Предложение Гордона об элементе blockSpan
сработало для меня.Вот пример того, как его использовать:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<document filename="test.pdf">
<template pageSize="(612,792)" title="Test" author="Don Kirkby">
<pageTemplate id="first">
<frame id="first" x1="10.0" y1="10.0" width="592" height="772"/>
</pageTemplate>
</template>
<stylesheet>
<blockTableStyle id="main">
<blockSpan start="0,1" stop="1,1"/>
</blockTableStyle>
</stylesheet>
<images/>
<story>
<blockTable colWidths="100.0,287.5,187.5" style="main">
<tr>
<td><para>Cell 0,0</para></td>
<td><para>Cell 1,0</para></td>
<td><para>Cell 2,0</para></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><para>Cell 0,1 will flow into its neighbour</para></td>
<td><para>Cell 1,1 will not appear, but must be present</para></td>
<td><para>Cell 2,1</para></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><para>Cell 0,2</para></td>
<td><para>Cell 1,2</para></td>
<td><para>Cell 2,2</para></td>
</tr>
</blockTable>
</story>
</document>