Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-15

An Interesting Case Now in Progress.
MOCK MARRIAGES AND SIMULTANEOUS KISS
| METH TESTIMONY OF EXPERTS IN THE ART
OF OSCILLATION.
| A good deal of fun which may result seriously
| for some one. is going on at the town of New
Utrecht suburb of Brooklyn. n. Z. Annie
Evadne Higbie. one of the fair ones of New
Utrecht. has begun action against young man
named Walter Vaughan tor abandonment. She
claims Van chan for her husband and has ap-
| pealnd to the Justice of her c0untrymen to es-
| tabliSfi her claim. 1t appears from the evidence
| for the defense that the wedding was mock"
marriage, made in play at sociable. It appears
| also that the young men and Inaidens of New
| Utrecht have penciant for mock marriages
ana KISSING. Wnich may be one Of the remote
| effects OF the introduction among the good old
| Dutch settlers by the Yankees OF WeatherSbury
| of which WASHINGTON Irving is correct histo-
Ran. OF the barbarons custom of 'bundug"
Gu one occasion. Il appears at a 'sOciab,e" held
| at the house of Mr.. Case somebody proposed
| to play mock marriages. 1t was agreed to. and
forthwith Charles ArpSOn. a youth Of 20 was
| chosen minister. Areson testtes as follows:
| He performed the ceremony in the case of
| Miss II gbip and Walter Vaughan. and declared
| then, one flesh according to the holy audience
| Of matrimony." Then he turned around and
| married the same girl to Frank HodIius. and
| afterwards married Frank Hodgins to Gertie
| Bennett. then married Gertie Bennett to Waiter
| Vaughan. and got married himself to Ella Now
| len. Then there was ''br dial tour The girls
| cot In wagon, and the young fellows pulled
| them around. The - Rev" Mr.. Areson was one
! OF the horses on the occasion. Further tpsti-
mony was to the effect that good bit of sport
was had at the home of q Mr. Munday There were
| couple Of hainmOcks on the prem SEES and they
were very convenient for the young lovers to
hug and kiss in. ann from the evidence of all the
witnesses the sweethearts were mixed up in the
! huwging and kissing business as indiscriminately
| as they we've IN the mock marriage amusement
| The object OF the testimony in this direction was
| IT, show that Miss Hgbe herself did not regard
| the marriage at the time as anything but iun
| and since the ceremony DULY 19) her lips had
| been as free as the town pump. AresOn, the
mock minister said he had kissed the plain
| tiff every time he went to Mundays house
:" Did she kiss YOU back?" asked the counsel
| well. said the witness. when you kiss girl
| 1t is sort o simultaneous"
| Counsel.-This kissing, did it make any i'm
preston on your mind? A Taught
| Nitncss.-No. sir: it made an impression on
my lips. Prolonged laughter
| Couusel.-l ask, did it impress your mind in
| am way?
Witness.-1 don't remember ever giving girl
| a KISS that made an impression upon my mind.
| ERoars of laughter.]
Belle Houtman, a tall. handsome girl OF
| eighteen, stylishly dressed in blue. gave new
version of the mock marriages. She said:
| We were just through playing croquet when
| Annie Higbte cried ont to Walter Let's get
| married. in fun; he took " alters hand and said
to Charlie Ares n. Come aud marry u.s. said
! oh. yes let's get married. and asked Frank
| Neeius to marry me. [Laughter.] Right after
she married Walter Annie was married again to
| Frank Hodgins"
What was the ceremony"
! "Charlie Areson asked. Who's going to make
the coffee? Who's going to get up and light the
| fre5"
"Did he ask who would shovel the snow OF
| the sidewalk"
| YES, sir" tLaughter]
| ''Did he ask who would feed the baby?"
Very gravely.-"Yes sir" [Roars Of laugh
| ter
| WHO else was married."
| II can hardly tell; We were getting married
| all the time; after while the boys jumped over
the fences to get away from their wives; it was
all fun. and, of course, don't consider myself
married"
! Frank Hodgns testified to kissing divers
girls. including ANNIE and also marrying" sew
| eral OF them according to the new Utrecht plan.
Annie was one of his brides The hearing will
be resumed to-day. when the case will, it is
| thought, be decided.