Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-03-22
a SECRET MARRIAGE.


/
Col. w. C. r. Breckinridge Was Secretly
Married to Mrs. Louis s. Wing. of Louis
| Vile at tho Time He was Declaring His
Intention to Marry Madeline Pollard an
Seeking the Latter's Consent to Speedy
Union.
NEW YORK. March 17.-Although Con
| gresham Bre ckinridge was married tc
Mrs. Louise S. Wing in this city on
| April 90, 1898. the marriage certificate
| was not filed at the bureau of vital sta
tistics here until yesterday. The cere
mony was performed by Rev. DR.. John
R. Paxton, at that time pastor of the
West Presbyterian church, at his resi-
| dence, 81 West Forty sixth street. The
certificate, which came by mail, con-
| tains these details relative to the con-
| tracing parties:
Groom-William G. P. Breckenridge aged
| S. residence. Lexington. KY, born in Balti
more; widower; second marriage.
Bride-Loaise r. Wing, born in Kentucky
| widow; second marriage; maiden name Scott.
b Witnesses to the marriage, Mary l. Paxton
and Elanor NJ. Collier.
The handwriting on the paper is
| identical with that of Col. Breckin
| ridge, but the signature is certainly
that of DR.. Paxton. Doubtless, Col.
Breckenridge filed in the blank form
| and the clergyman simply signed it.
On the outside of the envelope in
which the certificate was inclosed was
written: IF not delivered in two
days return to C. F. b., 81 West
Forty-sixth street." The writing on
the envelope looks like DIR. Paxton's.
At the health department there is
much speculation over the delay in FL
ing the certificate. The sanitary code
| says that all marriages must be re
corded within thirty days, and it is
probable that DIR. Paxton will be
called upon for an explanation.
According to the certificate, Col.
Breckenridge had been married to Mrs.
Wing several months previous to the
time that he is alleged to have con-
fessed his engagement to the widow to
Miss Pollard.
The News of the Secret Marriage IL
Washington.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE news
from New York that the marriage Of
Col. w. C. P. Breckenridge and Mrs
Louise Wing had taken place secretly
in that city on April 80 last, according
to the marriage certificate. three
months before the public ceremony,
was spread about the court room where
the breach-of-promise case was being
tried yesterday afternoon, and created
great interest. Counsel, however, were
able to see what bearing this marriage
could have on the case, for testimony
had been given that the engagement
of Col. Breckenridge and Miss Pollard
existed nearly month prior to the
date Of the secret marriage as given in
the certificate which has just been
fled in New York.
Mrs. Julia C. Blackburn, the widow
of Gov. Luke Blackburn, of Kentucky,
who testified in the case on March 3.
said that on Good Friday, in 1898, Col.
Breckenridge brought Miss Pollard to
her apartments at the Portland, in this
city, and presented her as his future
wife, asking Mrs. Blackburn to give
the young woman her protection dur
ing the engagement. Good Friday in
1898 came on March 81, while the secret
marriage is recorded as having taken
place April 90 of that year.
Miss Pollard testified on the witness
stand yesterday that ION one of the
last days of August in 1899, Col.
Breckinrige had asked her to marry
him and she had consented.
Col. Breckenridge was told by a
United Press reporter that the certifi-
cate of the New. York marriage had
been filed with the bureau of vital sta
tistics, and asked if he would say some.
thing about it.
mo; have not ANYTHING to say
he said. ut will all come out later.
mustn't talk of those things now
you will have to wait until go on the
stand; then you'll hear the whole
story. No; really can't say anything
about it,
Mr.. Stoll, of Lexington, one of Col.
Breckinridge's counsel, said, laughing
ly, patting Col. Bre chinridge on the
back:
''Oh, you just wait until we get this
old fellow on the stand, and then
you'll know the truth. But we're
keeping quiet just now"
The Brother In the Case.
LOUISVILLE, KY, March 17.-Dr.
Preston Scott. brother of Col. Breckin-
ridges wife, refused yesterday to an
swer the question if the statement was
true that he had compelled Breckin-
ridge to marry his sister Immediately
after the death of the colonels first
wife. His face flushed as he said that
the matter only concerned the men,
bers of the two families. DR.. Scott
visited the newspaper offices OF
this city the day before the
breckenridge Wing wedding here
and insisted on the publication of
the fact that the marriage would take
place then, in spite Of the fact that