Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-10-25
THE GAZETTE.
FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER Is.

A SOCIAL RoMANCE.-The Chicago Post
furnishes these particulars Of case of true
love: or.
The social romance Of the marriage Of Miss
Ella Hancock, daughter Of John l.. Hancock,
the well-known packer, to her father S coachrlan,
Thomas Lynden, a native Of England, has as
sumed shape before Judge Gary, in the Su-
preme Court, 10 the form of a report from the
Master, H. B. Magruder The case is one OF
the most singular on record The girl IS, at the
present time, not more than fifteen yeats old,
and is quite a child in appearance and manner.
Iynden is about thirty: five years OF age, quite
bald. with no particular prepossesslon OF aspect
or manner to render him dangerous as Lo-
thario. He hired as coachman to MIR. Han
cock last May, and drove out Miss Ella, in COM
mon with numerous members OF the family, on
several occasions Sometimes he drove her out
alone, and during these lonely drives the bald
headed Saxon contrived to win the confidence
of the unsuspecting child. He led her, it is
alleged, to believe that he was person of con-
seqnence-a Prince in disguise, or something
that way-and, on one occasion, while drlv-
inc along Wabash avenue, Miss Ella saw a
beautiful house, and, according to her state
ment exclaimed, "Oh how I'd like to live in a
house like that !' The obliging Thomas said,
IAN right, you shall have that house when We
are married" And so, according to the allie
CATION, Ella was captured by the promise OF a
bic house on the avenue, and consented to be-
come Mrs Thomas Lyndeu, after the fashion
preserved in certain old country ballads, when
lnaidens fair and young bestowed themselves,
for love and nonsense, on their father S serving
men, who, however, were always fellows OF
wondrous fine physique, and furnished with
ambrosial curls
So the gentle and bald-headed Thomas pro-
posed to get license from the County Clerk,
and in order to have no difficulty IN the matter
swore, as ia alleged by Ella Hancock, that the
girl was over eighteen years of age The IL
cense was procured, and the parties duly mar
ried by Rev. G. H. Fowler, Methodist minis
ter of this city. After the ceremony, as is
further alleged, Ella returned to the bosom OF
her family, and never cohablted with or ac-
knowledgcd the euterprlslng Lynden as her
husband.
The girl further ayers that she was unaware
that the matrimonial ceremony placed her, In
any way, under the control Of Lynden, but
about eight days after the event, feeling alarm
ed told her sister, Mrs Skinner, about the
matter. Mrs Skinner: told Mr.. Skinner, and
the latter told Mr. Hancock, who had an ami
mated interview with Thomas and gave him
piece of his mind, at the same time dlscharg-
ing him from his service. !,
The girl, according to her own affidavit, and
those of her father, sister, servant, and maid
servant, was never influenced to demand an
annuiment of the marriage, but was led there
to by perfect indifference to the smooth pated
person who, in so strange away, and with the
promise Of pretty house, induced her to
change her name.
Ali her friends were greatly shocked, but, as
they aver, they did not influence the girl to
seek annulment of the marriage, as being il
legal, on the ground Of false affidavit for the
procuraton of the license. However that may
be, the girl utterly refused to live with Lynden,
and, as she swears, voluntarily entered into
legal proceedings to set aside the marriage.
The Court in the first place refused on tech
meal grounds to set the marriage aside, but
gave the complainant leave to amend the bill
in the shape of petition for divorce: The
papers are being prepared to-day, and when
the affidavts are filed the counsel will be ready
to proceed and the decision Of the Court will
be given.
Lynden has by his attorney entered an APP
rearance and filed an affidavit, in which he
denies the statements made by his father-ln-
law and declares that the girl Ella is coerced in
the action she has taken. He intends, it is
asserted, to sue out writ of habeas corpus to
have the girl brought into Court and examined
in person.