The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-05
MARRIAGE AND 4 MISTAKE.
DTD ARCHBISHOP HyGHES PERI ORM
TINE URONG CEREMOyY?


An EccIc.in-ticnI Court Organized nv the
Cnrdinni-Mr.. jane. Dick Itnr. suit for
Divorce mud her Engagement to ~ Count.
An ecclesiastical court. appointed by Car
dinal McCloskcy. has recently tricl In this
city. singular case Of n contested marriage
ceremony performed 10y the late Archbishop
Hughes This Roman Catholic Church forbids
its communicates. oven II divorced 10y tho civil
law. to rcmarry, and the wfcwho seeks Il scpa-
ration in the present casc takes the novel
ground that her husband being Protestant
tho ceremony under which they were joined
was not binding.
The husband Is James Dick Hill. only son Of
Henry Hill. Of the old firm Of Hill. Mclean 4
Co.. cotton factors OF New Orleans. The elder
Hill before the rebellion was one Of tho largest
cotton planters in the South. owning i've planta-
tons in Mississippi and Louisiana On n sim
gle one OF Theses plantations lie had 500 slaves
and raised annually 500 bales OF cotton. When
he died tho entire estate. valued Mt $1,000 900.
went 10 his son. James Dick Hill was educated
In Paris. and no enjoyed every advan-
tage that lavish expenditure OF money
could obtain. When he became Of age he gave
a dinner in Paris which, II is said. has rarely
been edualled in magniflccncc. and was the
subject Of gossip in the American colony for
francs. With an income Of $3.50 600 year. tho
wealthy young Southcrner was considered
great prize in the matrimonial market. On his
return from Europe he visited Newport. Tho
rcigning belle there that season WIS Miss
Louisa Du Saule. She was II years of
age, End had bewtching beauty and
charming manner Miss Du Saullc was the
daughter OF Louis Du Sauc. n French mer-
chant OF New Orleans. and a man Of great
wealth. Before the season was ended the on
gagement OF Mr.. Hin and Miss Du Saulle was
formally announced. In 1859 they were mnr
rled In this city by Archbishop Hughes. The
bridal gifts in diamonds and jewclry were Of
almost fabulous cost. On the evening 81 tho
wedding Mr.. Du SAUL" handed his son-in- law
check for sS0OOO. Mr.. Hill tore the check into
fragments and flung the pieces nj Mr.. Du Saullc.
saying. did not buy your daughter sir"
Tho young couple went to New Orleans after
nm sxtended European tour and lived in grand
style. Mr.. Hill Ind n taste for the iino arts and
h. he gratihed IT, His gallery Of paintings and
stltiary was considered one Of the finest in tho
South, He was fond Of fine horses and hn
prded himself on havinga pair of horses aud n
mer Mr.. and Mrs. Hill came North with
retinue OF servants. and. divided their
XIII, hili oe,wcen ms cy an Ncwp.rt Iher
| this city was $4,000. Three children were born
to Mr.. and Mrs. Hill. and their domestic life was
| md with 1t came sudden ruin 10 Mr.. Hill. His
| slaves were freed. his plantations overrun by
| tne conthulnG armies. MS Now OfleNn~ lac
| one Of the first houses occupied by Gen.
Butler when he entered, Ncw Orleans.
| one Of those who forcsaw the coming
| disaster In time TO sell his property. He re-
turned to France and settled in Pau with an
ample fortune. At tho close Of the war MIR. III
| was utterly impoverished and unable To- provide
for hi1 fsmily Mrs Hill and her children a e;
| France and "A separation between husband and
wife tha, was then begun has proved final.
divorce from her husband in the courts Of this
| city. but the case was dismissed by "A referee on
went q i've IN NeW Jsrsry wers she nsttued
another suit in which sha was successful She
She sill had traces OF her beauty. and she soon
had n train Of admirers. A wealthy French
nobleman sought her hand in marriage
and they became engaged. Mrs. Hill was
n devoted Catholic. and found her faith
an Masquerade obstahle to her reninr-
race., She consulted eminent lawyers. who
| difhculty in nm irrcguarity In the first mar
rage ceremony. which nullihrd the bond that
under the Church rules. still made her the wife
| Ut Mr. Hill. fhe lawyers asceriainrd that Mr.
| Hin was \ Protestant. AMI that Archbishop
| Hughes IN marrying them had performed the
ceremony that l. required when 10th bride and
groom are of the Catholic faith. The was
laid 6eiore Pop plus Tx ard he was asked to
Cardinal McClOskey with instructions 10 order
| an eccles astical court.
The Court, which wns composed Of Vicar.
| General Quinn. the Rev, Dir, McGlvnn. and
| Father Farrell. the CARDINAL Secretary met in
| the ecclesiastical residence in Mulberry street
| IA July. The greatest formality was observed
The memners Of the Court wore their full vest
m %as NicqF Go ne Quinn was presidsn,
ms Nindicator. or counsel for the church and
the Rev. Father Farrell was Secretary. Mr.. Hill
was present witness. hut had no
lawyers. He only opposes the annulling ~ the
marriage because II would make the children
lllegitimate; Mrs; Hill WAS not present. hut WIS
represented hy the Count Fi,hheiti.a Roman
lawyer, who bears a resemblance to Shake
spear"s picture and Is, 1t is said an orator in
his own language but he cannot speak Eng
sh, The form OF proceeding in the court was
totally unlike that in courts of law. When a
witness was called. Mrs. Hills lawyer was
excluded from the room until the direct
examination was concluded. Questions were
put 70 the witness IN Latin and translated into
Italian, thence into English. The s"crctaty
kept tle entire court records IN Latin. On
cross examination. the Roman lawyer sent in
the witness and the answer was recorded. The
testimony was signed by the witness in the
presence Of the lawyers. Mrs. Hill produced as
witnesses the Lulngs 81 Staten Island, WHO arc
her relatives. and then few others. hc-
sides numerous dispositions from persons
in New Orleans and France. An effort
olic that Mrs Hill had married Mr. Hin by 90
erclon. and that no binding ceremony was ever
Nashville nj the expense Of the Church. being
too poor 10 pay his fare to testify in relation 10
me Nus, were summoned IN behalf OF the
Church TO prove that tho Hills had always con-
sldered themselves husband and Wife. and had
lived together as such.
The court was occupied nearly three weeks in
taking the testimony. and when the case was
closed the testimony. in Latin manuscript was
duly certified by each member Of the court and
delivered 10 the Cardinal. Alter the proceed
ings arc reviewed 10y Cardinal Mo loskey.
which will not be done for several weeks the
papers are to De sent TO Rome for final review
by the Pope II is not expected that final
disposition Of the case will be- reach ed
in less than year. During his deten-
ton in the city, Mr.. Hill was Handsomely
provided for 10y the Church. md his
The witnesses were all conveyed to and from
the court in carriages provided hy the Church.
and every courtesy was extended to them.
In the mean time Mrs. II i'll is impatienty
awaiting the decision Of the Church. Her
parents stf60ngy lafor 9sr nii"phSn win ne
submit to tho decree of her Church. she is
reported as saying. whatever II may be.
Congregational Nominations.