Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1881-03-02
MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT.

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT.
A Young Man and a Minister Acting Under the
|. Compulsion Of Revolver-strange Reyela-
tions of a Baltimore Divorce Case.
Baltimore Special Telegram.
In the circuit court yesterday Judge Dob
bin granted decree divorcing Mellon Mitch
ell from Carrie &. Mitchell and forbidding
the latter to marry again during the lifetime
Of the former The circumstances leading
to the divorce were made public for the first
time yesterday, and constitute an astonish-
ing narrative
Mitchell is 20 years Of age Mrs Mitchell.
who was a Miss Forsyth, is Is. Both have
moved in good society in the West End. On
the night of Aug. Mitchell received a
note from Mr.. Frank j. Forsyth, 1T George
street, requesting him to call at once, which
he accordingly did, arriving about midnight.
Mr.. Forsyth opened the door and in a 1nys-
FERROUS manner invited Mitchell up stairs,
saying that his daughter, Miss Carrie B.
Forsyth, wished to see him. Mitchell went
up stairs and was shown into bedroom by
MIR. Forsyth. Mitchell was astonished at
seeing Miss Forsyth in bed. She appeared
to be in great mental distress, and was
pause advanced and took the hand of the
young lady, asking her if she was ill, and
expressing his regrets. Before he received
any response he heard the click of the lock
and turning found that Mr.. Forsyth had
locked him in and stood in front Of the
door with a drawn pistol III his hand. MIR:
Forsyth exclaimed: You have taken advan-
tage of my daughter. and must either marry
her at once or die on the spot. The aston
ished visitor bowed and protested that he
was guiltless of the ofense charged. but
MIR. Forsyth cooking his pistol, said furi-
ously that the marriage should at once take
place or Mitchell should die Mitchell was
finally frightened into giving his consent.
The Rev. Thomas Dougherty, Method.
list Epis cople clergyman, was then sent for.
He at first strongly objected to marrying the
couple, demanding that a license should
first DO procured. Mr.. Forsyth Aourished
his pistol and said that license OF no license,
the man who had wro-ged his daughter
should be married to her. Mr.Dougherty
vas at last prevailed on to read the mar
riage ceremony, and pronounce the couple
man and wife Mr. Forsyth then retired
from the room, leaving Mitchell behind.
The latter promptly made his escape. and
overtaking Mr.. Dougherty informed him
that Forsyths accusations were entirely
false.
In the hearing before commissioner at
ter the suit for divorce had begun, testi-
mony was introduced to the effect that the
condition Of the girl was misrepresented so
as to induce the clergyman to marry them,
and as part of scheme to force Mitchell
into the marriage in order to crafty Miss
Forsyth, who was in love with him. The
Rev. Mr.. Dougherty, in his testimony stat
ed that he was sent for by Mr.. Forsyth on
the night of the marriage to come and see
his daughter, who was dying. He was con-
du cted to the house and shown into al up
per bedroom, where the girl was in bad.
Under pressure Of threats from Forsyth he
had performed tho ceremony und. rprotest.
In the answer filed by Miss Forsyth she
denied that her father employed any vio-
lence toward Mitchell, and stated that the
latter did not hesitate moment when asked
to marry her; that she became acquainted
with him in July, 1877, and they became en-
gagged to each other and interchanged prom
ises Of marriage in the month of August,
1877, and that the engagement continued in
full force up to the time of their marriage.
After their marriage he was very kind to
her, came to see her every day, and in all
| respects recognized and treated her as his
lawfully welded wife until August 20, when
her marriage was announced in Baltimore
newspaper. He then ceased to visit her,
having been sent, as she was informed, out
Of the city for several months by his mother.
The fact that the families Of both the par
ties to the suit are respectable and quite
wealthy people adds another to the singular
features of the case. The decision Of the
court granting the divorce and condemnina
the girl to celibacy during Alitchel's life
time was a great blow to her family. and
they will probably take the case TO the state
court of appeals.