Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-05
AN UNWILLING GROOM,
Marryina a Woman 20 Years His
Senior.
Forced into MatrimOny-Seeking to Break
the Bonds, but Held by His Better
and Cider HaIf-A Very I'm
fortunate Young
Man.

Maurice Sullivan, OF New YORK, has
begun suit in the Supreme Court to have
his marriage with his wife, Sophia, de-
clared null. Sullivan, on March 2lst
last, was married to Mrs. Sophia Healy.
He is about twenty-three years old, is u
little man, and looks like a boy. The
widow Healy was forty-four years old,
and weighed nearly 200 pounds. She
is the mother of five children. The old
est is tw years younger than her bus
band, aud the youngest is eight years
old. Mr.. Sul!lvau's complaint alleges
that
His Wife Got Him Drunk
and married him without his knOWl-
edge and against his will.
Mrs. Sullivan's answer says that the
marriage was made when both parties
were sober and that he consented there.
to; that it followed the usual engage
ment, and that Sullivan lived with her
as her husband for three days after the
marriage. Sullivan testified in his own
behalf that he had been acquainted
with Mrs. Healy three years before he
married her. He was u frequent visitor
at her home. He always left the house
drunk. On the night OF March - he
was there from nine o'clock until four
O'Clock the next morning. He and
another man and Mrs. Heaiy drank two
bottles of rye whisky. The other young
men went away early, besides. At
3 30 in the morning Mrs. Healy told
him he must marry her or she would
l. Il, IA, nol fn
him in the afternoon with q coupe at
the store. He left the house, drunk az
usual, at four o'clock. He got TO his bed
at ) 80 A. NJ, and at G:lO a. NJ. arose
and went to his place of business. He
took several drinks during the day
To Brace His Nerves.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, q
coupe with the present Mrs. Sullivan
and another woman in it, came after
him. He put them of for half an hour
Oh plea of business. Then, being in
fear of bis life, because it had been in
dictated to him that a pistol had been
brought along, he got i'll the carria ge.
His only recollection of what SUISSE
quently happened was that they stop
ped one or more times for drinks. On
the morning of the ODD he woke up to
| find himself married man. He went
to his place of business, and in the
presence of her children asked Mrs.
Sullivan to release hun. Instead of do
ing so he says she compelled him by
fOice 10 remain in the house that night.
| The next two days he went to work a.
before, and returned to his wife each
| night and was compelled to remain.
On March % he did not return. Two
| DAYS later she came down to the store
IN the Aston House. He says he Went
with her To Barclay street saloon foe
| a drink, and then she took him by the
arm and walked him to saloon in
| Third Avenue. There she offered to
let him 90 if he would give her $500.
| When they got on street car in Third
| Avenue she lei go his arm, and he ran.
| She got of the car and ran after him,
crying,
stop Their"
A policeman stopped him and deliver
| ed him over to her. She tried to shoot
him, but he escaped down a side street
Sullivan admitted, on cross-examina-
| ton, that he had been able TO cut three
suits of clothes on the day he was mar.
ried. Max Steinert, who appeared for
OlIS. -ullIN an, Sdlu ludl HIS NliChI "Ouiu
bring the woman who accompanied her
in the coupe on the day Of her marriage
% swear that Sullivan was not only
sober, but was anxious tor the ceremony
TO go on. The preacher who performed
theceremony would testify that Sull-
van was sober. so would other wit
nesses. Mrs. Sullivan says that Sulli.
van knew she had property valued at
$4,000. On the morning of the 18th of
| March. she says, up to which date all
had gone we'll since their marriage, be
asked her for $4,000. ''lf he had only
had the patience to wait little while,
would have given him everything |
bad, but when he was so fresh, | was
suspicious" Finding her husband had
deserted her, she had him arrested. The
same day he brought suit to have the
marriage declared void. Sullivan was
required to pay his wife s. week ali
mony pending the result of the action
IN tho S,tnropna Court