Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-04
CARL FAILED TO APPEAR
The Marriage on the Capitol Steps Did Not
Take Place.
Brown, the Ccmmonwea1 Leader, Ar
rives in Town, but DisappOints
Ill Waiting Crowd. .ad

Carl Brown of California, Massilon. Chi
cago, the Washington Jail, Wall street and
srndry other places, has lost his reputa-
's"r with the people of Washington for
accuracy. He has failed to keep an i'm
portant engagement, and nt longer will
the curiosity seekers Of the .epital place
faith in him as a promiser Of sensations.
Carl recently attracted g. good deal of
attention through his reported marriage
with the daughter of his erstwhile partner
in the commonweal business, Miss Mamie
Coxey. There were statements that this
loving couple were married, and other
statements to the contrary effect What is
known is that Brown and Mamie started
away from Massilon with the muniflcent
sum of % cents in their joint pocket books,
determined to lecture their way around
the circle on a wedding tour, that has
few, If any, equals in this land of freaks
There have been several talks by the bride
groom here and there on the way, and be
has had varying success, but evidently
drew enough money out of the pockets of
his hearers to keep alive and to prevent
himself and his wife from being arrested
as persons with no visible means of sup
port.
Some days ago there appeared in Ohio
papers an extended notice from Brown to
the effect that he would celebrate Inde-
pendence day by having his marriage with
MISS Coxey repeated on the steps of the
United States Capitol at Washington. He
called upon all true and loyal common
wealers to meet him individually at the
Peace monument, where, year ago, he
dressed in flags and minus his beard, went
through the act of dying while personify-
ing Freedom assassinated by the Washing
ton police.
Accordingly when news of this latest in
teption of the ex-leader of the common
wealers reached this city there was flut-
ter of excitement, for 1t was thought that
Brown would surely carry out his plan,
and add to his stock in trade of free adver-
tisement. Some one sent a clipping of this
appeal to Major Moore, the superintendent
of the District police, and he turned it over
to Col. Bright, the sergeant-at-arms of the
Senate, for his guidance. The colonel read
and planned. Then he sent the clipping
hack to Major Moore with his thanks and
compliments.
Arrived Early.
Brown and his bride reached the city on
an early train this morning. Browne had
regrown his beard that was sacrificed a
year ago. Up to noon Brown failed to car
ry out his program of marrying the girl on
the steps of the Capitol, although as soon
as he had reached the city a report that
he had achieved that feat without molesta-
ton, was spread about.
This was untrue. There were policemen
posted at each entrance of the Capitol
building early o'clock, three or four
hours before the alleged bridegroom struck
town. The captain of the Capitol force
was on the main steps at that hour, with
two or three men, and Col. Bright was on
hand an hour later They saw nothing of
the cosmopolite with the matrimonial in
tentions.
When Brown arrived in the city he board
ed herdic running out east along Mary
land avenue, presumably for the purpose
of joining the picnic party of 'wealers who
have made this city their home during the
past winter There are thirty or forty of
them, and some of them have obtained
work in town. At an early hour some of
them were seen around the Capitol build
ing and were recognized by the police as
veterans of the celebrated campaign of May
1, 1894.
Brown told the driver of the herdic that
he had been married according to program,
deter crowd OF 200 or 300 people from
gathering at about 10 o'clock on the east
plaza of the Capitol
A Disappointed Crowd.
There were two announcements made by
Brown and his agents. One was that he
would appear at the steps at 10 o'clock to
have the ceremony performed, and the
other was that he and the 'wealers would
march In from the picnic grounds near
Mount Olivct cemetery and assemble at the
Peace monument at noon. After paying
tuelr respects 10 the GOQQ6SS OF Liberty on
the scene of her fictitious death a year
ago today they were to move around to the
east front and there go through the per-
formance of tying fast the knot that should
make Carl Brown and Mamie Coxey one.
At 10 o'clock there was no sign of Brown,
At II o'clock the disappointed people be-
gan to drift away. At noon there were not
more than half a dozen loungers around
the east front. and the Peace monument
was deserted save for the car starter and
the hill boys of the herdic line. The great
wedding ceremony had failed to materialize
Later in the day Capt. Garden, the chief
OF the Capitol force, received word from
reliable source that Brown had told
friend that he would not try to carry out
his plans, as he had heard that the police
Of the Capitol were watching for him and
would arrest him if he tried to have the
ceremony performed. He had, therefore
decided to remain in the seclusion of the
groves of Mt. Olivet Hill, where the juris-
diction of the Capitol police force did not
extend.
Passed Through ,he Grounds.
About 2 o'clock Brown and his wife
passed through the Capitol park on their
way into town from the picnic grounds
near Mt. Olivet cemetery, where they met
some of their old comrades. They rode
along Maryland avenue in a west-bound
nerdic, and on making the transfer at the
crest of Capitol Hill. just inside the grounds
north of the building, they were observed
by one of the Capitol watchmen. Brown
was conspicuous in his familiar leather
coat, which made him such a prominent
figure in the march of the commonweal
mere than year ago. The couple were
kept under watch, but they only paused in
the grounds lorg enough to take an ave-
nue. herdic and they rode thence to the
Enrich Hotel, on Pennsylvania avenue,
where they took quarters. Brown made
no effort to go to the steps and was not
moiested in any way.