The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-26
WANTS TO Be FREE
Miss Rachel Morse Theaght
Her Marriage Was
Only a Betretha1.
SENSATIONAL GHAEGBRY CASE
Vice Chancellor Pitney CHticisss
Clsrgymen Who Marry Tsfy
Young People.

Miss Rachel Morse, a young and very
pretty girl under eighteen years Of age.
daughter of Auctioneer Albert Morse az
No. 400 Fourth avenue. New york CIV
told Vice Chancellor Pitney this morniras.
in chancery Chambers. seuzatior,sI
story about her clandestins marriage with
Francis ). McLeavy, a beardless vautf,
not out of his teens. and asked, through
her peutions to have the marriage set
ASIDE because she thought it was a be-
trothal and not wedding.
Miss Morse was born In 1873 ana 1fved
with her parents on Fourth avenue, New
OK city. She became acquainted with
young McLeavy, and contrary to the
Wisnes OF her parents carried on an ex-
senslve correspondence with him. She
says that ne repeatedly urged her 10
mary MIN, but she refused unless he
could procure her parents consent. FL
many, ne sne says, he begged her to 90 over
10 Jersey City and be betrotned
believed, she said in response to her
eounsel, Mr. Charles E. Hills questions
.nat ana the ceremony which he asked me to
take part IN would not be binding in law.
put It was to be a hold upon me in the
nature OF formal engagement until nv
papa and mamma should consent to the
uiarrlage- When Frank secured that I
told him would marry him The en-
gagenent was to hold good for one year
/ Hked him and he was very fond Of me, 2
haea..; tasls lass ADMISSION accompanied by very
counsel.
ceremony was performed by the Rsv.
and rector of St. jehn's Church, I be-
neye, she replied.
Vice Chancellor Pitney at this point
interrupted, saying
1t makes my blood boil to hear that
clergymen will marry people under age.
without the consent of their parents (
verify believe that there is more misery
created in marriages in this way than in
any other. Proceed, gentlemen.
Miss Morse continued her story by say
ing that after the ceremony she and
Frank went to a friends house in New
York city and took dinner. Then they
separated She went home TO her parents
but didn't tell them what had happened.
Frank and she kept up their Correspond
ence, and it was only when she refused
some request he had made that ne told
ner Sne was his wife and that they Were
legally married. On discovering this she
told her parents and the suit was begun.
On cross-examination Counsellor Porter
for young McLeavy produced a big packet
or letters which Miss Morse had written
to McLeayy before and after the cere-
mony performed by DIR. Stoddard. Miss
Morse blllshed furiously on reading some
Of these productions, and when the Vice
Chancellor perused them his face was a
study. These amatory effustons, fun OF
.sundying vows, saprotestations of ever
haSrng love" etc, transformed the stern
puzzle. He tried 10 look grave: but smiles
were playing at the corner of his mouth
as he wadsd through page after page OF
the letters 1t took nearly an hour TO read
them; but none of their contents were
mead aloud.
why put in so much of these lertersz
Suppose we spare the young lady2" said
the gallant Vice-Chancellor.
-. It'd f. Il-arr4 4cra
wish 20 show by them the relationship
existing between these young people.
They show that she was urging him 10
secure the consent Of her parents
In two of the letters, written two days
after the ceremony, Miss Morse spoke of
her dear hubby She signed the letter:
on the stand Miss Morse denied that
she had ever understood the ceremony
before the Rev. DIR. 6toddard was
legal one. It was merely d formal way
to make an engagement.
At noon the case was adjourned ana
this afternoon the defense was put In.
Young McLeavy, IN his answer, says tnar
the statement made by Miss Morse as TO
the marriage having taken place befors
the Rev. DIR. Suoddard and without ner
PARENTS consent, is true and that his wife
ana himself have never conantoed since
the ceremony.
Before the said marriage was performed
answers, the said Rachel morse repre-
sented to the Rev. Stoddard that she
was eighteen years of age and had fun
power to contract a marriage.
AS to her statement that she believed
the ceremony was only a betrothal, Me-
Leavy says that that is not true. 1t was
never so understood between them On
the contrary, he says, they agreed 20 get
married so that they could compel Mt.
and Mrs Morse to treat them as man
and wife. recognizing the cosummation
of a eourtship that had existed and en-
tended over a period of four years befors
the marriage was performed.
McLeavy insists at the close of his an-
swer to the bill that his wife is being
controlled and influenced by her parents
because he is Irish and a Catholic, while
they are Jews. His religious belief. he
says and his name are the main cbjec-
lions to him.
81 would like to hear arguments OF
counsel as to the jurisdiction In this mat
ter and on the resumption of the case
this afternoon c6unsel began Their argu-s
me,rt Since the defendant answered. that
settles the jurisdiction SO far as McLeavy
IS concerned.
Both sides agreed to submit briefs as
to the jurisdiction of the Vice Chancel-
lor, and the case was adjourned until
November 90.