The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-02

The !: VIE of the Prospective.
:. Groom: Sends a Timely.
:: 80: Warning. s..
:. -: .; =.
: Tells. the Bride.to.Be That He. Is
g.. About to Become a
:. Bigamlst.

$1,000
: Rowland and Thomas Hart were to have
been married in this city this afternoon.
Several friends had been invited to wit
ness the. ceremony, which was to take
place in Mrs. John Stevens lodging-house
ION Mariposa street, and an elegant we'd
ding dinner had, been prepared for the
happy occasions. =
When the guests arrived to their con-
sternatfon they found the prospective
bride in Mysteries ana were told that the
marriage was not to take place.
y They were told that the dupficity of the
prospective groom had Just been idiscov
cred, Mrs. Rowland having received e
note from a Mrs. Hart. stating that it wa.
her lawful husband whom she Mrs. How
Handy was about to marry.
Hart was not on the scene. He .hac
made brief appearance and then left
riaRe license. but came with the informa.
ton that he was unable to secure one. . :.
When told Of the note his prospective
bride had received from his wife he con.
fessed its truth and said that: Mrs. Hart
: had been at the County Clerks Office dur
ing the day and warned Cupid's clerk Of
the state of affairs.
=. :: 1t was for this reason, he explained,
: that he could not procure the necessary
license. :. 80: -
Mrs. How1and has been working about
thescfty for several months as domestic,
sndoshe has received attentions from and
: carried ON communication with Hart for
some time: -
= He was employed during the summer
months as an engineer at Moore g. Smith IS
sawmills at Sequoia, in the mountains.
While they were thus separated they were
in continual correspondence, he being es-
peciaIly endearing in his letters.
The mills. closed for the season last
week, and it.hsd been previously arranged
by letter that the couple should marry as
soon as he came down to the valley.
Hart arrived'in this city few days ago,
and the arrangements for the wedding
were quickly arranged. Mrs. Rowland
has number of friends in the city and
she sent them invitations. :.
C Hart was practically unacquainted in
this city and had no 5one to invite. The
BRIDES preparations, in which she was
actively assisted by Mrs. Stevens, were
somewhat elaborate. :,
o. The table for the supper which was to
carefully set during the day and beaptis
fully decorated with flowers. .. =
the prospective bride had Just donned
her wedding-dress when messenger
called at the door with a note for her.
Mrs. Stevens answered the summons and
took the missive to Mrs. Howlands =.
Briefly. it warned her not. to- marry
Thomas Hart-that the writer was his
lawful wife and had been for years. 1t
was with a screech that the unfortunate
woman told the news 10 Mrs. Stevens, who
was at her side. -
But she would not believe it It must
be the work of some enemy. she. said.
Hart was to arrive shortly with the mar
riage license and she would demand OF
him an explanation. . ..
He was on hand few minutes later and
when told of the missive that had just
been received quietly admitted its
authenticity.
He did not seem to be concerned as
much as one generally. would under such
circum Instances. He stated that his wife
had been to the clerks Office and headed
him off from getting a license. Hart then
quietly left. -
This tended to make matters worse.
Mrs. Rowland became frantic and it was
only with great difficulty that she could
be otieted. The scoundrel who so baseIy
deceived the unfortunate woman is be-
Heved to have had no intention OF marry
ing her.
His purpose in all probability was to get
possession of what little money she had
earned and saved by nard work for many
years. Sne is an honest and industrious
woman. She is AZ years of age, and Hart
is about the same.
There are some who declare their belief
that Mrs. Hart was in completely with her
husband to rob the unfortunate woman.
He was to make every effort to get the
money, even to go as far as he did, and
then the wife was to come upon the scene
and prevent the marriage.
However, ifs this were the scheme, it
was not successful, for Mrs. Rowland re-
fused to let Hart have any of her hard
earned money.
1t was learned at the County Clerk s
Office that Hart had made no plication
Tor marriage license and that his wife
had not appeared there to prevent the is
suance of one.
This bears out the supposition that he
was carrying sout a scheme to get the
Woman's money.
The Travelling Mems Paper.