Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-20
MADE TO MARRY.
A Young Man Forced at the Point Of q
Pistol to Wed a Widow Old
Enough
To Be His MOthor-The Victim Says He
wa Drunk and Wants to Be
Released.

New York special: Maurice Sullivan has
begun suit in the Supreme Court to have his
msrrisge with his wife, Sophia, declared.
null. The case has been referred to Mr.. Al
fred (. Albers, before whom the hearing was
begun last week. Sullivan, on March 21-t
last, was married to Mrs. Sophia Healy. He
Ii about .twenty-three years old, is q little
man, and looks like q boy. The widow
Healy was forty -four years old, and weighed
nearly 200 pounds. She is the mother OF
five children. The oldest is two years
younger than her husband, and the youngest
is eight years old. She appeared in the
referees Office with several friends, one OF
whom was with her ss a witness of her mar
riage. Sullivsn's complaint alleges that
HIS wIFE GOT HIM DRUNK
and married him without his knowledge and
against his will. Mrs. Sullivan's answer
says that the marriage was made when both
parties were sober, and that he consented
thereto, that it followed the usual engage
ment, and that Sullivan lived with her as
her husband for three days after the mar
riage. Sullivan testified. in his own behalf
that he had been acquaiHted with Mrs. Healy
three years before ne married her. He was
a frequent victor at her home. He always
left the house drunk. Ga the night of March
both he was there from 9 o'clock until 4 the
next morning. He and another man and
Mrs. Healy drank two bottles of rye whisky.
The other young man went away early. At
$3.50 o'clock in the morning Mrs. Healy told
him
HI MUST MARRY HER
or she would kill him. She SAID she would
call for him with a coupe in the afternoon at
the store. He left the house, drunk as usual,
at 4 o'clock. He got to his bed at 80 O'Clock
am, and at $40 o'clock am. arose and went
70 HE nIaoa 80 bra.o.o IL t1oI aauaral
drinks during the day 10 brace his nerves.
the present Mrs. Sullivan and another woman
in IT, came after him. He put them of for
half an hour on a plea of busins So. Then,
being in fear of his life, because it had been
indicated to him that a pistol had been
brought along, he got into the carriage. His
only recollection of what subsequently, hap
pened was that they stopped one or more
times for drinks. On the morning of the 22d
he woke up to find himself a married man.
BE went to his place of business and returned
at night to her house, and in the presence OF
her children asked Mrs. Sullivan to release
him. Instead OF doing go, he says,
CHE COMPELLED HIM BY FORCE
TO remain In tue house hat night. The mex
two days he went TO work as before, and re.
turned 10 his wife each night, and wac each
time forcibly compelled to remain. Or
March 18th he did not return. Two days
later she came down to the store in the Aston
House. He says he went with her to a Bar
clay street saloon for a drink, and then she
took him by the arm and walked him to 8
saloon on Third avenue. There che offered
to let him go if he would give her $500
When they got on a street car in Third ave.
nue. she let go his arm and he ran. She gol
OF the car and ran after him, shouting
stop, thief" A policeman stopped him ano
delivered him over 10 her. She tried &c
shoot him, bat he escaped down a side street
Sullivan admitted, on cross-examinatiop
that he had been able to cut three suits o.
clothes on the day he was married. Ma,
Steinert, who appeared for Mrs. Sullivan
said that his client would bring the woman
who accompanied her in the coupe on III,
day OF her marriage to swear that Sullivan
was not only sober, but was anxious for the
ceremony to go on. The preacher WHO per
formed the ceremony would testify that
SULLIVAN WAS SOBER.
So would other witnesses. Mrs. Sullivan say
that Sullivan knew she had property worti
! $4,000. On tne morning OF the 18th o
March, she says, up 10 which date all ha'
gone we'll since their marriage, he asked he
for $4,000. "If he had only had the patienc
i to wait a little while, 1 would nave give
. him everything L had, but when ne was 8
fresh / was suspicious" On the 18th, fndin
her husband had deserted her, abe had hir
arrested. The same day he brought suit (
have the marriage declared void. Sulliva
was required to pay his wife s. a week sli
nony pending the result of the action in tn
Supreme Court.