New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-04
Clerical Romance.

Under the above mild heading, the New
York Herald, of the thirty first of July. pub
fishes an account of New Orleans pastor,
his elopement and double marriage. Having
an extended acquaintance with the clergy
of this city, we have no hesitation in say.
ing the story has no foundation in fact. Its
publication in leading paper, however,
shows with what eagerness sensation re
porters seize upon the faintest clue to put
forth clerical scandal. The Herald story is
as follows:
A Methodist Episcopal clergyman has
been for some time past administering to
the spiritual welfare of large and respect
able congregation in New Orleans. In the
flock which this "good shepherd" under
took to lead was a woman Of bewitching
personal attractions, who conceived more
than platonic affection for her pastor, and
which in time was fully and freely recipro-
Gated by the divine, who, it should be
stated, was married man. Some three
weeks ago the pastor and his paramour be-
came invisible to their friends, and, as it
subsequently TRANSFERRED, were clandes-
timely married in the Crescent City, and
Immediately afterward left on northward
bound train, doubtless to seek some UNI
brageOus nook, where first wives cease
from troubling and all save conscience
might be at rest. Suspecting the cause of
her husbands absence, his spouse, accom-
panied by her little son, lost no time in fol-
lowing her pertidious lord, and ultimately
traced the guilty pair to America, thriv-
ing settlement on the line of the Harlem
railroad, and distant from New York about
eighty.fiv miles. Here the indignant wife
arrived yesterday morning, and found the
object of her search, together with his
mOrganatic mate, snugly dOmiciled at
fashionable hotel. Face to face the parties
met, and while both women thought fit to
faint by way of prelude to what followed,
the guilty clergyman looked on compla-
Gently, as though asking the bystanders for
an explanation of the sudden and extraor-
binary scene. Restoratives having been
applied, both females quickly recovered
their senses, and in an instant thereafter
were diligently investigating each others
hair. The injured woman entreated the
hotel keeper not to use unnecessary harsh
ness toward her husband, since he had just
promised to return home with her.
When the landlord discovered yesterday
scoundrel had no funds wherewith
to liquidate his Indebtedness the clergyman
and his partner were unceremOnlOusly
elected from the house. The entire party
then took Harlem train Tor the city, the
first wife taking care not to let him leave
her for a moment, although she refused to
pay passage fare except for herself and her
little boy. This action on her part COM
PEELED the impecunious husband to deposit
a diamond pin with the conductor as Sc
curity for himself and the second wife, in
order to escape being put off the train. 1t
is also stated that both women quarreled
f1riously during the entire length of the
Journey, much to the amusement of their
On arriving at the
Forty-second street depot another exhibit
ton took place, both women claiming
right to the clergyman. The first wife,
however, carried her point by threatening
to invoke the assistance Of a policeman,
and finally escorted her truant husband
out of the depot, while the other woman
defantly brought up the rear.