New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-04
THE FALSE WEDDING NOTICE
YOUNG DODGE HIMSELF WROTE IT.

u
YOUNG DODGE HIMSELF WROTE IT.
az MAKES A FORMAL CONFESSION IN rHr PRES
xNcm OF HIS FATHER - WHAT WAS HIS Mp
rIvRi
Tho publication. last Sunday IN sever@ papers Oh
: boeus Advertisement announcing tho marriage Of
water Phelps Dodge and Miss Lillian H. Stokes, proves
60 have been creation Of tho inventive genius Of tho
young man himself Tho advertisement had been
oeped by tho pspc in good faith, the messenger who
submitted it having willingly Endorsed the copy with
his name and address, In accordance with the require
mont made In such cases. Young Dodge is eighteen
years old con Of tho Rev. D. Stuart Dodge, and
spending the holidays tho homo of his uncle
E Dodge He Is q freshman at Yale College, ana as
the marriage notice appeared, It suspect
Cd ct once, by those concerned, that college
mate had played hoax on tho young man, and had'
with the idocy characterizng tho whole trick, mp-
Gated In bis Islander an innocent young lady.
THE YOUNG MANS CONFESSION.
Tho perpetrator of tho "joke" was none the less
condemned and the relatives of both Miss Stokes and
young Dodge determined to seek out his identity, ana
to punish him he deserved Colonel Thomas Stokes
tho young lady's father, and W. f d. Stokes Arson
p Stokes and A. d. Jullliard, her uncles, combined
their energies with those Of George Dodge and Will
lam e Dodge to ferrot out the cuprit On Monday
night tho Identity Of the Joker" was revealed 10 no
other person than that Of Walter Phelps Dodge him
SELF and this by his own confession copy of tho
lattcr given TRIBUNE reporter, for publication.
last evening, by Colonel Thomas Stokes, in the pres
ence Of A D. Juilliard Arson p. Stokes and George
K Dodge. 1t signed by walter Phelps Dodge in
the presence of his father, and reads as follows:
r .. ' d on
and lillian stokes sn on sunday last an 81
as the
s s The above any ss on the Of
They had met not to exceed six tines only
tie presence of third who were relatives and who
were either 81 the house stoke. George e.
Dsass in the Of IN, the Public tire,
on Saturday as Oh in The pre- snoo Of near relatives
n. S 81 s
OF ny sS
to convey the notices = the oper
y %;ns:S : ? 1883 sss.1r DODGE
COMPLETING THE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE.
This confession was obj aimed after the chain Of EVIL
dence had been completed The name and address
of tho messenger who delivered the advertisement
the first cew employed totrace the author OF the
hoax. This messenger, who Endorsed the marriage
notice. Robert j. Bassett, of No. POI West Twenty
ffthst q boy employed at Tourteliottes stationery
store, No. 1915 Broadway. His statement was that
between and O'Clock Saturday afternoon, we'll
dressed young man, about twenty years Old OF lght
complexion and about five feet and six inches in height
had entered the store and writtcn the notice. lie
thon had asked the boy to mako three copies OF tho
advertisement, claiming excuse for his not doing
tho writing himself that his fingers were too cold
Finally he asked the boy TO take the announcements
gave So pay for the advertisements and to
remunerate him for his trouble. Bassctt took the
notices to the uptown advertising Offices OF these
Until this last fact was asceralned, the relatives
punishing the offender If caught, but this seemingly
trihing Circumstance gave the required hold on tho
nf tha ,tv,fn nftie
the Mutual District Telegraph = -. Com Con.
Rany for ons s IT, snS
Stokes happen to be two OF the largest Stockholders
in tho Mutual Company, and, since there Is statute
Of communication for disseminating matter injurious
to the reputation Of any person. the Messrs Stokes
matter in hand
After the Investigators had taken the statement of
tive to follow up the case The description given
Tailed with that Of young Dodge and they according
tective presented himself to Dodge retained to
assist in ferreing out the author OF the hoax and
search. Then the young attempted to throw sns
picion number Of his college friends Monday
evening at the buckingham Hotel one OF Miss Sfokess
relatives in company with Bassctt managed to enter
. parlor adjacent to ono occupied by Dodge and the
Adjective. The door between the two rooms was
qjar, and as Dodge saw the boy he turned 70
his companion and said: "Isn't that tho boy who
turned to tho gentleman with him, and declared that
Dodge was the man who had given him his lnStruc-
lions.
AN UNPLEASANT ALTERNATIVE.
Later in the evening young Dodge was confronted
with the alternative of making complete confession OF
of beng arrested charge preferred by tho Mutual
District Company. Dodge hesitated, denied, pleaded
and finally succumbed. About midnight Cephas Brain
ard and william CULVER counsel for Colonel Stokes,
drew up the confession already given and submitted 1t
to Dodge ct the Buckingham Hotel. The young mans
father had arrived in tho meantime, and at a. IN.
yesterday Walter Phelps Dodge signed tho docr
ment. He left the hotel shortly aerward and, 1t IS
said departed from the city on an early morning
train. According to &c &c T. DOdg,, the young man
will be banished to transatlantic countries for period
of five years.
While Dodge with the detective, a 'PInrvr re-
porter in his card. The young man appeared In
the vesbue OF the hotel and declared that there were
no new deve opments In the case He seemed cmbar-
raised. however, and expressed the desire that all
suspicion that his cousin, George T. Robbins, had
played the hoax be strenuonsly denied. AS the re-
porter about to leave him, Dodge said In con-
fdental way "Will you kindly give mo information
on this point Isn't the advertisement Of marriage
equivalent to q marriage according to New-Y0rk State
lawas
Tho reporter was dumbfounded by the question,
hnt managed TO Dodge That he had never heard
Of such a thing
Miss lillian H.. Stokes IS a daughter Of Colonel
Thomas Stokes. and is charming young lady OF only
seventeen years She Is heiress, her prospective
estates amounting to several millions Miss Stokes
lost her mother only five weeks ago. The present
complication has affected her the more on that account
INCIDENTS IN SOCIETY
Mrs Robertson. No. IS East Fifty-sixth-st., gave
small dance last evening.
Mrs. Pho Echeverra and Miss Echevcrria No. 20 East
Thirty secondst large reception yesterday afer
noon. followed by dance IN the evening