PATERNITY DENIED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 82, 23 April 1937, Page 5

PATERNITY DENIED

T«legrsp!i— Press Assn.-

Clark Gable[s Evidence in Extortion Case SENSATI0N IN C0URT

(By

-Copyright.)

(Received 23, 8.45 a.m.) LOS ANGELES, April 21. The film actor, Clark Gable, appeared in court to-day at the opening of the trial of Mrs Violet Norton on a charge of extortion. Her attorney contended that she was sincere in announcing her intention of showing a remarkable xesemblance between Gable and the father of her child, and the resemblance of Gable to her danghter Gwendoline. Gable then took the stand and curtly denied any acquaintance with the accused qc ever visiting England. A sensation was caused on his entrance to the court, when the accused cried repeatedly: "That is hina." A Canadian woman, Mrs Violet Norton, aged 47, was arrested at Loe Angeles in January and charged with attempting to obtain money from the fiim actor, Clark Gable, by claiming that he was the father of her 18-year old daughter, who was born in England, and that when she saw Gable on the screen she recognised him. Gable said he had never been in England and did not kno^r the woman, and had no knowledge wbatever of the circumstanees inyolved. "I first learned of tlmse elaiuis two yeare ago," the actor said. "I did not consider the matter worthy of serious action then, but now the authorities have decided to prosecute, and I can only ofEer my f ullest cooperation." He added that in 1922 and 1923 he had worked in a department store at Portland, Oregon, and as a lumberjack in the Oregon woods.