The evening world., 1894-05-15
MARRIED BY PROXY.
Gearity, in Texas, Welded to His
Sweetheart in New York.
He Was Dying and Miss Morris
Wanted 10 Claim His Body.
Left No Property, and Love Was Her
Only Motive.

A touching story of love and devotion
was disclosed through a despatch in this
mornings "World" from FL Paso, Tex,
relating that Il. +. Gearity. who died on
| Sunday in FL Paso. was married by
proxy a short time before his death to
Miss Julia w. Morris, of this city.
| Miss Morris did not seek to bind her
self to her dying lover 50 that she might
benefit by his property, for he had
none. but because she wanted to
have the legal right to his corpse, which
she will bring to New York and inter in
Calvary Cemetery.
Since the death OF her father and
mother, Miss Morris, who Is the Oldest
of several sisters. has been letting fur
nished rooms at 96 Lexington avenue,
quite a fashionable locality. Five years
ago Mr.. Gearity, who was next to the
head of the silk department., of the great
dry-goods firm OF Teft, Weller & Co.. Sc
fell In love with Its head.
MISS Morris, or rather Mrs. Gearity,
told her sad story this morning to an
exceedingly handsome woman on the
shady side OF thirty. She has an ex-
ceptiorally fine figure and deep blue
and framed in wavy brown hair.
Mrs. Gearity said that she and Mr..
Gearity had baen engaged TO be married
Tor five years. He was man about
toity, and seemingly void of romance un-
I'll he met her. Almost rom the first he
urged imm ediate marriage, but Miss
Norris ha1 two younger sisters, and she
fe before marrying herself.
IT 1t had not been for this fact" she
said, mournfully.. to-day. I'VE would
have been married long ago, and l
might have been with him when he
died"
She cried softly for a short time. and
then resumed:
kindest men in the world. He did not
have an enemy. He had not been in good
health for, some time. Three months ago
his his physician ply decided that he must travel
Springs. He remained there for two
months and then went to FL Paso. Tex
Quick consumption had developed, and on
Friday | got despatch from Mr.. Gearity
saying he was dying and asking me If /
would marry him by proxy, l replied.
despatch from an FL Paso minister in
Consulted a competent Judge Texas
law prohibits marriage by proxy. He is
Soon after ar other despatch from the
dying lover came. 1t read:
Want marry you by proxy. You
appoint proxy"
This meant that the marriage should
take place in New York. Mr. Gearity
had signed the despatch in the presence
OF witnesses, so that Miss Morris would
have no trouble to establish herself as
his widow.
~ consulted COUNSEL" resumed Mrs
this aipithorization Gould 90 "a' on and and
have the ceremony performed. l chose
Robert j. HGey' my cousin, as proxy
fGr r,oN Mr GsaTl1y rday and between and
married by Rev. Father Halpin s. l.,
in the chapel of st. Naviers College
Mr HSey a,bPpenrnf ,ba as MT Geasty
day. and the ink was scarcely dry
when despatch came saying my hus-
band was dead
The. reporter read the clause OF this
mornings despatch which says that
Mr.. Gearity made a WILL leaving all his
property to his widow.
marriage" Mrs. Gearity said, pathet-
ically. '1 wish you would make that
plain Mr., Gearity left no property. He
earned good salary and spent 1t. He
was one of those men who would have
spent five times as much If he had had
1t to spend.
I'VE were TO have been married in
| wanted the right to claim his body and
have it buried as that Of my husband.
had loved him iearly for years and he
had lEyed me 1t would be at least some
reason we were married in such a
strange way when the poor fellow, so
tar away from me, was dying. He, too,
was desirous II should be So
The body left Texas last night, and
VIII probably reach here tomorrow
| night The funeral will be from this
hnuse-,it was his home-most likely on
thursday, and l will have the body
buried In Calvary"
| Rev. Father Halpin, OF st. Xavier's
| College; Is absent and will not return
until Saturday. The Father Superior
| told an Evening World" reporter that
the marriage was not only legal hut
| was sanctioned by the Catholic religion
while marriage Is a sacrament in the
| Catholic Church" he said, at ia also a
| contract. Other contracts may be made
by proxy. and why not marriage?"