The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-09
HARLEM'S SENSATION.
The Alleged Forced Marriage
Of Miss Jessie Hunt.
FLIGHT OF THE BRIDEGROOM
An Appeal Made to the Courts by
the Unwilling Bride.

riage of Miss Jessie 4. Hunt of Lexington avenue
and 1oSth street, to Mr. David II. Risbey, OF 10th
street, near Second avenue. Under ordinary crcum.
stances the marriage would not excite any interest or
comment beyond their circle of acquaintances;
but the story of the way in which the young man is
alleged to have secured his bride. told in yester-
days HERALD. at once aroused public interest The
young lady yesterday morning made affidavit in the
Harlem Police Court that she married the
man she did not love under duress and
because she had alternative but to give
her hand her life, and her complaint
a warrant issued and placed in the hands Of
Detective Clarke. who had not up to four O'Clock
cured his man. A color of truth was given to this
charge also by the disappearance early in the morn
ing of Mr. Rsbey from his home without acquainting
his mother where he was going how long he would
be away. II he does not get back soon his milk route
will suffer, and if he does he will suffer- Mr. Rsbey
will be Twenty-Five years OF age next February, and
Miss Hunt. will be twentyonc month later. thai
they were and legally responsible for their acts
and ought to have well considered the outcome.
There discrepancies If not fiat contradictions in
the stories told by the friends and relatives Of the
"bigh contracting parties" yesterday to the HERALD
representative
REV. MR. VIRGINS JUSTIFICATION
The Rev. Samuel H. Virgin, pastor or the Congrega-
tional Church OF Harlem was first visited He resitea
in East 124th street, Third avenue. He it was
who united the Young people in marriage; but he
showed the HERALD representative the record Of the
marriage. duplicate of which he had given the BRIDE
groom. There is nothing in the handwriting Of Mr..
Risbcy to indicate excitement, and Mr., Virgin
evidence In the contenances actions OF either that
they were unduly excited He noticed that the eyes
of the young lady looked red and after he had per.
formed the marriage ceremony and was Offering
prayer for the young couple Mrs Virgin noticed thai
away tear; but as the minister's eyes were closed
he could not have noticed this. There slight in.
dication OF nervousness in the lady's handwriting
tlapa oh haf MI fhn
But Mr.. Virgin accounted for this by saying that
the signature was made with his gold pen, and
ladies not used to gold she did not handle
ii easily. He had similar indications in the pen
manship of other ladies' who have appeared before
strangers to him. He had no reason to snsnecs
durcss or force the part of the unwilling
consent on the part OF the woman Indeed. had Miss
Hunt desired to escape. he says she could have
done so from his house: for while he
took Mr.. Risbey into his study Miss Hunt
remained in the psrlor with closed folded door be-
tween them and the front door only few feet from
her and Third avenue. less than fifty feet away.
Mr. Risbey was detained by the minister at least
being able to tell the given name OF Mrs. Hunt he
called to Jessie to ascertain She promptly gave the
as stated.
HASTE WITH THE WEDDING
But, moreover, Mr. Virgin received the impression
that there was nothing out OF the ordinary Of
marriages, from the fact that when he put the usual
question wilt thou, Jessie, take this man. &c. and
before he had finished the question she answered 1t in
tho affirmative. He did not notice it at the time
anything remarkable. because persons seeking
riage don't carry prayer books with them and
do not always know when the question
ends. But when his attention was AFTER
ward called to Miss Hunts statement that she had
not responded he remembered that she had, and out
Of time too. But when he had finished the question
she bent her head, but gave no audible response.
And as indication Of haste in the ceremony we'll
of affection between the young couple Mr.. Virgin
says that before he had quite finished his service
1t just as willingly aud afectionatey. And when
they were going away from his house MIR. Risbey
subsequently, note was found which said simply
that the writer would see MIR. Virgin again in few
days Now. this fact does not indicate undue haste
suppose that he had been in any sense manner
imposed upon. Both persons declared that this
was their first marriage, but when the min
lister asked either knew any obstacle in the way Of
their present union neither responded. But this is .
common occurrence aud excited no suspicion II had
been stated that Mr.. Risbey married before and,
while Mr.. Virgin knew nothing about this, he ex-
planned TO them that marriage contracted contrary
to the law OF God would not be sustained by the law
of the State
Mas. RIsDEYs UNDERSTANDING OF THE CASE.
The writer called on Mrs. Risbey at her residence,
in Hath street, near Second avenue. Her son. AZ
stated elsewhere, absent, and could not be
The lady herself was in I'm, mourning attire having
publication has added to her deep sorrow She was
not inclined at first to say word on the subject but
after little conversation she consented to say few
things or course her information circumstantial
and second hand. While Miss Hunt was giving mu-
sic lesson her little girl Mrs. Risbey the base
mont and her two sons David and one younger were
up stairs. When the lesson finished David came
down to the parlor and spoke with JESSIE and Mrs
Risbey akterward informed, he merely reminded
her OF her repeated vows of affection to him, and
insisted that the marriage should take place then
your hat and coat on, and will go with you any
where" The conversation was carried on in
ordinary tone. Had it been otherwise, Mrs. Risbey
down stairs would have heard it through the heater
her up stairs would have heard 1t there. Be-
sides, there could not have been such scene between
the young people in her parlor as Jesse's friends
describe without attracting the attention of soma
members of the household. Moreover. before they
left the house Mrs. Risbey had gone up stairs and
busting the banister and steps when her
passed her going TO his room for his overcoat and
hat. IL Jessie was IN such dread as she alleges she
she could have called for protection. But she did
neither and walked out the door with him. his mother
Rsbey down to her basement window and
bado her son not be long away. He was
return in the afternoon he called his
mother aside aud told her Of his marriage. Shs
doubted ut rst but when replaced the certificate be-
fore her she could no longer doubt. She, however,
chidcd him for getting married secretly. knowing as
he did that she as well as Jcsses parents OPP
posed to caldestne marriages. and that there no
occasion for either of them thus to 60 of and we'd
Mn. HUNTS VERSION AND VIEWS
gother with Mrs Hunt they were found at their resi-
dence in Lexington avenue near l0sth street. They
seemed TO know the writer's errand. but when the
object OF the visit stated Mr.. Hunt. Jr., put
air Of supreme importance and begged his father
to say no more about it, that what had been pub.
ished correct. Alr. Hunt, ST., stated that his
daughter. Jessie. at that time mp stairs,
very sick with prostration; but
that she had been able to go to the court in the
morning to make affidavit to her complaint She
still adheres her version of the threats take her
life, and expresses her determination not to live with
Dave Risbey. She does not account for her quiet
walk along First avenue, distance of twelve
blocks, TO tho minister's house, when she
might have followed Second or Third avenues.
which were nearer. The time was between
nine and ten O'Clock in the morning. when
people are apt to be about the streets. She docs
from QhpV'a
house, rather perhaps, her brother accounted for
il by saying that Dave was too quick for her. But
there only sixty feet between Mrs. kisbeys house
and second avenue which is a business street, with
store doors inviting entrance all the time and Q
crowd ready to be gathered at any hour There
wac no explanation her failure to escape from the
minister house or to place herself under his proec.
zion there II she dreaded bodily harm death by
violence at the hands of the man she welded. But
general explanation Of her terror given In the
statement that she rode down to Fftyhrd street. to
her fathers place of business, and then went into