Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-17

The San Francisco Alta-California in
q recent issue says: About O'Clock
yesterday afternoon a young lady
named Mary T.. Willis, a blonde OF
prepossessing appearance and "a years
Of age, applied at the County Clerk s
office for a marriage license permitting
her to marry George G. GOttung, who
only two hours before, had been SEN
fenced to serve a term of ten years in
the State prison at San Quentin for the
murder of his wife. About the same
time Justice Pennie was called out of
the court room to go to the County Jail
to perform the marriage ceremony, and
half an hour later the jai door was
opened in answer 10 a knock to admit,
on p' rmit fro n the Sheriff, "Judge
Pennie, Mr.. Cutting Ga brother of the
groom) and Miss Mary +. Willis"
The trio we're taken to the reception
room, where they expr sssed a DE- sire to
see George G. Gottung, and explained
the object of their visit. Cell No. 20,
opened, ana the party proceeded to cell
No. /. where Justice Pennis united the
couple, the only witness present being
Inc groom brother.
After an hours conversation the new
ly made wife and her brother in-law
left the jail. and Gottung was locked
up in his cell Gottung is seven years
the senior of his bride, and by good be.
havior may be released in about seven
years.
Mary +. Willis is the daughter of
Robert Willis, house painter, resi-.
ding at No. 1913 Leavelworth street.
She has been for long time member
of the Women Fruit and Flower Mis-.
sion, and was a frequent visitor to the
County Jail, where she went for the
purpose of laboring for the welfare OF
the prisoners. While in This work she
became acquainted with Gottung, and
took a great interest in him. The fire.
4uenCy OF her visits increased, and it
soon became apparent that between the
two had sprung up a strong attachment
reports of which finally reached the
ears of the young lady's father, who
tried to dissuade her against yielding
to an infaI uation that could result i'll 10
good. But as she was Of age and had
u will Of her own, the visits instead OF
and Of longer duration.
The father tried TO induce the Jail
officials to refuse her admission, bul az
they seemed to think they had no right
to comply with the request he finally
submitted to the inevitable, hoping for
the best. The result is that the intatu.
ated girl has-unless the ceremony was
void by reason of the Outiawry of the
groOm-been married to a man under a
ten years sentence for the killing of
his former wife by stabbing her in sa-
loon at North Bosch.
1t is reported that Mr.. Willis has a
hope that the marriage of his daughter
with Gottung is null and void under
section 623 Of the Penal Code, which is
thus: IA sentence Of imprisonment in
q State prison for any term less than |
life suspends all civil rights of the per.
son so sentenced, and fOrfeits all pub
lie offices and all private trusts, author
ity or power during sucn imprison-
ment." The limitations on civil death |
extend to retaining the competency of
the prisoner and his capacity to make |
Or acknowledge sale Or conveyance /
81 property. The deprivation of all
other civil rights il supposed to amount
10 an Interpretation to make an agree
nent of marriage, or if made before
sentence, then to execute it after mar.
rage.