The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-07-09
COMPLICATED CASE:
A COUPLE MARnlED ~ rUN.
The Foolilh Girl Atts,uardI Find. Out rha.
Her Maiden Freak Wa. a ssrIoa. Matter.
a Suit for Divorce and How 1.
Turned out-Awarplps Lesson.

|
NV YORk, July ga horrible anxiety
respecting her name has since 1888 filed
: the mind Of ayoups woman who in her
4 maidenhood was known definitely as
4 Flora A. Hastings. She desired 10 be
known as Mrs. Flora A. Keyes, the wife
Of Winfield Scott Keyes, Of San Francisco,
but he rejected her and insisted that she
, was the wife Of J. OBJ. Kelly. Mr.. Kelly
completed her discontinue by insistine
= that be was her husband, and had been
5 such without her knowledge from 1875.
3 Laying the names Of both Keyes and
. Kelly aside for the nonce, she brought, in
. her maiden name, Q suit in this city 10
have her status decided by the supreme
Court. She made J.o. b. Kelly the de-
tendant In this action, and ask ed the court
to declare null and void the marriage re-
lation, which, according TO Kelly, existed
between them. Kelly was seryed with
the papers in the action, but he failed 10
: appear at Its trial before Referee Ab.sm
King. One Of his sisters, conversant
with the circumstances surrounding the
alleged marriage, gave testimony in dis
proof OF his theory.
1t was shown by the evidence before
the referee that Flora A. Hastings .daugh-
ter OF a wealthy Catholic family Of san
Francisco. was q student in the Notrc
Dame Academy, Baltimore, from 1872 un.
I'll 1867. She there became acquainted
with Bonnie Kelly, whose parents lived
at Sweet Chalybeate Springs, Va. Her
mother took her TO the springs to spend
the vacation periodof 1872 She met
Bonnie Kelly there, and became acquaint-
ed with her family, which included the es-
Unable j. o. B. Kelly. She was then 1S
years oil age. So pleasediwas Flora with
The Springs that she spent several sum-
mers there, and from May TO October,
1876, she lived in the Kelly household.
She left there on the evening Of October o,
1916, being driven othe railroad at ALE.
ghany Station. With her were Bonnie
Kelly, her younger sister and Rev. Viii
liam Walsh, who had also been guest Of
the Kelly family.
MARRIED IN FuS.
Throughout the ride Of ten miles young
Kelly was in iocose mood. Among other
things he suggested that a marriage at the
station would be very romantic. Arriving
at the station the young folks alighted and
crossed the platform. The train was not
in sight and waiting got monotonous. A
happy thought struck young Kelly.
"Lst US get married for fun," be said
gleefnlly, catching up the right hand OF
pretty Flora Hastings. "It will Ne lots Of
fun"
Leading the girl over 10 where Father
Walsh stood, he asked him to marry
them.
said Father Walsh.
Young Kelly laughed heartily as he said
"Flora, do you want to marry Jim2"
continued the priest.
II don't obiect," "was the modest reply
of the blushing maid Of II.
"All right, yes were the vague re-
marks with which the marriage ceremony
was closed by the priest.
SIS it a real marriage?n asked Miss
Hastings.
Nonsense" responded Father Walsh.
The arrival Of the train put period 10
the conversation. Flora and the two
Kelly girls boarded the train. Young
Kelly took leave OF them as II he intended
to 60 back to Sweet Chalybeate Springs,
but the following morning the girls met
him at breakfast in hotel at Staunton,
Va. He had travelled on the same train
with them without their knowledge. He
remained with them at staunton nearly
all day, but made no reference TO the
marriage for fun" Flora went back to
the Baltimore school, and when her
education was completed, returned 10 her
home in San Francisco. There she met
Winfield Scott Keyes, and on April %,
1873, was married to him inthe Roman
Catholic Cathedral by Archbishop Allie
many. s1n 1882 she became mother. In
July, 1888, Keyes began an action In the
Superior Court Of San Francisco for the
annulment Of his marriage with her on
ground that she was the real wife OF ]. o.
b. Kelly. He also asked that their child
"a siri-be legltimized and given into his
custody.
.wouLDN'r GIVE lfKR ur.
Prior to this event MIs. Keyes had
been startled by rumos that ]. o. B.
Kelly considered her his wife. Asshe had
not seen him since they parted at staun-
ton, and had heard nothing from him,
she journeyed to Sweet Chalybeate
Springs to hear from his own lips his
opinion respecting the validity Of 'the
marriage for fun" at Allegheny Station.
To her horror she learned that be consid-
cred her his wife. But he said that he
would write TO Father Walsh 10 ascertain
his opinion. He wrote, butgot no answer,
and continued to claim the distressed lady
as bis lawful wife. Leaving Kelly, she
took up her residence in this city. But
X atitt fAltaKEaH hnN 1a n
here she served him with the papers In
her suit.
After careful review OF the evidence
before him, Referee King decided that
the marriage for fun was no marriaga at
all, because gone through in violation OF
the statute Of Virginia, Which provides
that license Is necessary and that the
consent ol the parents or rssuardians must
be procured in the case oi'ininors such as
Flora and young Kelly were. It was also
not marriage under The common law,
because they had not lived as man and
vile. Beyond this, although there was
clergyman present. it lacked ceremonial
character, and all the circumstances indi-
Gated that Flora, young Kelly, and Father
Walsh all regarded It as unmarked by
serious intention. Cumulative evidence
OF this fact, the referee thought, was pro-
yided by Kelly himself through bis fall
nre for years TO provide for the support Of
Flora or in any way undertake TO assert
the rights Of husband. The court had
the power, and the referee considered Il
should exercise II, to ahnul an slleged
marriage which must be deemed fraud
on the plaintiff and cloud on the repu-
tatlon Of herself and her child.
Judge Andrews; TO whom the report OF
the referee was presented, has confirmed
II, and the plaintiffs name is once moro
Flora A. Ksyes, wife Of Wirfeld Scott
Keyes, and well equipped for the defense
Of her title 10 that name and place.