Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-22

An IncestuOus Marriage = Brother
and sister as Man and Wife -
Unconscious Crimality.

and sister as Man and Wife -
Unconscious Crimality.
New York Sun OF to-day.
The curious story of u woman seekiDg
the aid of Justice Nelson TO dissolve the
marriage she had unoonsciously entered
into with her own brother, has found a
sequel in the Judicial separation OF the
couple. The case has been surrounded
with much secrecy, as the Justice and
others concerned have endeavored 10 keep
ths facts from publicity for the sake of
the unhappy woman.
Justice Nelson was trying n case IN the
Chambers of the Brooklyn City Court,
about two weeks peo. when n welI-jrrssed
woman sppronch.d tho beach, and, AK
ing the Justices attention, said that she
was in great distress, as she had dis
covered that her husband was her own
brother, Uf whose existence sue hal no
Knowledge until she btcare his wife. The
Justice asked her if she had lived with hoi
husband since the discovery, and she H.
pied that she had not.
Tho jnstco advised her 10 consult u
lawyer, who would suggest the proper
l. gal rtiuedy for hur case. The wuuan
cDnHultcd a lawyer, aud the pnppr4 wrr,
to Mr. +. l.. Dana to hear and determine
Tue law providing for secrecy IN divorce
cases has been rgidly applied in ihi, ia
siahea, hui the story is rnid To be IL, iu-
lows:
Two Swedish bro hers naued Peterson,
MAIZE tht acquainta Co macy years ngo Of
two Irish girls uaUed Conner, who werr
sisters, and were dun.stics. One Of ,hcui
went to live with he Of the Petersons,
without, however,. the ceremony of u
marriage in chur II while the Other, who
aas Annie Il. Connor, was regularly mar
ried to the other brother A few months
after this marriage the first sister gHve
birth to son, who, when but II day or
two old, was nj to his married aunt.
The hoy was treated as her own child by
his aunt, aud WIS named Peter Peterson,
after his foster father. A erl was born
two years later to the boys mother, nnd
soon after her birth Peterson deserted the
mother. The mother Ind her chrlstuned
Annie Il. Conner, her own name.
The children grew up as cousins. and
regarded each other as such. The Girl is
said to have been attractive though deli
cate, with blue eyes and m abundance OF
light hair. Her brother was strong and
manly. His supposed mother, who was
really bis aunt, educated him in the com
mon schools, and then put him into bust
ness. H. prosperu6, aud when his sup
posed mother removed from the city he
frequently visited the HOUSE, OF his sup
posed aunt, who really WAS his mother, and
WIS thrown into the society of his sup
posed cousin The two were fond OF each
others society, and were much toqether,
but it was not suspected that tho tender
affection Of lovers existed between them.
Last summer, however, the mother
visited Europe, und was absent q number
of months. In her absence the brother
and sister, who did not dream that their
cousangunity extended beyond the re-
lationship of cousins, agreed TO get mar.
ried and to giya the girls mother a
surprise upon her return by receiving or
into their own home aud 10y welcoming
her as their perpetual guest
Some weeks ago the mother returned,
AID when she went to the house of her
daughter she found her two children liyin..
there AS husband aud wife. She then told
her @stonished chidren the story of their
lives, and when they mad realized what
thty hai dom th,S at ouce .pparatt d Ut d
1t IL 1id, have 'lOt seen each other since,
aud will probably never meet again
The f"Iertu HAS reported III favor 81
annni!ug NE nNrriugN OH tho ground Of
co isneur,ity, ~ d lus ice N ilson is said
to h"Sn s'gnrd the necessary decree.