St. Paul daily globe., 1893-05-11
Winona Has a Matrimonial
Complication Which Ex-
cites the Town.
Miss Annie Schneider Gets
Married to an Already
Married Man.
How Joseph r. Goehey Trifed
With a Pretty Girls
Affections.
Log Scaling in the Wabasha
District Gets Into the
Courts.
Special to the Globe.

WINoNA, MIMI, May 10.-The old
adage regarding the rocky course of
true love, and the queer pranks played
by elusive little Cupid, is we'll exem
plified by the termination yesterday of
the romance surrounding the sudden
and clandestine marriage of we'll
known Winonian on May 4. The par
ties are we'll known in this city, and
the occurrence has set the tongue of
Mother Rumor wagging at great rate.
On May 4 Joseph r. Gochey, we'll
known horseman of this city. and Miss
Annie Schneider, of Arcadia, Wis, were
hastily and clandeStinely married at
Fountain City. The rivalry between
Gochey and two other men for the heart
and hand of Miss Schneider was so
strong that Gochey resorted is heroic
measures. Securing hack, Gochey
went to Miss Schneller's residence and
spirited her out by way of rear en-
trance into hack just as another suitor
appeared at the front door, and hastily
drove to Fountain City, where the nup-
tial not was tied. He was so urgent and
demanded such haste that his intended
bride was obliged to complete her toilet
in the carriage. 1t has now developed
that Gochey was not
Entirely Free to Wed
the object of his affections, as lawful
wife, from whom he had never been
divorced, had prior claim upon him.
This leaking out, Gochey disappeared,
and his present whereabouts are un-
known.
Miss Schueller is at present stopping
with friend, Mrs. Frank Oyer, who re-
sides upon West Fifth street in this
city. To GLOBE representative she
related her story this evening. 1t ap-
pears that she had obtained god situa-
for that city. To this Gochey-whom
she had known but short time-stren-
uously objected, picturing in glowing
terms the advantages of home of her
own in preference to being butfeted
about as working girl. To hesitate is
fatal, and Miss Schneider hesitated. She
had learned, however, Of Gochey's pre-
vious marriage. and spoke to him about
it. Gochey swore by all the tabled gods
that he was perfectly free legally to
again marry, and proposed that she ac-
company him to the proper placeto
test the truth of his statement. 1t was
with this understanding, Miss Schneider
says. that she accompanied him to
Fountain City. She did not wish to we'd
Gochey until the Sunday following,
when she would have her friends pres
ent.. Arriving at Fountain City Gochey
aud Justice William Ullrich had short
conference. and the justice informed
Miss Schneider that Gochey was legally
master of his own movements
In a Matrimonial Way,
whereupon Miss Schneider rather re-
luctantly consented to have the nuptial
knot tied. Since the couples return
from the Wisconsin Gretna Green, all
went we'll until few days ago, when
Gochey repudiated his former state
ments by informing his bride that he
was not entirely free from his former
matrimonial alliance, and was about to
leave the city for the purpose of secur-
Ing divorce. He then disappeared,
leaving the girl, who until then sup
posed herself his legal wife, penniless
and upon her own resources. AS she
now remarks, instead of having home
of her own she is worse off than if she
had been "buffeted about as working
girl" Miss Schneider consulted an at
torney and learned that the marriage
was, of course, illegal. Gochey, before
leaving, filled her ears with all sorts of
foolish yarns regarding her position,
one being that the girl was as much i'm
plicated in the bigamy as he was, and
that if she dared show her face upon
the street she would be arrested. THIS
frightened her so she scarcely yentured
to leave the house, until her fears were
somewhat alIayed by reliable informa-
tion that Gochey was under the circum-
stances alone legally to blame. A phase
of the affair which is rather queer, to
say the least, is that Justice Ullrich, in
his official capacity, assured the girl
that the marriage could legally take
place, and following this, on the
Day After the Marriage.
he wrote Goehey at length. stating that
after having looked up the law covering
the matter, he advised that Gochey pro-
cure a divorce from his former wife as
soon as possible; that the fact that she
deserted him and again married without
obtaining divorce would not release
Gochey from liability, and that the for
mer wife could legally claim property
left by him after his deceaSe. This letter
Miss Schneider secured possession of
and still retains.
Miss Schneider feels her position
keenly, and she has the sympathy Of all
her acquaintances, who are cogniZant
of the unfortunate affair. She has not
heard from Gochey since his disappear
ance, and she most emphatically states
that she will refuse to see him in the
event of his return. Mrs. Oyer, with
whom Miss Schneider is at present
stopping, corroborates the girls state
ment in every particular, and is highly
indignant over her treatment, as the
two have long been warm friends, and
she regards Miss Schneider as almost
sister
Miss Schneider is very attractive
appearing girl, being of medium height,
slender build, dark brown eyes and
curly black hair Both she and Gochey
are so we'll known here that the affair
has become the talk of the town. II he
ventures toreappear upon the scene he
is apt to receive rather rough treatment,
as it is reported that he shamefully
abused his former wife, beating her at
different times, and using her So badly
that she was obliged to leave him.