Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-02-08

In Baltimore Judge Dobbin granted a
decree divOrcing Mellon Mitchell from
Carrie 3. Mitchell aud forbidding the lat
ter to marry again during the lifetime of
the former. The circumstances leading
to the divorce constitute an astonishing
narrative.
Mitchell is % years of age. Mrs.
Mitchell, who was Hiss Forsyth, is 19.
Both have moved in good society i'll the
West End. On the night of August )
Mitchell received note from Mr.. Frank
J.. Forsyth, III George street, requesting
him to cali at once, Which he accordingly
did, arriving about midnight. Mr.
Forsyth opened the door and in mysteri-
Gus 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 bed
room by Mr.. Forsyth. Mitchell was as
tonished at seeing Miss Forsyth in bed.
She appeared to be in great mental dis
tress and was deadly pale. Mitchell,
after slight pause, advanced and took
| the hand of the young lady, asking her
if she was i'll, and expressing his re-
gret. Before lie 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 drawn pistol in his hand. Mr..
Forsyth exclaimed "YOu have taken
advantage Of my daughter, and must
either marry her at once or die on the
spot" The astonisbed visitor vowed and
protested that he was guiltless OF the
offence charged, but Mr.. Forsyth, cooking
his pistol, said furiously that the marriage
should at once take place Or Mitchell
should die. Mitchell was finally frightren-
ed into giving his consent.
The Rev. Thomas Dousherty, a Meth
odlst Episcopal clergyman, was then sent
for. He at first strongly objected to
marrying the couple, demanding that q
license should first be procured. Mr..
Forsyth flouished his pistol, and said that
| license or no license, the man who had
wronyed his daughter should be married
to her, Mr.. Doughcrty was at last pre-
vailed upon to read the marriage cere-
mony, aud pronounced tho couple man
wife. Mr.. Forsyth then retired from the
room, leaving Mitchell behind. The latter
promptly made his escape, and, Overtaking
Mr.. Doueherty, informed him that For
syth's accusations were entirely false.
In tho hearing before commissioner
| afte: the suit for Il divorce had been begun
testimony was introduced to the effect that
the condition of the girl was misrcpresent-
ed, so as to induce the clergyman to marry
them, and rs part Of {: scheme to force
Mitchell into the marriage in order to graf
| ify Miss Forsyth who was in love with
him. The Rev. Mr.. Dougherty, in his
testimony, stated that he was sent for by
Mr.. Forsyth on the night of the marriage
to come aud see his daughter, vino was
| dying. He was conducted to the house
and shown into an upper bedroom, where
the girl was in bed. Under pressure of
| threats from Forsyth he had performed
| the ceremony under protest.
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 a moment when
asked to marry her; that sho became &C
quairted with him in July, 1877, and they
became engaged to each other and inter-
changal promises of marriage in the
month of August. 1877. and that tho en-
gagcmcnt continued i'll 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 re-
spects recognized and treated her
rs his lawfully welded wifo until last
Aug. 90, when the marriage was an
nounced in . Baltimore newspaper. He
then ceased to visit her, having been sent,
IS she was informed, out of the city for
several months by his mother.
The fact that the families Of both the
parties to the suit are responsible and quite
wealthy people adds another to the singu-
lar features OF the case. The decision Of
the court granting the divorce, and con-
demnins the girl to celibacy during
slitchell's lifetime was great blow to her
family, and they will probably take the
case to the state court OF appeals.