The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-29
w. C. WHITNEY TO WE'D
OF THE NAVY TO BE
MARRIED AT NOON TO-DAY.
Mrs. Edith $. Randolph. Widow of an
English Army officer, to Be the
Bride-A Surprise.

NEW YORK, Sept. 2S-Hon. William c.
Whitney, former Secretary of the Navy,
will be married at noon tomorrow to
Mrs. Edith S. Randolph, widow of the
late ex-Capt. Arthur Randolph, of East
Court Wiltshire. England. This fact was
formally announced tonight by Mr.. Whit
ney's private secretary, T. J. Reagan who
re ceived a communication during the day
from Mr.. Whitney advising him of the
prospective wedding.
Society has been speculating on the
event for some time, but not even the
closest friends of Mr. Whitney had antic-
ipated that the event would be so soon, as
Mr.. Whitney himself, when he left the
city two weeks ago to recuperate, did not
expect to be married so soon He acci-
dentally met Mrs Randolph at Bar Harbor
and decided only last Thursday that the
wedding should take place Tomorrow Mr..
Whitney was i'll from a severe attack of
rheumatism and about ten days ago he
telegraphed from Newport for a special
car and massage attendant and proceeded
at once to Bar Harbor He rapidly re-
gained his health. and after meeting Mrs
Randolph they decided upon the date Of
the wedding.
There are several features that cast a
halo of romance over the marriage the
courtship, the sudden engagement and
hasty marriage. Mrs. Randolph is an old
friend of the Whitney family, and has
been intimately associated with them for
the past ten years. In the letter to his
secretary Mr.. Whitney did not make any
of the details of the wedding known He
simply stated that it will be strictly pri-
vate, not more than a half dozen of his
most intimate friends being present. None
of the relatives of the contracting parties
will be at Bar Harbor to witness the cere-
mony.
Mr.. Whitney's son, Henry Payne Whit
ney, with his bride is now on his honey
moon The couple will start soon for Van
couver, where they will take the steam
ship Empress of India for Japan. His
husband, spending the Summer in the
Ad1rondacks. A suggestion that there was
any estrangement in the family on account
of the wedding was denied positively as
all the members of the family have been
on the best of terms with the prospective
bride.
Mrs. Randolphs late husband was cap
tain in the Fifteenth Hussars, commonly
called the Queens Own" She was orig
cousin of Herman Oelrichs also to Mrs.
Col. William Jay, of this. city. She is the
mother of two children, the eldest thirteen
years old. Mr. Whitney's wife was Miss
Flora Payne. daughter of the late United
States Senator Henry y, B. Payne of Ohio.
wedding will take place there IN ST
Xaivers Church. Rev. g. S. LeffingweH
the pastor, will officiate. There will be no
elaborate arrangements, and the groom
and bride will be unattended. except that
Fred May, brother of Mrs. Randolph will
act as usher in the church The guests at
the wedding will be few in number and
none of Mr.. Whitney's family is expected
to witness the ceremony. Mrs. Randolph
is one of the most beautiful widows of Bar
Harbor society. She went there early in
the summer with her two children. the
haif tAn nj
formerly Miss May. daughter of Mrs J.
Frederic May, of Washington.