The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-01
SIZE PUT IT IN A BIBLE.
xur sroRY or a RICHMOND NO.
VANS MARRIAGE cBR1IFICATE.
49,. Loft ~ in a New York Hotef--Mra.
Ralph rreston's rreabies-she Finds
the Evidence of Her Marriage.


short paragraph which was printed
IN the Herald on March nth last mas
b.en the means OF restoring TO woman
her n a+riage certificate, which had peeh
lost FOR three years.
More than this. II has put into her
hands the long needed proof to satisfy
,he parents OF her dead husband, VINO
have steadfastly refused to recognize
her or her little son, that she has every
r.ght to call herself their daughter-'n-
lae and to share 10 their wealth
This is the paragraph: p~ooo-
Town in the ne.gnporhood OF broac-
NV and highth street there exists what
ia known as the New YORK Hotel blDie
society When the hotel care Closed lOr
good on the evening OF March 10 1850;
fhe head bartender set up a iarewen
round OF drinks and IN addition handed
zach customer present "a Bible. These
tad been collected from the various
tat words: Given BY the New York Bible
society 10 the New York Hotel, lSa.
me ecipients Of these volumes. who are
business men OF the neighhornood,
promptly ORGANIZED an informal svcie.y'
lae members are not exactly rellsious.
h.t O cardinal principle OF their dealings
w.ih each other is the golden rule
vtaIIs'f ,tlu .it..y IS a,ai.
There were a few OF these Bibles
which John Farrell the manager OF the
cafe did not give away. simply because
there were not customers enough to take
them. As they were not cataiogued
among the other articles to be sold, ne
loon one or two OF them TO MS nome.
Then he babe goodbye 10 the hotel aIter
ten years Of service and after haVlhs
all his fellow employees put their auto
graphs on the rs leaves OF another BlDle,
he took that home placed ii ASIDE anu
promptly forgot all about II.
Having nothing better 10 do month OF
so atterWard he took up this book, anu
turning over a PAGE, he found neatly
folded paper. which he soon had spread
out before him on the table.
IL was a marriage certificate, showing
that Ralph Preston. Of Richmond. va,
had taken Anna German as his wife.
AS well as Mr.. Farrell can recollect II
showed that the late Rev. DR.. Deems,
VINO was the pastor OF the Church or
the Stra myers. in Mercer street, had
performed the ceremony, some time in
1891. He wrote 10 Ralph Preston. or
Richmond. telling him he had discovered
the certificate. but he never received any
reply TO his letter.
He opened a saloon in Clinton place
8 few months ago. He was behind the
bar last Friday when a cab drove up
10 his door and from II alighted good
looking woman about thirty-hVe years
Old. dressed in widows weeds. She en-
tered the saloon. inquiring II he was
Mr.. Farrell. and then she drew from her
pocket a copy of the Herald. in when
was printed the story Of the distribu-
ton Of the Rihles. As Farrell tells II,
This is what followed:.
a SIR NGE STORY.
1T is that" she said (Which has
brought me to your place all the way
from Richmond. Before / tell YOU what
] am seeking ! will tell you my story
u Yell IN love with young man in
Richmond in 1891. His folks were wealthy
mine were not. They would not hear of
his marriage TO me. and he proposed that
we run away and be married l agreed,
and after civil marriage in town
some miles away from Richmond. we
came riaht to this city and TO the New
York Hotel
not fully satisfied with the civil cere-
mony l insisted that a minister join US.
We found that a minister, ] think It
was the Rev. Or. Deems. was a guest
Of the hotel, and 10 him we went and
were married. We occupied the bridal
chamber of the hotel for few days,
and then we sailed for Europe
There my husband. who was a wild
boy, seemed 70 forget his love for me-
He dissipatcd heavily. became Ill. ard
while we were temporarily separated he
died I was left penniless. and was un-
able 10 return 20 this country until my
boy was born. When I did return | went
directly TO Richmond and 70 my hus-
band parents.
"To my CONSERVATION they refused 10
recognize me. saying their son had never
said he Was married TO me. Indignant.
] said | would produce my marriage GER
uhcate and went to my trunk TO get II,
But i could not find it, and search as l
couid, could not bring 1t TO light. SO
concluded had lost IT, and was forced to
Dear The calumny and reDroeches which
my failure 10 produce IL brought me.
With my son I moved into the suburbs
OF Richmond, and there / have lived ever
since. MY husbands friends refusing TO
notice me.
CLEw IN THE HERALD
Il picked up an old copy OF the Herald
few days ago. and there | read the
paragraph about the distribution Of the
New York Hotels Bibles. Like flash
u all came back TO me- one night while
40 the hotel my husband went out |
was reading the Bible. and put IL down
10 look at my certificate. | continued
tcading the Bible until SC netting else
attracted my attention. and ! put the
certificate into the book as a page mark,
closed T., and never thought OF IL after
ward until l read that article in the
Herald.
Now ] want Won 10 help me find every
person who received one of those Bibles.
and ] WI visit all. for / must find that
certificate If it takes years"
What were the names on the certif-
rafeg shouted Farrell, who was so eN-
rited that he could not restrain himself
My husbands name was Ralph Pres
ton and mine was Anna OGor"-
Il have IT, ! have It," yelled Farrell.
1T is at home. Wait here five minutes
and I'll get 81 for you"
Giving the woman no chance to say a
word. he rushed from the saloon. He was
hack In jiffy. and had placed in the wo-
mans hands the long lost certificate. IL
j useless 10 endeavor 10 describe her joy;
hat her eyes filed with tears. and as
She left. saying she would start at once
Tor Richmond. she assured Farrell that
THIS must convince her husbands parents,
and II SO she would see that he was not