The record-union., 1896-04-07
The Ceremony Takes Place at St. Thomas
Church, in New York City.
Simplicity a Characteristic of the
Celebration.
Only Thirty-Six Favored Witnesses
Present-Dr. j. Wesley Brown the
Omcfatfng Clergyman-The Bride
and Groom Depart in Special Car
Shortly After the Ceremony for
Their Home In Indianapolis.

Their Home In Indianapolis.
NEW YORK, April GA simple
service united Benjamin Harrison
twenty-third President of the United
States, and Mrs. Mary Scott Lord Dim
mick in wedlock's bond in ST. Thomas
Church half hour before 6 o'clock this
evening. Not one of the thirty-siX ia
vored witnesses of the ceremony could
fail to have been impressed with its
singular unpretentiousness. Benja-
min Harrison is a plain man and Mrs
Dimmick is a plain woman. It was fit
ting, therefore, that the celebration
should be characterized with that every
day simplicity of their lives.
The crowds outside the church showed
the interest the public had in the affair
Secrecy as to the exact hour of the cere-
mony had been carefully maintained
and this in measure kept away the
curious.
Then, too, the weather was not such
as to attract such a gathering as was
feared. Easter sunshine had given way
to dark and ominous clouds. The morn
ing was ushered in with a heavy snow
storm, which later turned into rain
There was a cessation about noon, but
the day continued cloudy and threaten
ing. The crowds about the church were
not of the city's fashionable. The work
a-day people were there in force, and
they elbowed each other in their earnest
endeavor to catch a glimpse of the bride
and groom and the different statesmen
who had the honor to be included in the
of inv
The guests began to arrive at the
church shortly before o'clock. As
they entered they were received by the
two ushers, the youthful-looking Pri-
vate Secretary of the ex-President, e
F. Tibbett, and the soldierly bearing
Daniel N Ransdell, a hero of the civil
war. The ushers wore the conventional
frock coats, dark trousers, buttonieres
of white violets and white gloves.
Mrs. John G. Parker, the brides SIS
ter, occupied a front pew on the left, and
Mr. and Mrs. Pinchot the one in the
right Behind Mrs. Parker sat Gov
ernor Morton and Colonel Marvin, his
Military Private Secretary. In the sue
ceeding pews were Senator and Mrs
EIkins. ex-Secretary of State John w
Foster and Mrs. Foster, ex-Attorney-
General w. H. H. Miller and Mrs. Mil
Ter and George w. Boyd of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad. In pews back of Mr.
and Mrs. Pinchot sat friends OF the
bride.
In all thirty-six people were present
Admission was by card written anc
signed by Mr.. Tibbett, and each ar
rival at the church was closely scruti-
nized by him before being seated. AL
the living members of General Harri-
sons Cabinet were present excepting
ex-Postmas aster-General Wanamaker, ex-
Secretary of the Treasury Charles Eos
ter. ex-Secretary of War Redfield Proc
tor and ex-Secretary of the interior
John w. Noble, all of whom were un-
avoidably prevented from witnessing
the ceremony.
The gathering of the selected few was
without incident. Governor Morton ar
rived with Colonel Marvin at o:2I
q clock. Mr.. and Mrs. Pinchot. who
were the last to arrive, arrived on the
$40 O'Clock train. With two or three
exceptions. the costumes of the women
were subdued in color, only an occa-
SIGNAL gay Easter bonnet lending life
to, the scene. There was no rustling OF
characteristic of the usual distinguished
metropolitan church wedding.
Professor William w. Warren, the
church organist, rendered few prelim-
inary selections from the great mas
ters. Still the scene seemed cold ana al
most gloomy. One could hardly realize
that a wedding Of National Importance
was about to solemnized.
1t was just ) O'Clock when General
Harrison and General Benjamin r
Tracy, his best man, entered carriage
al the Fifth Avenue Hotel and started
Tor the church, where they arrived at
500 o'clock. They entered through the
rector's residence on Fifty-third street
and went directly to the vestry, where
| they waited the arrival of the bride
General Harrison wore long frock
coat, dark trousers and white gloves
In the lapel of his coat was button
Mere of lilies of the valley. General
Tracy wore a frock coat and striped
trousers, and a small bouquet of white
violets.
| AT 800 o'clock Mrs. Dimmick and hel
brother-in Lieutenant John F
| Parker, were driven from their resi-
dence, and reached the church at 5:2C
o'clock They entered by the main dool
on Fifth avenue and went direct to the
tcwerroom, to the left of the vestibule
where wraps and coats were discarded
| 1t was 5:32 o'clock when the two large
doors leading to the center aisle were
| thrown aside and the ushers, side by
side, stood in the passageway. At the
same moment DR.. J. Wesley Brown, the
officiating clergyman. robed in a white
cassock, appeared from the vestry, fol-
lowed by the sexton. The reverend doc
tor passed in behind the sanctuary rail
the attendant closing the gates after
him.
| DIR. Brown knelt in prayer for a few
moments, and then the strains OF
'Lohengrin" burst forth from the orgar
and re-echoed back from the empty
stalls with double volume. Then the
door leading to the vestry, on the left Of
the altar opened, and the silvery locks
of Generals Harrison and Tracy were
seen. There was an awkward pause fol
a. minute, and the assemblage looked in.
quiringly first at the altar and then al
the rear entrance. Finally at 5::35..
o'clock, the bride appeared, and fell ir
behind the ushers. At the same mo.
ment the minister nodded his head, sig.
mailing the groom to step forward. Cen