The New York herald., 1878-03-13
A MATRIMONIAL PROBLEM.

MRS. cOOPER's IMPENDING SUIT TO ENFORCH
RIGHT OF DOVER IN THE LATE JOHN
MARSHALL ESTATE SHE CLAIMS TO BE DE-
CE,sED's WIDOW
Another case is to como before the courts In
which IL is charged that wealthy man who passed
before the world bachelor In reality In she
enjoymen oil welded bliss, and in which the secret
partner Of his joys now comes forward to claim her
part OF the estate left by tho deceased 1t will be re-
membered that in January last John +. Marshall, tho
well known proprietor OF the Madison avenue stage
line and whose fast trong horses were sold only the
other day, died, aged sixty-two, leaving large
estate valued at three quarters of million more
II is alleged that Mr.. Marshall, who lived at No.
207 West Twenty.fo street at the rimo Of
his death. and who always passed as d bachelor,
was secretly married three years ago to Mrs.
Ruth Cooper, the divorced OF Isaac r. Cooper,
Long Branch hotel proprietor who is still living. Mrs.
Cooper or Mrs Marshall, as she desires to be called,
has engaged Mr.. Il S. Cauldwell as attorney and ex
Judge William Fullerton, as counsel in an action
for dowry bo brought In the supreme Court as
soon as the statutory period OF six months after
her alleged husbands death shall have elapsed.
Under section s72 OF the Code tor tho perpetuaton
Of testimony Witnesses in bohalt OF tho lair plaintiff
are to be examined on Saturday From their sworn
depositions the following allegations are cleaned
STORY OF THE PLAINTIFF.
The plaintiff, who, by the way, is generally de-
scrbed as blonde preposssssing presence, swcars
that she was divorced her husband. Mr. Cooper,
in Apri 1875 Two days after the divorce she claims
to have married Mr. Marshall in the following
manner :-"He said that he considered belonged 70
him and he belonged 10 me. He placed ring on my
finger and said THAT binds US together tor lie f"
They then went to live together as man and vile at
No 122 East Twenty fourth street, and SO lived until
ais death. He furnished the means to carry on the
household buying articles OF furniture and sending
shalIs name; paid the 'rent; spoke OF her
as ssMrs Marshall. his WIFE," TO several wit
nesses: always took dinner at the house when IN
town and # he was late dinner waited Tor him. He
always slept at the house when 10 town. hau MS wash
ing done partly al her house and partly az MS
residercc No. 25O Vest Twenty second street. ana
called ner house .'his nome" Prior 10 bis death he
consulted with her about house which he was build
ing at Long Branch and where ne intended 10 take up
his permanent residence with her.
AN EYEWITNESS To THE 'MARRIAGE"
Miss Henrietta Pitcher, VINO resides at Long Branch,
n sister OF The plaintiff is relied upon one OF the
most important Witnesses OF the plaintih In Deing
the only person who claims 10 nave Witnesses .he Sc
marriage ceremony In her aeposition sne gives
the following account OF it,
Mr. Marshall called upon her sister, Inc plaintii
on the evening Of the marriage, whom she tpiainti
informed hlln that she was divorced ana had the
papers" Mr. Marshall said, "Ihen you are tree
Mr. Marshall then said, 81 will give any other
man chance to call you his wife. From this time
oelong aud belong 70 you; we are husband
and wife," He then took from his pocket heavy,
pam gold ring, and placing II on her nhger sald:
'.This binds the bargain and makes US husband and
wife, NV sister Then said, III will be your wife SO
long as live" Mr.. Marshall then said, ''l"as-
much as you have boon so recently divorced
we will keep the marriage secret Tor two years I"
MY sister sad, ''PeIhaps We had better say three
years Mr. Marshall then said :-"rhat Is right
have always romised my mother that would never
marry in her hietmc ana wish to Keep the marriage
secret as long as sue hvos anu INN you wsn 70 %
rrtnAnv ,ualn H.
When ne placed the ring my sisters lnger ne SAID,
'sMiss Pitcher, You witness tins marriage he also
said he would make II known to his mother that he
was married. He also said to Mrs Marshall, "You
| must explain to your mother that we are man and
wlle SO that she snail know all Is right"
now LIVED ToGErlER
A lady who visited the house as the guest Of the
couple, lived with them one year, deposes that
she knew them all that time ss man aud wife That
Mr. Marshall once asked her 10 20 with mrs. Mar
shal' to select some iurnitufe. During the time OF
pretended TO be plumbers. Mr.. Marshall came IN and
nding hot water inquired the cause and gave the
painti1'a scolding, saying also to the witness. ~
shoul Id think you'd know better. even II my wife
ddn'tn The plaintiff began crying and won't up stars
He sent witness up orng her saying he would
net ssscold his we' any more, but would go to
the station house and see about II. upon
| ano,ber occasion the plaintiff was out OF
! town and Mr. Marshall becoming suddenly Ill
told this lady, Photograph to my wIie 10 come home.
| Mr.. Marshall always took dinner there except on
SUNDAYS. Once, when the plaintih was Ill, MI Mar
| shall in presence OF the witness, who was IN the
| room at the time, put his arms around the patient,
| incest wife Of any man in the city of New York y
MIR Marshall once sad ''he didn carry nightkey,
| because every married man ought to he home early
enough not to need auy.' he always kept his slip
pers in particular place IN order 70 put them on
| readily soon as dinner was over lie would oltep
bring his letters in unopened and givo them TO tho
| plaintiff 10 opcn and read
| A VINE merchant IN Broadway acposes that IN pur
chasing wines Mr. Marshall ordered him 10 send them
go his wife" giving the address above stated
PERSONAL DETAILS.
Mr.. Marshall left no VIII, and the hciis-Eliza Mar
toi,aiI | ala NM A. i. aid
Marshall his brothers, and Mrs Deborah a. Honey
Vile u widowed sster-wil vigorously eontcst the
! suit The plaintiff II successful, Will be entitled TO
one half OF the personal property and onchrd oil the
real estate ABOUT $3OO,0C0 Mr. Jesse A. Marshall
has already taken out letters OF administration. In
June 1875 several months alter the alleged marriage
| The Harlem road purchased oil the deceased
and others tract OF land corner OF Thnty-
second street and Lexington avenue for
500, 600, and, as the plaintiffs signature was not
obained to the deed 1t will be sought TO enforce he
right OF oower also IN that property. The plaintn
| has two cnildreO by her previous husbnnd-a boy
| aged out fourteen and u girl OF twelve.
| The deceased was many years ago butcher IN this
| city and retired from the butcher business with
capital Of from $50 900 to $40 900. is said that the
remainder OF his large fortune was amasscd IN the
stage business. He noIed tor the wonderful reg
ularity Of his and the strict personal watch
| which he kept his stages along Broadway up TO
witnn u lew hours of his death. lie died very sud-
oeDly, OF heart disease, 10 the surprise oil all who
knew his vigorous franc and his thoroughly hearty
appearance.