Testamentary Parental Kidnapping: Gazzam - 1910

NOTE: This is but one of many cases of a type what I call “Testamentary Parental Kidnapping,” a type of malicious child/parent access denial related to what is commonly called Parental Alienation.

 FULL TEXT: Philadelphia, Oct. 28. – After twenty years separation from her father in obedience to a clause in her mother’s will, Mrs. Chas. B. Galvin, of New York, formerly Miss Antoinette Elizabeth Gazzam with her new soul-mate husband, is to-day the happy guest in the home of her father, former state Senator Joseph M. Gazzam of this city, Mrs. Galvin is now 28 years old and had not seen her father who was divorced by Mrs. Galvin’s mother since she was eight. For more than a year she has been gradually weakening in her blind obedience to her brother’s injunction and a few months ago when Gazzam was injured in a fire, the daughter sent him flowers daily.

The recent marriage of the “heiress of Cornwall,” as Mrs. Galvin is known, served as the excuse for sweeping away the 20 year barrier and the reconciliation was complete in every way, father Gazzam even slapping on the back in joyous enthusiasm.

Mrs. Galvin is very wealthy having inherited $3,000,000 from the estate of her mother. She attained considerable notoriety last January when she was sued for $150,000 by Mrs. Marshall Clark of Chicago, whose husband was known as “Niblo the Palmist.” Mrs. Clark demanded $150,000 for the alienation of her husband’s affections and the suit was settled for $25,000.

Galvin before he married the heiress was a civil engineer employed by the New York Aqueduct commission.

[“Meets Her Father After Separation Of Twenty Years – Mrs. Galvin Disregards Divorced Mother’s Injunction and Pays Visit to Mr. Gazzam. – Is Worth Three Million – Was Recently Married and Became Prominent in Alienation Suit in New York.”  The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader (P.), Oct. 28, 1910, p. 17; IMAGE: “Mrs. Charles Gavin. – Mother of New Heir to Gazzam Millions, Who Rejoices at Traumerei.” The Vindicator And Republican (Etherville, Io.), Sep. 13, 1911, p. 6]

***

More on Parental Alienation

***