The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-10-21
A SHORT HONEYMOON.
n Clandestine Marriage Which Land
ed the Groom in Prison.
Philadelphin Pres

4 Clandcstine Marriage Which Land
ed the Groom in Prison.
Philadelphia Press.
John Wesley Reeves was married to
Estelle Barnes, Of No. 1,522 Lawrence
street on Saturday evening, Aug. IA,
by Magistrate Becker, but by one of
those unexpected bitches in true leve's
course, the husband is now languishing
IN Moyam ensing, and the wife is speed
ing westward under the watchful guild
ance of her cruel parents. Their court
ship was of the briefest, and their mar
rlage was not only cladestine, but the
representations made by the maiden to
the magistrate were sucn as to lead up
to criminal prosecution for conspiracy,
abduction, and misdemeanor, which
summariiy terminated their honey
moon. The parties to the affair move
IN a very humble circle John Wesley
Reeves is an engineer by trade, earning
his living in Richmond factory. He
has lately lived with two married
neices-Susan Smith and Amanda
Sachs-at 1922 Lawrence street. Prov
ldence dealt rather hardly with Wesley
IN the respect of personal appearance,
but he is known to be sober and indus
trious. Estelle, with her mother and
three younger children. occupied a
humble tenement in the rear of No.
l,522 Lawrence street. They took up
their residence there some months ago
and about all that the neighbors gather
ed of their antecedents was that family
troubles broke up their home in Mis-
souri,. Estelle is q very pretty Young
woman of stage Of development that
would enable her to pass easily as any,
where between Is and 20 years old. it
was remarked that she seemed to have
the chief burden of the housekeeping
On her shoulders, and when she was
able to snatch a few moments from
household duties she complained bitter
ly to the neighbors of the close rein
that was kept on her, and Of the men
lal work she was required to perform.
Of her life in Missouri she recalled
anything but pleasing memories. There
too, the labor of housekeeping fell to
her share; in fact she played Cinderella
to her mother and older sister.
About fortnight ago she came in
dire distress to her friends, Mrs. Smith
and Mrs. Sachs. Her mother had re-
solved to return to Missouri, and, hard
as life was here, she was determined to
remain east rather than resume the
treadmill life there.
81 tell you what l II do" she cried in
her desperation. "I'll go down town.
advertise for husband, and marry the
first man that offers"
cts easier to go right out in the
street and cry: Who'll marry me?
You'd catch a husband on the block" !"
said Mrs. Smith, jocosely.
"Id take you myself before YOU got
half block; I'd marry you quick, I"
said John Wesley Reeves, who had also
Joined the party.
eff you mean that I'll think about
it, the maiden rejoined. hut Just then
her mother called and she had no fur
ther time for conversation. Within
the next few days the man and the
girl were thrown together several
times, but the nieces we're discreetly
away and were not witnesses to what
they said. A week ago last Saturday
night Mrs. Smith was about to 90 to
Girard avenue shopping when Mrs.
Barnes asked her to buy a neck-chain
for Estelle. The young woman begged
vigorously to be allowed to accompany
Mrs. Smith, but the mother refused,
until her daughters tears won reluctant
consent. They were to be gone only
half an hour, but the time swelled to
three hours, and loud words, shrieks.
and the sound of rapid blows were
heard to proceed from the Barnes man.
sion when the girl returned. Mrs.
Barnes was not aware that her maiden
daughter had returned a wife. That
transformation, however had been
wrought by Magistrate Becker. He
says that Reeves and young woman,
accompanied by an older woman, call
ed at his office about p. NJ, and asked
him to perform the marriage ceremony
forthwith. Reeves was evidently of
age. He admitted 50 years, and look
ed as if he might have understated the
number by ten or dozen. The girl
answered swiftly that she was IS years
old and lived in Cadwallader street
The other woman Mrs. Smith) she
said was her aunt, Mrs. Costello, living
in the same street. Then appealed to,
the older woman was understood to say
yes to these statements The magis-
trate then performed the ceremony.
Mrs Barnes knew nothing of the
marriage until the next day. Sunday.
That being day Of rest, Mrs. Reeves
found more time to spend with her
husbands family. In some way she
offended Mrs. Sachs, who took revenge
by revealing the marriage to Mrs.
Barnes That lady was wild with anger.
She said afterward that her daughters
screams were due to her having said
that Reeves was as looking and as
good man as the absent father of the
Barnes family. The girl managed to
elude her mothers vigilance and took
refuge with her husband and his nieces.
She remained there that night, and
early the next moning went to Mana
yunk. her husband going to his work as
usual She did not return to the roof
of either her husband or her mother
either Monday or Tuesday, and on
Mrs. Barnes invoked the
law in the person of Magistrate Allen,
who is said to be a friend of the family.
Warrants for John Wesley Reeves and
Mrs. Smith were issued. and they were
arrested. The latter was taken away
from her baby, 8 weeks old. Mrs.
Barnes, in the proceedings before mag
istrate, testified that her daughter had
told her that Mrs. Smith had joined |
Reeves in persuading her to be mar
ried; also lhat the shopping tour TO
Girard avenue Vas only q preconcerted
ruse to get her away from the house.
Becker testified to the an
swers that the girl and the man had
given him, and on the strength of their
testimony Reeves and his niece were
held for trial on charges of conspiracy,
and misdemeanor, the lat
ter count being based on their deceitful
answers to the magistrate who married
them. Reeves bail was fixed at 81 600.
Mrs. Smiths at 5000, in default Of
which they were committed to Moya-
mensing. While in the prison Mrs.