Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-03
HE ELOVEDTHEW WIDOW
A Youth of Is Marries q Charmer
of As Summers,
WITH FIVE DEAR LITTLE BABIES.
The Honeymoon Rudely Broken BY His
Sudden Disappearance.
HIS WIFE WILL FIGHT FOR WEALTH

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.i
BOSTON, Feb. 2-Mrs Maria Keene is a
small woman, nicely formed, and has q
very girlish look, full of life and good
spirits. She is accomplished and has an ex-
cellent education. She is, furthermore, the
mother of five children, the widow of ma
val officer formerly at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard. and the alleged niece of Justice
Blatchiord, of the United States Supreme
Court. After the death in New York State
of her first husband, she came to. Rhode
Island, and the summer resort of Riverside
found her three years ago among the thou
sands who occupy the neat little villas
during the heated term.
She was very modest. loved all her babies
and took the fondest care of each one.
Among those whom she called upon was
Mrs. Henry C. Pollard, wife of the we'll
known detective of Lonsdale and
the Blackstone Valley country. At
the seashore house of the Pollard family
at this time was Young Fred Keene, nephew
of the celebrated detective, and an heir to
considerable real estate and personal prop
erty. Detective Pollard was guardian over
Keene, who was then about Is.
A Courtship and Marriage.
Unknown to the Pollard family the widow
OF 4S and young Keene had become infat-
uated with each other, and Tor weeks their
courtship was secret and deep. Finally,
when it began to be suspected. the Pollards
took quick steps to have the widow leave
the cottage, and she went to another village
not far away. Young Keene then, to the
surprise of the Pollards, followed the widow,
nd ho do n hat
riage ceremony had been per ormed, and
that the couple were legally man and wife.
The Pollards expressed themselves as
greatly shocked and Mortified, and they in
sisted that the ceremony was an illegal one,
for they alleged that Keene at the time was
only II years of age and mere child. The
relatives of Keene employed counsel and
sought to have the marriage set aside, but it
had been regularly performed by a we'll
known clergyman, and all efforts in that
direction failed. The charming widow went
to Providence and secured the services of
lawyer too, and her interests were carefully
looked after.
Suddenly Keene disappeared, and the re-
port was current that he had been sent to
Europe. Keene gave his name to the
Town Clerk, who granted the license GER
tihcate, as 81. He said later to his bride
that he was but IS, and this she believed.
Mrs. Keene VIII Fight.
The relatives claim that Keene was only
II when married, and they alleg. he will
not arrive at his majority for one year to
come. Mrs. Keene contends differently,
and she has taken steps to secure means
from his accumulated fortune for the main
tenance of herself and children. as she
claims to be entitled to as the legal wife
of the long absent young man.
She alleges that Keene was OF age some
little time sgo, and that his continued ab-
sence in Europe, if he is abroad, is enforced
for the sole purpose of preventing her from
securing her rights under the marriage of
three years ago. After the marriage to the
widow, Keene was supremelv happy and
was passing honeymoon of unalloyed
bliss, when suddenly it was ruptured by
his being called away from his family ON
mission, whence he has not yet returned.
Mrs. Keene asserts that her husband did
not 60 away on her account, nor of his
choice. She declares that she and all the
babies love him still, and that in time he,
will come back and all will be well. She
emphatically says that she will not allow
divorce on her part, nor assent to one.