the busker to marry her by pretending that she loved him. She did not love him, and merely wanted him to marry her so that he should support her, which was making a contract under false pretences. The contract was, therefore, void.