The morning call., 1893-08-23
A MISSING BRIDE.
An Oakland Romance and
Its Frail Basis.
YOUNG BOB MORROW'S ROLE.
Florencio Monteverde Jr. Takes Con-
tract Wife and Is Annoyed by
Her Unexplained Absence.

Oakland is reveling over a sensation
based upon few minor incidents in the
married by-contract life Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Forencio Monteverde Jr. All manner OF
compromising rumOrs have been given
currency within the last twenty-four hours.
They ranged from the ordinary romance
to the wildly lurid search of the Injured
husband for an interloper and missing
bride. The parents of the hero were
mixed up in the salacious narrative, and
the Oakland papers brought out their
choicest ''scare heads" tO properly label
the happening. The journalistic noun
tain across the bay labored and wrlthed In
anticipation of a genuine scandal in
high life." but the results are sadly dis
plea sing to the expectaDt readers.
The story of the love of Monteverde is
as follows, as gathered from the most re-
liable sources: A few months ago he mar
ried by contract young woman OF Oak
land, having previously cOurtPd her for
quite a period. They kept the matter
secret, and the contract wife lived with
her sister, Mrs johnson, at 1918 Seventh
her nearly everv day, and was frequently
accompanied by his chum, Bob Morrow,
son of the Sutter-street railway president.
Yrung MOnteverde is a bOokkeeper in the
Grangers' Bank, ard a few days ago he
intinaled to the officers that he had been
married, but no particular attention was
paid to the matter. He neglected 10 in
form his parents, however. but seems to
have had no particular reason for his Teti-
cence, as he has attained his majority.
On Saturday Mrs. Monteverde Jr. came
10 this city to visit friends, but failed TO
return at the appointed hour. Her hus-
band went to the Oakland home to see her,
but was disappointed and returned to San
Francisco, subsequently meeting her at
the home OF friend.
Then the story got out that she had
eloped with Bob Morrow Jr.. and that the
irate husband had enlisted the services of
the Oakland police force to restore his
missing contract wife. Morrow was in
the city all of the time, and the hus band
knew very we'll where TO meet him at any
minute.
The papers stated that Monteyerde
Jr. was prostrated with grief, and that
he had been unable TO leave his parents
home since the sad news of his wife's
elopement. In reality he was at the bank
each day. as proved by the statement last
evening of Frank McMullen, secretary of
the banking company where the young
LOchinvar is employed. He said that
Monteverde Jr. came TO the bank as
not remain the entire day. I'VE knew he
had been married by contract" said Mr..
McMullen, but the story about the elope-
ment is ali news TO u.s."
CALL reporter went to the Monte
verde Senior residence al 1913 Sutter
street last night, and inquired for the
anxious husband. He was not in, his
father said. and then be continued: My
son went To the bank as usual to-day and
| saw him there. He did not come home
to dinner this evening, but he frequently
stays away, and we thought nothing of
OH hi fio,,
about him is very annoying TO me, and
does my family n positive injustice, l do
not beilrve that my son has been married
by contract. but do not care even If it be
so. He has perfect right to do as he
pleases, as be has long since passed beyond
my legal control. Monteverde Sr. and
Monteverde Jr. are entirely different per-
sons, though of the same family. We bear
the same Christian name, and a trivial
escapade has been The means of casting
odum upon the family. My son is not
likely to perform any rash act, and the
gOsspy story of the elopement is the
rankest sort of imagery"
Robert Morrow Jr. was called up at a
late hour last night by q CALL reporter
who sought to gain some information re-
specting the alleged missing woman. If
Mr.. Morrow knows anything concerning
her whereabouts he declined to make II
known.
When first seen he dreamily said that he
didn't know from the publications and
kilograms whether he knew the woman in
the case or not. Upon being pressed for a
categorical answer lie positively declined
10 discuss the subject and. wrapping his
robe de mutt about his substantial form.
disappeared through the bedroom door.
Mrs. Monteverde JT.'s maiden name was
Sophie Lennig, and she formerly ran a
dressmaking parlor on Broadway, Oak
land. She has relatives there. in this city
and in Santa Cruz. and it is extremely
probable that her much talked-of dis
appearance" rests in the fact that she has
gone on a visit TO her relatives and
neglected TO inform her husband at the
moment Of her departure. At all hazards.
1t seems settled that she did not elope with
young Bob Morrow.