The San Francisco call., 1896-03-20
THEY ELUDEO THE LAW,
A Young Couple Married at Sea
On the Steamer City of
Sydney.
Guatemala's Statutes Require Sixty
Day Notice Which Was
Not Given.

The passengers on the Pacific Mail Com
pany's steamer City of Sydney witnessed
genuine sea marriage during the run from
San Jose de Guatemala to Champerico.
At the former port young couple got
aboard and the purser gaveNthem the
bridal chamber. AS soon as the steamer
was well out to sea the groom presented
the following letter to Captain Frank
Johnston:
THE PARSONAGE, PROTESTANT CHURCH,
GUATEMALA, March 2, 1896. !
Captain Johnston. Commander Pacific Mail
me to introduce myself (pastor of the Protest
ant church in this city, for the purpose OF
commencing to your good offices the bearer,
Andrew Jackson Bloom, and his fancee, Miss
Selma Thiel
They had made all arrangements for the
celebration of their marriage in our church
decorated) when, at the last moment it was
discovered that a hitch with the laws OF this
country made the performance of the cere-
mony impossible.
AS General Young, the United States Minis
ter is absent the marriage could not take
place in the legation. In these embarrassing
circumstances their plans have beer quite dis
arranged and unless they can arrange the mat
ter otherwise they will be compelled 10 undergo
the inconvenience and chagrin of dancing at
tendance on the laws of Guatemala for term
of at least two months.
have therefore recommended them to take
short sea voyage on the City of Sydney and
draw upon your kindness and courtesy to
perform the ceremony for them under the
United States flag on the high seas. If you can
make it convenient to do this you will very
greatly oblige two worthy but lovesick young
p'Op'' An1 A '' Ed N. HAYMAxER.
Captain Johnston was in a quandary for
time. but when the news spread among
the cabin passengers he was forced to give
in and perform the ceremony. Immedi-
ately all was hustle on board the steamer.
The chief steward put the cooks to work
and a collat ton that would do credit to a
first-class hotel was soon prepared. The
passengers got out their best clothes and
there was quite cabin full of people to
see the young couple made man and wife.
The Sydney did not get away from Guat-
emala until II o'clock at night and it was
two hours later before the ceremony was
performed. Chief Engineer Rosseter gave
the bride away and r. c. McGregor, a
student at Stanford, acted as best man.
while Miss Mary Sheylin of this City was
the only bridesmaid. The Sydney arrived
at Champerico the next day and Mr.. and
Mrs. Bloom went ashore to await the
arrival of the next southbound steamer.
Captain Johnston says that in the circum-
perform the ceremony. The young couple
were to have been married the day
the steamer sailed and it was a bitter
disappointment to them when they found
that the laws of the land were against
them. In Guatemala a foreigner must
give sixty days notice TO the authorities of
his intention to wed, and this Bloom failed
to do. The groom is an artist. well known
in Central America, and the bride was
taa 70
they made handsome couple.
The passengers who arrived on the City
OF Sydney were:
W. N. Wells, DR.. J. J.Clark, Mrs. de Halla, c.
J. Pierson, c. H. Sanders, Mrs. j. Schneider,
Mrs. n. Berkel, NJ Gonialdi, J. S. Klee, DR.. J. E.
Stark. H. Price, John E. Johnson, J. c. schnei-
der, w. NJ. Hersy, Angel Nonetti, Fannie Clark.
A. Martinez, Hal Noble, DR.: Frank Griffths, c;
Gonzales, % Mrs. N. Kiiburn, Mrs. FRI Monetti, Mrs.
Martinez, Charles Redecker, r. Withers. Mrs.
Frank Grltfiths. R. G. McGregor, Henry Westen,
J; Schneider, E. Aginlar, c.. Kilburn, Mary
Shevlin, Mrs. Z. H. Burrows, Mrs. Tabor.
c. H. Gilbert is professor of zoology in
Stanford University, and in company with
R. c. McGregor, G. ]. Pierson and E. G.
Stark, students at the university, visited
Panama and the Central American States
III search of specimens. They were very
successful, and have returned with great
number OF very rare reptiles, insects and
birds, which will be mounted at the uni
versity.
DR.. James P. Clark is a vell-known
physician of Washington. D. c., and
Miguel Gonzales is one of the lar est cof-
fee planters in Guatemala, and A. Martinez
and his bride are on their wedding tour.
They were married in Guatemala the day
before the steamer sailed, and in that re-
spect were more lucky than Mr.. and Mrs.
Bloom.
The passengers on the City of Sydney
know very little about the Nicaraguan war.
The rebels have possession of Corinto,
and it is closed to shipping. In con-
sequence the steamer could not call there.
Ezeta was at Panama when the steamer
left. and he was completely stranded. His
credit was gone, and he was looking in
vain for the wherewithal to keep up ap-
pearances. The tug Barclay Golden, which
sailed with the Ezeta expedition, was at
Acapulco when the City of Sydney ar
rived. and was expected to sail for San
Francisco the next day.