New Britain Herald Newspaper, July 12, 1928, Page 17

Their Wedded | Romance, |, | EING the ‘“handsomest patrolman” in aN New York City’s Police Department has proved to be a bed of delightful roses not unmixed with vexing thorns At least, George Sylvester Wandling, “Adonis cop” of Manhattan, thinks s0. For masculine beauty, while it may be only skin deep, can be stung just as annoyingly by matrimonial nettles as any other ef\idermix, And then the perturbation, when you think you have smoothed out all your marital woes, and Fate comes along and administers another puncture to your pride. It is almost too much. W\ Patrolman Wandling attrihutes his latest mis- } fortunes to the wilfufnesn of his wife—his sec- ond beautiful one, by the way. After getting a decree of annulment of their marriage, says he, Claire Suggs Wandling persisted in visiting him while he was on his beat and pestering police of- ficials. So he had a summons issued for her on & charge of disorderly conduct. But Claire’s habit of breaking in on his police duties wasn't the factor jn the mix-up that both- ered the Adonis patrolman the most. There was another episode, all details of which are not yet known, which resulted in Wandling filing suit for $100,000 against George McCauley, a manufac- turer, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, who, charged Wandling, had alienated Claire's affec- tions. To_understand fully the depth and width of Wandling’s woes, it is necessary to go back and review the important and romantic sequence of his past career—a career that has ircluded al- most everything glamorous from distinction as -an aerial ace to matinee idolship at the hands of most of the feminine population of New York, who have silently but fervently admired him from afar as he went about his duties with quiet efficiency. Before the World War, Wandling was a pri- vate chauffeur for a magnate. The bright-eyed, soft-voiced, politely attentive young man at the ewWoesafthe Adoris (op Over HisWilful W Secrets, Sobs and Law Suits to Hamper the " Handsome Patrolman’s Second Broken " Romance with a Beauty Whom He Says He Still for a little flying. George was pally with all the boys out there, and they had fine sport play- ing tag over Long Island and dropping around in parachutes. One day when George descended from the skies, after a particularly hair- raising bunch of stunts, a fetching little ferainine figure stepped forward to congratulate him. It was Frances Ingram, operatic star, who had happened to be visiting the field. George had aiways had a hard time getting used to praise from the other sex, and he stumped his toa in frank embarrass- ment as Miss Ingram told him how wonderful she thought he was. But agter she had departed, his expression grew serious and a soulful look came into his ig hazel eyes. It began to look, to George’s pals, as though the “Adonis” had been mortally vclounded by another mythological person, called upid. Before long Frances and George were seeing one another regularly. That well-known ripen- ing of romance that often happens when a stal- wart, stunning young fellow and a fascinatingly pretty girl meet ensued, and it was aided by the fact that M Ingram, for all her reputation as a song bird, was tremendously democratic. She didn’t mind eating in unpretentious places, and she raised no clamor to Ee taken to night clubs or on yachting cruises. Naturally enough, this simplicity of demeanor appealed to s genuine fellow like George. So no one was vastly surprised when Frances and George were married in 1920. After the ceremony they went to Chicago, and there they were sublimely happy. Then, says George, his wife decided that it was “all a mistake.” “I guess she thought our marriage was interfering with her professional career,” he added a bit wistfully. “I didn’t know just what {o do,” the eomely young giant told a reporter for this newspaper. “Frances had wanted to let me invest $25,000 in starting a garage busi- ness, but later that plan was changed, and she had placed about §$400.- 000 in Chicago real estate and made over a half interest to me. Then she decided she wanted it back and why shouldn’t Assnmed While Officials. Loves. Posture He Explain- ing His Various Woes to o Sympathetic Police “All alone by the—radio!” Wandling Listening to Some Etherized Highly Domestic “Shot™ of the Wandlings' Home Life, Showing Claire at the Kitchen Range. wheel of the millionaire’s Rolls-Royce was giving complete satisfaction, and he might have lingered in that agreeable berth had it nct been for that assassination at Sarajevo which touched off the War of Wars. Enlisting, George Wandling Eddie Rickenbacker's outfit of “flvin 1s.” He served for twenty-two months. B was ar illustrious one, for he managed to splatter the timing-gears of a lot of Taub monoplanes among the poppies in Flanders Field, and won a whole chestful of medals. With the signing of the Armistice, Wandling, who even then was enjoying an unsought repu- tation as an extraordinarily handsome chap, re- turned to the United States. He got a chauf- feur's job with Asa G. Candler, the fabulously wealthy soft drink king, and in those .moments when he wasn’t chauffeuring for the rich man he would take a run out to Minecola, Long Island, joined up with I have concurred? It was all friendly and miable."” orrowful over his broken romance and bored, time hanging lead-like on his hands, George ndling menufiy scrutinized the list of pos- ble careers and finally made up his mind that a policeman’s job would suit him fine. When he joined the force, he quite innocently started something. Fellow cops thought him a swell fellow, but, you know—*"kinda too good- looking.” Nursemaids, governesses, fla; pers and their grandmothers who observed him from afar in Central Park silently disagreed. A census of their emotions would have revealed the blue- coated hero as just about the most desirable male on earth. Still George continued the life of a lonesome divorcee. is existence was monastically aus- tere, that of a veritable bachelor, until— It was & sunny day down at Long Beach, and e e— e ———— the “Adonis cop” was taking a respite from his duties. (He had long since been divorced from Frances, who had returned to her vocal career.) There he met a most attractive and stimulating young lady, M Claire Suggs, of Buffalo, daughter of a millionaire. Not in the least on that account, but simply because she was beauti- ful, young, vivacious and stylish, you can guess what happened to George. The young people were married in the Church of the Visitation in the bride's home city, George having, he says, secured a special dispensation from Cardinal Hayes to sanction the ceremony. Despite the wealth of his parents-in-law, George had no thonght of being a financial drag on them. He kept on pounding pavements, being, as he put it, “just a plain guy.” Irrespective of whose fault—if any—it was, George didn't seem to have much better luck with his second matrimonial venture than with his first. “Claire began to act so strangely,” he said, “and when I would ask her why, she'd keep silent.” Things went from bad to worse for the “Adonis cop.” The little love nest of a month before was strangely silent. He would come home from his arduous duties as a law-enforce- ment officer, to find his wife out, he says, and he spent hours browsing moodily around their home, looking at old photographs, listening to the radio and wondering where Claire was. Then she would come home, but, according to Wandling, she never volunteered any explanation Wewmiver Festurs Servica, 1008 of her absence. When he asked her where she had been her answers were evas- ive and unsatisfactory. Also, according to court records filed later, Claire received presents from admirers who sought her hand before her marriage to Wandling. All of these things wor- rled “Adonis,” but they wera forgotten one night when Claire suggested that she needed a little vacation. This sounded strangely omin- ous to Wundln{g. and he protested gently but firmly. Mrs. Wandling was determined, how- ever, and, while he followed her around protest- ing, she proceeded to pack her luggage apeedy departure. Wandling did not give up hope. He kept her, got into the taxi with her, drove to ( Central Station with her, and 1 her to stay in New York. She ti ear to all his pleas and, finally own eloquence and a desire to ju actions, he persuaded himself that need a vacation, after all. Six weeks with her family in Buflalo might make Mrs. Wandling more appreciative of the advantages of the little New York apartment, thought the patrolman, so he said “Good-bye” with a happy heart and returned home. Claire had been gone only a short time when the police- man had another idea. He had not understood the strange coolress which had seized his wife recently, and he de- cided that, while she was away he might do a little investigating. It was not easy work, and he enlisted the aid of a friend. Together they tackled the problem, and the patrolman turned detective. His labors bore fruit, however, for he discovered, according to his sworn statement, that his wife had been in communication with George McCauley, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. y Wandling had a talk with Mr. McCauley, and later he filed suit against the wealthy manufac- turer for $100,000, alleging alienation of Claire’s P S S EN Y Vivacious Pop- trait-Study of Claire Suggs Wandling, the “Adonis’s Second Bride. Wandling in Uniform. His Precinct Numbee s Fateful Numeral That Apparently Sways His Love Matches, Just when Wandling was com; leting ti Claire returned from Buffalo, the aggrieved husband, she di‘ their little love nest, whence love Instead she took & separate estab. ren she started an action to have her man ge annulled on the ground that his first divorce was invalid, because of the lack of jurisdiction of the court which granted it. When Mrs. Wandling No. 1 secured a decree of annulment he appealed against the granting of the decree. It was this latter stand that annoyed pref Claire to the point of payin personal calls on George while he was on fiis beat, he de- clares. Then she paid some more personal calls on police officialz. The latter question George informally, and were seemingly satisfi with account of the situation. It was at this F mons charging w sorderly conduct rs. Wandling, thereupon, retired from publie v and when reporters her out to as- certain her side of the sto: e proved to be “out” or “b or with “nothing to say.” George still isn't discouraged at thie turn of events. “I can make her happy yet, if she’ll only give me a chance,” he confid “And I'm not despairing of that. Oh, how I love that girll In any case, T simply won't divorce her.” That may be the w. seorge feels, but there are scores of pretty girls in New York who would prefer to have him free—and perhaps ready for a third trip to the altar—with them.