River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-02-07

A Strange Scene in a Court Room
Marrying and Dfsmissing Stran-
ger for the sake OF the EIan She
Loved.
From Buffaie Letter.
The story of strange marriage is told
in dispatch from Erie TO the Courier
to-day. In brief form it is as follows:
Saturday morning, when Justice Free
man, of Erie, opened court, there sat on
one Of the benches a weIl-dressad and
beautiful young woman. When the
cases on hand were disposed o. she
arose and asked his Honor if he WIS
duly qualified to perform the marriage
rite. Receiving an affirmative reply,
she beckoned to an exceedingly un-
couth, middle-aged man, sitting ct the
back of the room, and said to the jus.
tice:
~ want you to marry me to this man. Z
The man went forward and stood be.
fore the desk, looking the picture OF
sheepishness.
els this the husband of your choice,
madam" inquired the Justice. looking
at the couple with intense surprise.
81 believe 50. Are you the husband
of my choice. Mr.. Travnor?'
Yes, ma'am, am" replied the man,
with sly grin.
Justice freeman informed the woman
that it was customary to hand IN the
names and addresses ofthe contracting
parties, The couple then stepped back
a few PAGES and conferred tor 4 moment.
Then they sat down at table aid the
woman handed the man sheet OF "a.
per. He made move which the JUS
tice interpreted to mean tina he Was not
acquainted with the art of wri ing. A
contemptaous smile passed over the wo
mans face, and, taking the pen, she
scrawled with aristocPatic regularity the
names of Amelia A. Royce, Cincinnati,
and Charley Traynor, Utica, n. 4,
Then the couple stood up and were
made man and wife, according to the
laws of Pennsylvania.
The husband stood rs though bewild-
cred. When the ceremony was com.
peted. Justice Freeman produced a
marriage certificate, but the bride beg
ged him to desist. "You will make a
record of this marriage, sir; and that
will be of more value than this senti-
mental but silly picture card, said she.
Then she turned to the groom, and
intimated that he would lose his train il
he wasted too much time. He smirked
and remarked that it would not distress
his much to miss the train. lie was
coldly informed that his absence was
preferred to his company, and that he
was to go about his business as quickly
| as possible. Some papers were handed
| to him, and, after a few words, uttered
| in low tone, the man took his haf, bld
| the bride g3od-day and ieit the court
| room. The bride remained. ~ thinb
You think some expanationis due you,'
| she said TO the justice. There IS no. b.
ing wrong in all this; 10 crime. NJ
| despair, broken hearts, nothing traslc
| l am simply putting 1t out OF my power
| to say 'ves'l to the only man on earth j
would please and hurt me to marry
| the only man on earth | care for. For
reasons that | have no desire to tell
cannot marry this gentleman withou
| bringing great sorrow upon him and ms
in the future. And as | am only wo
man, capable OF being tempted to marry
| the man love, | have married stran
ger and so placed myself beyond th'
| reach of temptation. This Is all there
| is in it. I shall 60 home and live as
have ALWAYS lived, and love as | Away
have owed 1t is not likely that | sha.
see this man Traynor again. He per
fectly understands that he was hired tC
marry me and then so about his bust
ness"
The astonished magistrate was thel
requested to forward copies OF papers
containing her marriage notice to the
Baltimore Sun, the Washington Crit c
and the Denver Tribune. Sac seemed
| particularly anxious that her marrlag-
should be mtde public, also the fac
that she remained in the room after he
husband left TITO catch the train. Jus
tice Freeman'5 theory is that insanit3 i
the trouble she leared to bring upon her
| self and the man she loves