Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-10-09

tAha VIC Il AtSAAs
SCENES AT THE HOUSE.
Yesterday witnessed the marriage
ceremonies of Thomae w. Fitch, an
assistant engineer in the United States
navy. with the rank of master, ard
Miss Maria Ewing Sherman, eldest
daughter of General William L. Sher
man. of the United States army. The
brilliant reputatio of the brides faith
er. the prominence of her mother III
social life, the elaboratep reparations
and studied effort to give ectat to the
ceremonies, combined TO interest the
public to degree that was fully man.
ifestdd in the brilliant assemblage in
side o. st. Aloysius' church and the
sarging masses that for hours crowded
it's approaches yesterday.
Nothing that could be provided by
the wealth of the brides parents and
friends, no influence that attaches to
the nigh rank of the General of the
army, was neglected to give impor-
lance to the nuptials and sclemnlty
aud grandeur to the cerem onies pre-
scribed by the Catholic Church for
such occasions. Every arrangement
was made with a thoroughness and
carried out with completeness of de-
tail that reflects the highest credit up
on those who directed them.
SCENES AT GENERAL sHERIAN's HOUSE.
Eleven o'clock was the hour announ-
ced for the commencement Of the ser
vices. Long before the hour large
crowd assembled in front of General
4 II Il
patiently watched ard waited for the
appearance Of the bridal party. The
police arrangements at the house
were admirable, lines of officers being
stretched from the building line to the
curbstone, thus keeping clear space
for irgress to and egress from the
brides residence. Notwithstanding
the crowd was unusually large, filling
the sidewa1 adjoining General Sher.
mans residence and spreading itself
out over the street, the best OF order
and decorum prevailed. About 1870
o'clock recess was given the scholars
of the public school directly OPP
posite the Sherman Residence,
and these rude, unbirched boys, these
EMBRYO AMERICAN sovEREIGNs,-
confined behind iron rails, maintained
q din and chatter equal to that made
by hundred trip-hammers in active
operation, and danced and gyrated III
q style that would shame Il baud of
Sioux Indians. Every house that COM
mands view of tile Sherman resi-
dence gave illustration to the interest
felt in the ceremonies of the day.
Faces filed every window and forms
Swallowed every housetop. For block
IL L. L., 10 L
the church, the crowd filled the streets
and mounted to the house-tops, while
u wilderness OF carriages were parked
in the immediate vicinity.
STARTING FOR THE CHURCH.
At 1915 o'clock whisper, which
soon decpcncd into g dull roar, welied
mp from the crowd and announced
that the bridal party was about to
emerge. Policemen stood more erect
and assumed an air of greater respon-
sibility; hacn men settled themselves
on their boxes and frightened their
lines; the crowd raised itself on tip
toe; the schoolboys ave final yell Of
defiance, but before Lii. Y could gather
themselves for I. secol i effort the
head of the bridal procession emerged
from the house, and the entire party
was expeditiousiy placed IN thu car
riages in waiting and driven TO the
church.
AT THE CHURCH
the crowd completely occupied every
available foot OF space that command
ed view of the building, and men
and women, horses and vehicles, were
mixed in what seemed to be labyrin-
than confusion. The police arrange
ments here were very bad. No effort
was made to keep the crowd in order,
and people were permitted to block
up the steps and door of the church to
such an extent that much difficulty was
experienced in obtaining entrance.
Neither was any effort made to regu-
late drivers Of vehicles, who dashed
about New Jersey avenue with cool
Indifference to the safety Of the nu-
mereus women and children there
assembled. Upon entering the church
the following order, preparatory to
moving down the main aisle to their
places inside the sanctuary rail:
BRIDESMAIDS AND GRooMsMEN.
Miss Lizzie Sherman and c. W Rae,
United States army
Miss Kate Phillips, Ct Cincinnati,
and Henry Hunter, United States
navy.
Miss Fannie Marcy, daughter of
General Marcy, and Paymaster G. W.
Cochrane.
Miss Alice BARLEY, niece of General
Sherman, and Mr.. George ". Calvin,
of Boston.
Miss Maria Patterson, of st. Louis,
and Mr.. Thomas e. Sherman
Miss Ella Ewing, niece of Mrs Sher-
man, and Mr.. Edwin Wells, United
States navy.
Miss Bessie Smith, of Torresdale,
of the Marine corps.
Miss Ellie Sherman and Mr.. E. E.
Wood, United States navy
General William I. sherman, in full
uniform, supporting his daughter,
Miss Maria Ewing Sherm IN, the bride
Such Of the groomsmen as belonged
to the army AID navy wore the full
dress uniform of their rank.
Mrs. Sherman, the mother Of the
bride. escorted by her brother, Judge
Ewing, of OHiO, had formerly taken
her seat IN the pew reserved Tor the
family.
The bridegroom was driven to the
rear entrance of the church, by which
he entered and awaited the coming
of the bride in the sacristry.
THE WEDDING MARCH.
A few minutes only were consumed
in arranging the bridal procession in
the order named above. Everything
being arranged, signal was given the
choir, and the first rich and familiar
notes of Mendelssohn's wedding march
announced to the expecting congrega-
ton the arrival of the bridal process
sion. AS they marched up the broad
aisle to take their places in the sane
tuary q deep thrill of emotion was felt
by the vast audience, and the express
sion on every face told more plain than
spoken words could do of the impress
siveness and grandeur OF the scene
THE DRESS OF THE BRIDE.
With the first peals of the organ
Archbishop Purcell, who is over eighty
y, 49, a., attended by Bishop Wood
:.n's 49,. i,tiests who were to assist in
ths ceremonies, moved out of the YES