Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-03-01
MARRIED IN THE DARK.
Michigan Matrimonial Mystery-Four
Claimants f,r Rr;Ia

Michigan Matrimonial Mystery-Four
Claimants for a Bride.
jackson (AIich) Cor. New York Herald1
About twenty years ago there lived in
Central Michigan a curious old Benedick
named Dodsworth. At the age of 80 he
married girl of 20, and when the bur-
den of 90 years bore him down his wife
was only half his age. Dodsworth was
noted for his peculiarities, but the climax
came when he found himself on his diving
bed. He was worth about $50, 900, and
he hadn't blood relative living, so far
as he knew. He wanted to leave his
property to his wife, as the pair had
lived very happily, but yet he could not
leave it without displaying some of his
peculiarities in the provisions of the will.
Some old men display a mean spirit when
making their wills, and draft i'll pro-
vision cutting the wife off with shilling
if she marries again. This old man wasn't
of that stamp. His young wife was good
looking, vivacious, fond of society, and
it was folly to suppose she would mourn
for her "late departed any great length
of time. Therefore Mr.. Dodsworth
turned heel on the usual custom and said
in his will:
In case my wife Celia does not take unto her
self another husband within thirteen months
from date Of my burial, all requests otherwise
made in this will are to the State of Michigan.
to be used for building and furnishing home
/ for old women.
Whether Celia was pleased or dis
pleased at this provision deponent saith
not, but the old man had not been under
/ the sod more than six months when the
widow was said to be looking out for
] 4 Il l.
dying DodswoTth to urge his wife to
marry again, it was still more singular
that he should desire the ceremony to be
Performed under the following circum-
stances, viz:
And it is made incumbent said Celia Dods-
worth that in taking new husband the marriage
ceremony shall be performed in the big barn on
my farm ON the H road. IL shall take place
at 10 o'clock in the evening, ON the main floor,
without lights Of any description, with all door.
shut, and free invitation shall be extended to
all. The clergyman shall stand in the stables
and the bride and groom ON the main floor, and
the principal parties to the ceremony shall be
dressed in black throughout.
The widow announced her intention to
faithfully obey in spirit and letter, the
will was probated, and the twelfth month
had scarcely passed before she issued an
invitation for the public to attend we'd
ding mt the big barn. Just who the
groom was to he no one could positively
assert, as the widow had been keeping
company with widower, bachelor and
two young men, ami, as far as any out
slider could judge, she loved one as well
ms the other. Being good-looking and
talented, and having n fortune behind
her, it was not strange that she should
have a number of suitors. She seemed
to enter into the spirit of the affair with
great zest, as also did the minister; and,
to further mystify the people in attend
ance, the bride entered the barn alone mt
one door, the groom alone at another,
and no one knew that the minister had
arrived until his voice was heard in the
stables.
There were ut least 200 people present,
and each one understood that even the
striking of match would break the will.
Many jokes were passed, and ccnsidera-
BILE confusion existed. but at length the
minister announced that all was ready
The ceremony was gone through with,
and, at its conclusion, the affair having
been profound success" rush was
made for the bride; she was kissed by
| 100 men, and was then carried home,
a distance of mile and half, in big
armchair.
Now comes the mystery. When the
lady was down ut her own door the Wild
over, the bachelor, and the two young
men each claimed to be her true and law
full husband None of the crowd could
say who was the lucky man, the minister
was Mt sea. and the bride herself seemed
Al Il Al
man of her choice, but in the confusion
ne could have been hustled aside, and he
did affirm that an attempt had been made
to choke him and get him ont of the
barn. The bachelor vowed that she had
promised to marry him, as also did both
young men, and each one WIS sure that
he held the widows plump hand and was
legally married to her. The four men
had fight, but that didn't mend mat
tiers. The crowd ducked two of them in
a creek, but that didn't decide the ques-
ton.
Just how it would have terminated had
not the widower been man of nerve, no
one can tell, as the other three had al
ready appealed to the law, when the Wild
over stepped in and took his place as
husband, and settled with the others for
81, 900 each.
One of the young men, now over 40
years old, and having all the wife he
wants (she weighs $50 pounds), is living
in this city, and, during an interview
had with him to-day, he solemnly and
earnestly assured your correspondent that
he was legally married to the Widow
Dodsworth that night in the big barn.
Another of the parties lives in Clinton
county, and he has time and again as
serted that he is the woman's true and
lawful husband, 30 help him God. The
bachelor is dead, but, were he alive and
kicking he would renew his oft-repeated
protestations-
II married her, 10y gum and, by
gum, ought to have her y