St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-10
ST. PAUL ELOPEMENT
Pretty Rachel Berkey Was
Secretly Married to
Young AL Meyer
OVER SIX MONTHS AGO.
Parental Objection Foresd
the Lovers to Wed at
Hudson, Wis.
MISS BERKEY INTERVIEWED.
The Mother OF the Bride Con1s
pletely Prosurated By
the News.
MISS BERKEY INTERVIEWED.

A somewhat romantic affair In the
shape of a marriage between the
daughter of one of st. Paups best
known and most highly respected cit.
lzens and dashing young man about
town has just come to light. The young
people are Miss Rachel Berkey, ,daugh hter
of John A. Berkey, and granddaughter
OF Peter Berkey. one of the Oldest
settlers of the state. and AIrara j.
Mayer, son of Jules Mayer, proprietor
of the billiard hall of the Metropolitan
hotel.
The story Of the marriage of these
two extremely young people reacs like
the most romantic novel that was ever
written.
They met and fell in love with one
another almost at first sight. The pa,
rental benediction. however. did not
follow them, and Al was forbidden the
house for time. This plan of CAM
paign, however. did not work, and the
young lover was allowed to visit his
sweetheart at her home, on Dayton aves
nue..
Becoming more and more infatuated
with one another they decided that as
there was no prospect of any sympathy
from either of the parents, they would be-
married anyhow. So on Jan. 20, last, a
few days before Miss Rachel was to de-
part for school. she accompanied her
10y lover to Hudson and they were
made man and wife.
Miss Berkey is still not quite sixteen,
and Mr.. Mayer but twenty-one. In the
course of few days she left home for a
young ladies' seminary at Holidays
burg. Pa, and returned at the close Of
school. aDeat-JHne Is.
Up till this time, and, indeed, until
| about ten days ago, nothing at all had
been learned of the clandestine mar
| rlage. even by her mother. Then the
mother accidentally discovered the
state of affairs.
Since her return from school Miss
Berkey has lived at her home and has
been visited there by Mr. Mayer, Just as
before she left the city in January.
Since the discovery made by her
mother the affair has been kept per-
fectly quiet, as Mrs. Berkey feared that
it would upset her own father, Col. De
Graf. who is lying dangerously i'll at
the Merchants hotel, if he should be-
come acquainted with the facts.
Mrs. Berkey, when seen by a reporter
last night, was utterly Frustrated, both
by the news of her daughters secret
marriage and with anxiety in regard to
her father. Mr.. Berkey had not vet
been made acquainted with the facts at
all. only having arrived in the city yes,
terday with the three younger children
from a camping trip at the lakes.
Asked what she thought of the affair.
Mrs. Berkey said that she regarded
1t as extremely unfortunate that the
young people had been so hasty, but
she felt that, without giving the serious
step that they were about to take any
special thought, and feeling that they
never could gain the consent of Mr..
Berkey and herself, they had done the
thing that would prevent any further
interference with their plans.
Miss Berkey. after her marriage. left
for the East and remained at school
until June. and of late plans had been
made for her return there in September.
Miss Rachel, speaking of the fact to
the representative of the GLOBE, said:
YES married Mr.. Mayer, in Jau-
uary, and the reason we did it Oil the
quiet, was because l knew that nv
father never would give in, and Mother
did not think very we'll of the matter
either, as she thinks | am too young"
Mr.. Mayors mother. seen about the
matter. stated that she had known Moth
ing whatever about the affair. That in
December last a! told her of his ea-
gagement to Miss Berkey, but that she
had not regarded the affair at the time
as at all serious, but only as a boy and
girl affair, particularly as Miss Berkev
left almost Immediately for school. She
could hardly believe that her boy would
do such thing without telling her
of it.
Young Mayer is engaged in the coffee
business in this city and has always
lived at home with his parents. Jack
Marchant, chum of Mayors, assisleS
at the marriage.