Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17
DIR. Paxton's story.


knowledge of a secret marriage.
DIR. PaxtOn's Story.
The disclosure of the fact that Mr. R-eck-
inridge, the defendant in the silt for breach
of promise brought by Miss Pollard, vas
privately married to Mrs. Louisa Wing in
New York, April % last, three months be-
fore the public marriage. has given rise to
considerable speculation as to the legal
status of Miss Pollard's case.
The statement published in yesterdays
Star to the marriage in New York last
April was confirmed last night by Rev. DIR.
Paxton in an interview in Pittsburg, where
DIR. Paxton has been visiting several months
with relatives.
He stated that the marriage had taken
place on the date stated, ana ne had sup
pressed the fact to oblige Col. Breckenridge
and the bride. In response to frequent tel
egrams he had kept putting off recording.
and only did il at last to obviate journey
to the capital in the present unsatisfactory
state of his health as a witness in the scan
dal suit
Moved, however. by an apparent desire to
make the facts of the marriage clear as
possible now that they had come out. DIR.
Paxton proceeded to fill in the details of the
story himself as follows:
ION the 18th of last April my man Charlie
came to me in my study and told me that
a gentleman was down stairs and wanted
to see me. When / went down Billy Breck
inridge came to me and asked me whether
/ would marry him to Mrs. Wing. 1 said /
would, and shortly after Mrs. Wing drove
up to the door in ar other carriage. This
was about 1880 in the evening. l took them
to the study and called Mrs. Paxton and
Eleanor n. Collier, who was stopping at the
house. to act as witnesses.
After the ceremony Col. Breckiuridge
asked me not to put the marriage on rec
ord. His children might raise a great fuss.
and besides,i 1T would seem mighty improper,
when his wife was dead only nine or ten
he Oaf u-h fr.S nsll al
her solicitations, as she desired to become
acquainted with her hrspani's family and
win their affections before the marriage
was made known 1 agreed, and they went
away very happy, as he seemed very de-
voted to her. In this old Quaker state, /
believe you must have license to get mar
ried. In New York you DON'T. \ minister
is just provided with blanks from the
health bureau. which set forth full his
tory of the parties, well as the marriage
and go on public record. 1 simply did not
return mine for this marriage. l had been
lifelong friend of Billy, aud thought N.Y.
self it was best, all things considered. not
to make it public. i had suppressed such
reports before in affairs OF honor you
know. and the like.
Everything was going along ali right
and l suppose Mrs. Wing was making
friends nicely with the family. when up
crops this Pollard scandal. 1 don't know
thing about Miss Pollard, and never
heard her name before L saw IL in this con-
nection.
Almost Immediately, in June Col Hreck-
inridge and Mrs. Wing were publicly mar
ried in Kentucky, without consulting me AT
all.
Il next received a telegram rot to record
the April marriage, at least till after the
scandal had blown over. There is no spe-
cial law in New York that 7 know of on re-
turn of marriages. There is nothing TO
make a man hurry up soon as he has
married couple and get IL recorded 1
never observed any special time
''Since this SHIT has hes,1p \ have
followed up by kilograms from Col Brech-
lnridge ana his attorneys to come to Wash
irgton as a witness. 1 would have beer
willing to go, but for my condition I want
that year and a half rest, and / am talyinp
II. So just telesraphed to my man Char
lie, who takes charge of the house in my
absence, TO go to my study. get that mar
rage record and file IT. 1 considered that
was my share of the evidence, all L had to
do with the suit, and that ives done a
couple of days ago by my man.
Il don't know whether by the suppression
have rendered myself liable TO the law
l don't know whether New York has any
law bearing on such suppression. PERHAPS
l have committed a misdemeanor and NAV
have to pay a fine. the marriage WAS
nearly year old when registered"
Calling ON DIR. Paxton to ExpIafp.
The New York registrar of vital statis-
tics yesterday sent a letter to DR. PAXTON
as follows:
Dear Sir: 1 respectfully inform Won that
marriage certificate was received at this
department yesterday which stated thar
William c. p. Breckenridge and Louise y
). Wing were married by you on April ~
1888 The certificate fails to show the are
OF the bride, and the official station ana
residence OF the person by whom married
which Is required by section 6o6 of the Esv,
YORK consolidation act, chapter 10 laws
OF lSs2. The failure to report a MARRIAGE
to this department within ten DAYS after
the marriage ceremony has been performed
is violation OF section COG of the consoli-
dalton act.
Have the kindness to supply the above
omission and explain the reason of the
delay in forwarding the Certificate 10 this
department. ~
There seems 10 be some mystery abou,
the marriage Of Mr.. Breckenridge and
Mrs. wing. A press dispatch from Chi
cago says:
DR.. Preston Scott, brother Of Mrs Scot,
Wing Breckenridge, the present wife 81
Col. Breckenridge, was asked TODAY n the
statement was true that he had forced
breckenridge to wed his sister after tho
death of the colonel's former wife The
question was not evidently a pleasant one.
for the doctors face flushed perceptibly
as he declined to answer it
The day preceding the Brackinridge-
V 9 wedding in Louisville DR. Scott Wis
fteA the newspaper offices and announced
that the wedding would take Mace AT his
home on the following day He was told
that Col. Breckenridge had already denied
previous announcement to the same
effect DR.. Scott rather testify replied that
the marriage would take place and in
sisted upon publication to that effect
an Interesting Legal Question