The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-13
KANSAS MANS IDEA
Thinks a Girl Can Be Restrained
from Wedding Her Choice.
Having Been Tilted He Will Appeal to
the Courts to Test the Legality of
Love, and for an Injunction.

ATCHISON, Kan. Feb. 12.-This town has
received a great deal of prominence because
Of the fact that John j. ingalls, resides
here. but ii is now certain that it will
be more widely advertised than ever with
in the next thirty days because of the re-
markable and heretofore unheard of pro-
ceeding soon TO be instituted in the Atchi-
son County District Court. The case will
be that Of an injunction suit brought by
Joseph +. Rank against a beautiful and
prepossessing young lady named Miss An
toinette Smythe TO restrain her from mar
rying another and handsomer man.
At first when the matter was talked
about the people of Atchison regarded it
more of a joke than a reality, but they
have now discovered that Rank is desper-
ately in earnest and determined TO see if
the court can prevent the other fellow
from stepping in and capturing the prize
that he has been industriously working
for during the past two years. The nov
city of such a proceeding is the talk of the
town. Society is all agOg over it. 1t is
the sole topic of conversation in the little
sewing circles or about the tea table. In
fact, the lawyers are talking about it and
say the action will hold: that it would
be no more than fair and proper to give
the plaintiff, wno has been encouraged, a
CiidiCt 10 coax lne RlFl 10 cldISe ner NINA.
The prominence of the parties interested
in this unusual controversy lends additional
ZeSt to the matter. Mr.. Rank is the city
editor Of the AtchiSon Daily Globe, and a
very estimable young man. Miss Smythe,
whose hand and heart he felt he had surely
won, is a very charming young woman, who
is living with her aunt in this city. She is
highly cultured and educated and of very
retiring disposition, rarely appearing in So
ctiety and with but q limited acquaintance
in the town. She was raised in Allegheny
City, Pa, where her connections embrace
many well-known people.
The gentleman who, it is discovered, has
won the affections of Miss Smythe, and
against whom the injunction suit will be
aimed, is Mr.. Charles Harrison, a promi-
son is a third cousin of the ex-President and
a young man of irTeproachable character.
But he is suave and sly in his love affairs,
and it seems has, by degrees, won the affec-
tions of Miss Smythe completely. Rank did
not realize this until it was announced re-
Gently that Harrison was to be married
soon. Inquiry was made, and ii developed
that Miss Smythe was the idol of his heart,
and that he had, during his occasional
visits, succeeded in securing from her a
promise of marriage. Rank and Harrison
have long been fast friends. Rank did not
know that Harrison was him,
because the latter would quietly steal away
from his friend one or two nights each
week and pay a visit to Miss Smythe. while
Rank depended on his Sunday visits to hold
the affections Of the Pennsylvania girl.
a number of Ranks friends have urged
him to drop the matter, but he declines to
heed their advice. He is desperately in
love, and believes if he can secure a re-
straining order from the court he can in
duce Miss Smythe to reconsider and make
good her promises to him.
There is a mixture of politics in this ro-
mantle proceeding that is amusing. Of
course, Rank will have to have a lawyer.
Rank is a Democrat Of prominence, and his
name is freely mentioned for postmaster of
Atchison. His best legal friend is Frank
G. Crowell, a prominent young Republican
and member Of the State central commit
tee. He will undertake the task of con-
vincing Judge w. ID. Webb, of the District
Court. that Miss Smythe ought to be re-
strained from entering into a marriage
contract with Charles Harrison.
While Miss Smythe is too modest and
bashful to go this far as a matter of pro-
lection, Harrison will see to it that she is
represented, and to that end w. =. Wag-
gener. general attorney of the Kansas City,
WyandOtte & Northwestern railroad, has
been engaged to take charge of the case.
Waggener is a young lawyer, and is anx-
ious TO defend the fair Pennsylvania girl
without charge. His argument will be that
she has a legal right to marry Harrison
if she wants to, and that Ranks only re-
course is a breach Of promise suit, as such
a proceeding as is contemplated is con-
trary to public policy.