Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-17
A SOCIAL SENSATION.
The Strange Marriage Of q Canadian
Cabinet Minister.

An Ottawa dispatch says: The alleged illegal
marriage Of the Hon. George E. Foster, min
lister Of finance of the Dominion, to Mrs.
Chisholm, recently divorced at Chicago, is
making an unusual stir in Canadian society.
Mrs. Addie Chisholm was the wife Of business
| man in Hamilton, Ont Both Mr.. and Mrs.
Chisholm we're ardent Christian temperance
workers. In the course Of their labors they
| became acquainted with Mr.. Foster, who had
been a school teacher in the lower provinces,
and by his brilliant advocacy of temperance re-
| form and unusual gifts of mind was making
| himself great name. The Chisholm marriage
did not prove one of unmixed bliss The hus-
band, d. B. Chisholm, was one of the leading
business men of Hamilton. Ont, and at one
| time very wealthy. By unfortunate specula-
tons. however. he lost very largely. What
was left of his fortune something over 600 900,
he invested in a one-cent daily newspaper, the
Hamilton Tribune. Owing to the mismanage-
ment Of one John 7. Hawke, who was placed in
charge OF the new enterprise, it proved fail
ure, and the money invested was lost. Finding
himself penniless, with an enormous indebted-
ness staring him in the face, Chisholm left the
country, but in the hour of his need he was
deserted by his wife, who refused to share his
fallen fortunes, and remained behind in
Canada.
MARRIED IN CHICAGO.
In the course Of time the latter found herself
the president Of the Provincial Young woman's
Temperance union and editor of the Womdn's
Journal in both capacities receiving the con-
ndence and having the personal friendship Of
many OF the leading women of Canada. Mr..
Foster had in the meantime become minister
OF marine and fisheries, and on the removal of
SIR Charles Upper to England as Canada's
nigh commissioner, was made finance minister.
The acquaintance was renewed, but sadly in
tprTnnfo6 ha cApt hat 1,a lolv
had accepted place offered her in Chicago.
To Chicago she went, with the warm wishes of
large circle Of admiring and loving friends.
1t soon became known here that the lady had
chicago to institute proceedings for divorce.
She was aware of her husbands address, but
refused to give it to the court, whereupon the
suit was dismissed. The reason given for the
refusal was that to give it would have injured
him in his business relations About this time
Mr.. Foster quietly slipped off. The local pa
pers that are usually very precise in noting
minister's movements were apparently
quite in the dark to the finance
minister's journey on this occasion. But
the news few like wildfre on his re-
turn that he had been to Chicago to marry
Mrs. Chisholm. He was promptly seen by the
press, and declared that il he was married he
was not aware of the fact. The report then
got around that the divorce proceedings had
failed, and he was arranging a renewal of the
SauSo' Nc ana very quietly
left the capital after finishing his days work at
the department of finance, and sped off by the
night express to Chicago. The marriage took
place the next day. The most prominent di-
vorce lawyer in Canada the morning after the
news became known
PRONOUNCED THE MARRIAGE ILLEGAL.
number of other leading lawyers had a
long talk over the points and concurred in the
opinion expressed. These facts became known
and it had decided effect on society. The
marriage anyway is of such a character that
the wife of the Canadian finance minister can
not be received by Lady Stanley. the wife of
the governor general, representative of her
majesty, whose rules on the subject of divorce
are well known. Neither can she be recog-
nized, according to the strict canons of Ottawa
society, by the wife of the premier, or any of
those with whom she has been on terms of
closest personal intimacy. As to the legal as
poets of the case the plain fact is that Cana
dian marriage cannot be set aside