The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-07
STORY OF A SECRET MAaRIAaA.
Complicated by False News OF q For
mer Husbands Desth.


known young men in the city. The state
ment that Charles o. Hall Of tho firm OF
the Hall Safe and Lock Company. whose
approaching marriage with a wealthy
young lady Of Utica, n. Y, is already the
subject OF good society gossip, Is charged
with having already figured as hero of q
clandestine marriage, would be received
with incredulity, but It Is nevertheless true.
Furthermore, the affair is one that is not
only interesting from the concealnent of
the ceremony, but assumes most romantic
| tinge from strongly Enoch Arden-like feat
ures with which it Is complicated.
The woman in tue case. Miss or Mrs. Ola
Bell Anderson (HallD resides in elegantly
furnished apartments. at 37d15 Wet Fifth
street. where a Commercial Gazette re-
porter sought her yesterday, and after
mounting two flights of stairs, aud rapping
upon the door, Il was opened by young
woman below the medium hight OF slight
build, with a mass of haxen hair, which
framed IN q pretty aud interesting face.
Introducing himself and his business, the
visitorireQuested an interview.
Certainly" she replied, as every vestige
of color left her cheeks and lips. She led
the way along the dimly lighted hall into a
large, airy room with lofty ceiling, aad
floor covered with heavy, easy treadlag
carpet, on which were carelessly arranged,
as II inviting ease and comfort, number of
rocking chairs and velvet-covered sofas. In
one end of the room was a magnificent up-
right piano, while here and there, scattered
around in charming confusion, were pct
ures, bits of statuary, and all of those other
httls things indicating luxurious refinement
Through a portiere half pulled back could
be seen little bedroom, almost hidden in
the shadows, and only lighted up bv tho
titful flicker of the low-burniny fire. Com
pared to the cold and noise without, it was
a perfect picture of ease and comfort. At
her invitation the reporter seated himself
In willow rocker and she sat facing him.
She was deathlV pale-her features bearing
the tense, hard look OF one expecting pain
full news, while her fingers were tightly
laced together, as if she were making a
great effort to suppress all visible signs of
emotion. On an easel to the right rested a
life-size portrait of a gentleman not over
"a, whose face smiled with naturalness
Pointing to the picture, her visitor said: SIS
that the likeness of your husbandF
1 at is"
"And bis name Is -"
"Charles o. Hall of the firm Of the Hall
Safe and Lock Company" and her voice
vibrated with kind OF defiance, while a
faint flush OF color appeared in her face.
"Then you are Mrs. Ola Bell Hall, the
secret wife OF Mr.. Charles Hall n
~ am"
snow, Mrs. Hall, tell me the story Of
your marriage to Mr.. Hall, and why it is
that he never told his family OF his welded
| life, and why he has kept IL a secret all
these years.
my maiden name was Anderson, and l
was born In Iowa. When quite child my
own mother died, and my father, who was
Baptist minister, grieved SO much over
her loss that he left this country and trav-
al in NYrn hnWa No S~spyr
moved to Cincinnati. Here he married the
second time, and it is this step-mother who
reared me, who Is now sick. When not
quite 10 years Of age / was married to a
young man whose name do not care to
| tell; it is enough to say that he was wild,
reckless and dissipated, and at the end of a
twelve month Of unhappy welded life we
| separated, he going away and l remaining
| here. After a while applied for divorce
Before it was brought to trial came the
news Of his death. He was a newspaper
man, and had learned had been editing q
paper somewhere in the south.
| 81 met and loved Charley Hall thought
| we both loved. We were married in
Chicago, in the presence Of shis friends, and
at his earnest request we all agreed to keeI
1t secret. He was afraid Of his father, who
was then living and other members of the
family to find Il out He brought me back
to Cincinnati, and finally he established me
In this suite OF rooms.
Zone day my sister came to me breath
less. pale and excited. She said: Ola
your first husband Is alive have seen him
l met him on the street to-day
THE horror of it all did not dawn upor
me at first. A merciful providence let me
gradually realize It, Otherwise | should
have fallen dead or become a raVing mani
&C. At that time my husband had beer
called east on some business was striokeI
down with brain fever and fearful tina
when he learned of the unhappy state o.
affairs he would not believe me. but woulc
think lied when said the other one wa
dead, pleaded with my family to renov,
me out OF the city until | recovered
sufficiently TO bear up under the load anC
tell him all.
HE came back while was away. Mean
while his people had learned OF our secret
marriage, but they dtsowned me and refused
to receive me, aid, taking advantage Of
their relationship TO him, they used it t.
poison his mind against me. aud at last
when l regained strength and health and
came back TO the city he refused to see me-
| giving the excuse that it would be wrong,
now that our marriage was null and void
| as my first husband was still living. But
then, he might have come-he might have
| come-if only once" And the little chin
| quivered and big tear glistened on her
| cheek
II obtained a divorce from my first hus-
band and he is now living in Buffalo.
don't know what business he Is engaged
| inn
"Aud has Mr.. Hail called upon you since
| he learned you were diYorcedW
He has not. The last time / saw him
we met face to face on the street. but we
did not speak. That was in August.
Shortly after | went homo TO my parents,
but at the advice OF my attorneys | re-
turned and established myself here Here
will remain until the conclusion of It all "
what alp do you mean ~
"Until his family have accepted or re-
fused the proposition my attorneys made TO
settle sufficient sum of money upon me to
support me respectfully and Comfortably
At this moment the bell rang. aud when
the door was opened messenger boy stepped
in and said: SIS this Mrs. Halle"
"Yes"
"Here is a note for you"
Hastily tearing it open and reading it,
she turned to the reporter and said: This
is letter from my attorneys, who desire
me to call at their Office at 2 o'clock this
afternoon regarding my troubles"
The interview which was held at the
Office of her attorneys yesterday afternoon
failed to accomplish anything. The Halls
had made an offer which the young woman
declined most emphatlcally. but stated her
terms, which are now under advisement.
What effect this exposure will have upon
the approaching wedding in New York
remains to be Seen and what further de-