The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-01-13
0LIFER BnLlloNr,s .BRIDE.

H New York, Jan. 12,,-Mrs. Alva Van | derbilt, daughter Of the late Murray Forbes Smith of Alabama and former ly the wife of William Kissam Wander btlt, was married yesterday morning at 10 o'clock to Oliver Hazard Perry Bel mont, 8 son of the late August Belmont, the banker, The ceremony was per formed by Mayor W. L. Strong.
 The marriage took place at the home of Mrs. Vanderbilt at 24 East Seventy second street. There were present at the ceremony only the intimate friends of the bride and bridegroom. Among these present were Colonel William Jay, president of the New York Coaching club, who acted as attorney for Mrs. Vanderbilt ill her divorce case; Mrs. Jay, Mrs. William A. puer. Miss Jay, Miss Smith, Mrs. Vanderbilt's sister, and the two sons of the bride.
 The Belmont family had no represen- tative among the guests
 I The New York Times gives the fol- lowing account of the affair: | When Mayor Strong was starting for his office in the city hall Friday morn- I ing MT. Belmont called at his house, l2 | West Fifty-seventh street, and made l arrangements with him to perform the ceremony. When the mayor left his office Friday night he took with him his little black covered leafiet containing the form of the civil marriage ceremony. Just after breakfast yesterday morning | fhp 10 He'd o 1iUarNr stail1p his telephone and ordered cab. When the cab reached the mayors house he l told the driver to take him to the resi- dence of Mrs. vanderbilt, at the, south west corner of Madison avenue and Seventy-second street.
 He arrived at Mrs Vanderbilt's home 1 just before 10 o'clock. He was ushered into the salon on the second floor, where the bride, the bridegroom and the guests We're awaiting his arrival. MT. Belmont and Mrs. Vanderbilt stood at the east end of the room. The time occupied by the mayor in performing the civil mar riage ceremony was only a few min utes l Mrs. Vanderbilt and MT. Belmont per ferred to have the ceremony performed l by a clergyman of the Protestant Epis- copal church, but neither of the parties could secure the sanction of the bishop Of any diocese. It is said that Bishop 1 Potter and Bishop Littlejohn were ap- preached regarding the matter, and that the Rev. Dr F. WaIpole Warren, the Rev Dr. George H. Houghton and | the rector of the Protestant Episcopal church of Newport refused to perform i the ceremony.
 The bride wore traveiing gown of 1 dark gray silk, trimmed with fur Her bonnet was of the same material, and was also trimmed with fur. The bride groom's boutonniere was of lilies of the valley.
 Directly after the ceremony Mir and Mrs. Belmont entered their carriage and were drivensto the Grand Central sta ton, where they took a train for New port The mayor left the brides home immediately after the ceremony. 1 It had been the intention to conduct the marriage with great quiet, and no one outside offttlose let into the secret I would have known of the wedding for possibly a day or two, had not Mayor l Strong. on reaching the city hall, left l in his cab the letfiet containing the civil marriage form, and the certificate which l must be filed at the bureau of vital 1 statistics of the board of health. The 1 discovery Of these tell tale documents 1 by others than the mayor gave public notice of the marriage.
 When Mayor Strong discovered his ] loss he telephoned to the livery stables l that if any information was given out about the marriage from the stable he would no longer patronize the concern. 1 He then sent messenger after the | documents
 But when he was asked, about noon, if he had married MT. Belmont and Mrs. 1 Vanderbilt the mayor said that he had ! done so.
 l "All that I can tell you." said the mayor lis that did marry MT Belmont l and Mrs, Vanderbilt this morning. do not feel that should say anything l further than that upon the subject cannot tell who were present. There were some people there, but many of them did not know. They were,- i be- l lieve, principally friends of Mrs. Van- derbilt No one stood up with the con- tracting parties"
 The mayor refused to make public ! the GtItllitdle, WHICH must D1 lbeu. Tie said that he did not think that this should be given out until it was filed in the bureau of vital statistics
 The form of the certificate which he gave to Mir and Mrs. Belmont follows 1 except that the various typographical peculiarities and seals are not repro duced
 State of New York, City and County
 of New York,
 I, ". l.. Strong, Mayor of the City of New York do hereby certify that on the 11th day of January, 4. D., 1896, at 24 East Seventy-second street, duly performed the marriage ceremony be- tween MT. Oliver H. P. Belmont of New York city and Mrs. Ava E. Vanderbilt of New York city
 That the said parties were satisfac- torily made known to me and were of lawful age to contract marriage, and upon due inquiry by me made, there ap- peared no legal impeachment to said marriage.
 I further certify that the following persons, William Jay and William A. Duer, were present and became sub soribing witnesses to said marriage.
 w. l.. STRONG, Mayor
 The marriage of Mir. Belmont and Mrs. Vanderbilt lhap been expected for many m5nths. MT Befmnnh's akten- tiOn to Mrs Vany1fThirt was talked