The sun., 1878-11-03
MARY MORRIS'S PETITION.
IVERRING TLd7 SHE WIS FORCED INTO
4 MdIiRIIGE CEREMONY.
Her story 20 Court Of Chnacery that she
wns Welded H. this city while Under thc
Influence OF Terror, and ~ Heavy Drug

Mary J. Morris OF 220 Walnut street, New
ark flied petition in the Court OF Chanccry In
Trenton. on Friday afternoon last. praying
that her alleged marriage with Charles j. Lecuw
NJ this city be nnnullcd. on the ground that she
was drugged and forced to consent to the cere-
mony. The petitioner Is n well cll-cducatcd ana
pretty girl Of 18. She has light brown hair.
blue eyes. and petite and graceful figure Her
father. Mr. Edward J. Morris. ia skilful and
wcI-to- do mechanic. in the employ of the Peters
& Calhoun Company. manufacturers OF saddles
and harness. Mary is niece Of Mr. Albert c.
Westcrvclt. cx-prcsdent OF the Newark Com
mon Council and agent for tho Mutual Benefit
Life Insurance Company Of Newark
She related In her petition the following
story: In August last she visited a relative in
Brooklyn. and on the 23th of that month came
to this city to do some shopping. While ad-
mring a show window in tho Bowery. near
Grand street handsome aud woll-dresscd
young man stepped up beside her and said:
Pardon me. Miss. but you remind me very
much Of friend Of mine. living in Newark"
She wns surprised that n stranger to her
should know that she came from Newark: 50
she remained sllcnt. He repeated his remark.
and she then started down town. without pay
ing any attention to him. lie followed and
persisted in talking 20 her Finally. she said:
you before: and II you possessed the first prin-
cplcs Of a gentleman you would not address
She used other severe language. and threat
enod to have her prosecutor arrested hut. she
ayers. ne laughed md said that he did not care
Tor her threats hcrause he was in with the
police and thni he could have her arrested on
charge ui atom pting 10 PICK MS pocket Sne
was then 80 frightened that she WAS afraid TO
call an officer lest she should be arrested and
locked up IN polio" station. nnd that her nc
qunintancos might then accuse her OF flirting
with stranger. She hnd no friends to whom
abe could appeal. except her relatives In Brook
lyu. and she WIS therefore puzzled how to gct
rid Of the stranger. who Insisted on walking
and talking with her. She finally thought 1t
lost ~ seem socahlr. and let the young man ac-
company her 10 Brooklyn. He then told her
WAS Charles j. Ipruw, and thnt lic Ind any
number of ndmirlng lady friends in Fifth ave
nuc. She honsted of her wealthy relatives in
she cntrpatrd Lrruw ~ leave her when thoy mr.
rived in lroukNn but he persisted in keeping
her in sight until sh" entgrcl her relatives res
The petition further nyrrs That while sitting
ON the pin2ia 81 hor friends house. that oven
ng She saw l4"euw coming NJ tho street. and.
fearing that he would speak 90 her and tia; her
friend would learn "i nrr adventure. She crossed
the street and rpu"~ird him not to call on her
II WELL not II you viii tnke walk with me"
, iT'- 9un' GHr1 ~ In1 unc nRt PIX, ,hs was G9 so
ilrtrd with sirans.r that she complied with
nis request. They sirpNrd 90 one OF the ferries.
promising 90 -'c her safely home after they had
called upon hi- sister. On the fcrrybont l's,uw
prevailed upon Miss Morris To- ct him have her
niElt h"y. .o tl .t there would h" no Danger Of
hcr losing it. lie n-aei her 30 have tea with
him in a l,wcry RESTAURANT. and when she re,
fused he said he would not give upth" KY until
She ol"ycd him. and then he would take her
buck tu her friends. she then real lzoi that she
wis in bis power. She ayers that she So feared
L.cuw'. rirrais that she durod not speak to Il
pol ts' IN wr; and that when he took her 70
H'i lh TO. h'W'tl' -ho ph'Y',i MN ilh" one IN
ID a Loo aUf 4 fff 90 CD - r.
wly, according To h"r story:
d II, ,ou % not follow, me. I will kill you ,
Otherwise | will take YOU homo unharwcd."
She entered n room with him. and he ai
! ouc, locked the door She screamed and
,u .r.ld her. and seid. Url@.s lS,.' YOU Si' arc e
lluet. ani smut your mouth, | Will xii you
! IT, prevented hrr screaming by holding his
hand op a.r mouth until ~he WAS nearly
smnthrt.I. T.uriue thui her life was in dan
ger she krpt duirt. and he released her. Sho
/ took scat by ala open window. and said TO
III y,u attempt TO touch me. or como near
ma. will scream until police officer hears
u don't care al---- tyou DO" said Leeuw.
aecoriinS To- ihg pe,iii9,n. IN. i9r t4e police know
/ you nttrnptei to pick my pocket A. you have
/ no money cor friends and nrc in my power, you
| viii Do lodged lH thr IomhS until you die. i
! will keep you in this room ~ long as | wish"
! Notwithstanding. he drew back from hcr
whenever she s'renmed He placed the bod
| against the door 90 TIE room. and lay down.
/ while she maintained her pos iton at the win
/ dow. She sat hy the wind lw through thu niEht,
She saws. the prcY 10 ngonizing fears in regard
/ O. her fate.
Tho uctl,ion further avcrs that at o'clock
I the next morning l.ruW tod her he had dci"r.
/ mined g. deal kindly with her. but he would
him. Size said she would In thirty days. If he
I ir' hor ~ 20 her homo iu Newark.
viii not. she sbs WAS his reply. You
must mgrry me- tl-lnv or l will Kill or ruin
. you ns hnv' don" .n Dther cases, and nobody
Whom she refused 10 marry him on such a
brief notice, h'. size nyrr, shook his list Ia her
face ami sail: Then prepare to dic or starye
81 donth. Marry mo and Will never lot any
body know. and will never bother YOU"
Knowing that rhe was ~ his power. she
/ then told her they were going straight 10 a
minister. and II She did not say Yes to every
/ question the minister asked. she would never
see her parents again. adding. The minister
I and everybody clse whore We are going are my
friends. and Will do ~ desire"
After quitting the hotel she continues Lecuw
| took her To- an adjoining saloon and wanted her
| 10 have breakfast. Sne refused, rs she did not
Vie i The woman woman told Miss Morris that hat She h
| looked hagEnrd ana lli. and thnt shc ought to
drink II - s9mrinnff di sf MISS Morris then drunk
! Ten minutes ntcr She had "a peculiar iiZ2y feel
ing in her head and sho moved about mcchan.
the proprietor of the saloon ana his wife. shr
says. then took her 90 the Fiyo Points Chapel
by the pastor. the Roy. q. $, Pumloy. Tho wit
nosses were the saloon keeper and his wife
{ who, SHE has since learned. MurN hlbDie How
/ ard and Charles Miller.
She ndds that she believes she was married IA
! I"cuw, but SHE does not remember ANYTHING
about the ceremony Leeuw. she says. told her
they were lawfully married. and that he had tho
certificate. She asserts that If she WINS married
To him. the ceremony was performed while she
wns under the Influence Of drugs and In danger
Of her lifc and she claims that. even II she CON
scntcl with her lips. she did not with her mind
and that she was terrified into obcyng Iccuw
Aiior tho ceremony. she continues. leruw
kibbie Howard and Charles Miller left hen
near tho chuprl. and sho remembers nothing
more until she found herself AT the home of hei
relatives in Brooklyn. Shn Immediately sent
for her parents who took her 10 Newark where
she has remained over since.
\ reporter for THE SUN yesterday visited the
Office OF Marcus I. llaync, attorney Tor the com
pninant in Newark. but Mr.. Hnyne was ont O
town. The reporter WAS told. however thai
several days after tho alleged marriage. LrcuW
called at the residence OF Mary's parents an,
demanded 81 see his wife, Mrs Morris rciusel
him admlttnnce 10 the house. and he went ava,
after declaring that Mary wns his wfc and tha
he would recover her. II is asserted thRt IL was
. intimhtod To- tho friends NJ the petitioner tina
the difnculty could be- amcahly settled 10y IN,
payment Of damages 10 Lcouw. They pre-
tended, II Is alleged, 10 favor the proposition
/ and engaged threo detectives and set them [,
watch Loeuw Tho detectives have rrpOrte,